Light and fluffy sourdough biscuits are easy to make with this overnight recipe!
They are simply mouthwatering topped with your favorite homemade preserves or made into a hearty breakfast sandwich with eggs and cheese!
You'll love the tangy flavor of sourdough in every bite!
There's more to sourdough baking than just sourdough bread. How about cinnamon rolls, crackers, pancakes or waffles? Just to name a few!
So many of your favorite baked goods can be made with your sourdough starter and buttermilk biscuits are one of them!
This is another sourdough recipe that is perfect for beginners or everyday home bakers that just want to bake healthy, fermented food for friends and family.
Step by step instructions
These sourdough biscuits couldn't be easier to make. So, let's dive straight into the details and get these delicious biscuits on the table!
1. Feed your sourdough starter 12 hours prior to mixing the dough so that it is active and bubbly.
Sourdough discard can be used instead of active starter but the dough will rise less during the bulk fermentation.
2. In a large mixing bowl, grate the cold butter using a cheese grater. Cut the flour into the butter using a bench scraper or a pastry cutter.
3. Add the buttermilk and the sourdough starter and stir until combined. Cover the bowl and let ferment at room temperature for 10-12 hours.
4. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Add the salt, baking soda and baking powder to the dough, making sure to work them in thoroughly with your hands.
5. Generously flour your work surface, turn out the dough and flour the top of the dough. Press into a rectangle, 1 inch thick and cut out biscuits. Gather scraps and continue to cut until you have 12 biscuits.
6. Arrange in skillet and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Make sure to serve the biscuits hot out of the oven!
Tips for success
CHOOSE THE RIGHT FLOUR FOR BISCUITS
When baking biscuits, you want to use an all-purpose flour with a lower protein content. Brands like White Lily get their "best flour for biscuits" reputation because of this fact.
While conventional all-purpose flour has a protein content of around 12%, White Lily flour has a 9% protein content, which makes for a light and fluffy biscuit.
Another brand to try is Gold Medal all-purpose flour, which comes in at a 10.5% protein content.
MIX BAKING POWDER AND BAKING SODA THOROUGHLY
Make sure to thoroughly mix the salt, baking soda and baking powder in a small bowl before incorporating them into the dough.
If small lumps of baking soda aren't broken up, the biscuits will have brownish spots on them which don't taste bad but may look unsightly.
CUT THE BISCUITS PROPERLY
Press the biscuit cutter down onto the dough, wiggle it to separate the biscuit from the dough and then pull straight up.
Do not twist the biscuit cutter when cutting out the biscuits. The twisting motion will seal the edges, making it harder for them to rise.
ALTERNATE EQUIPMENT OPTIONS
- If you do not have a cheese grater to grate the butter, cut the cold butter into small cubes and use a pastry cutter or a fork to cut the butter into the flour. You can also use your hands to rub the butter cubes into the flour.
- If you do not have a cast iron skillet, use a baking sheet. Arrange the biscuits so there is about 1/4"-1/2" of space between each one.
- A 3" wide glass mason jar can be used in place of a biscuit cutter.
Sample baking schedule
Here is a sample baking schedule to give you an idea of how to arrange your own personal baking timeframes for this sourdough biscuit recipe.
Day 1
- 8AM – Feed your starter.
- 8PM – Mix the initial dough ingredients, cover and ferment 10-12 hours.
Day 2
- 8AM – Preheat oven. Add the remaining ingredients to dough and cut out biscuits.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Make sure you PIN this recipe for later! If you have any questions, leave them in the comment section below!
Sourdough Biscuits Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Cheese Grater
- Bench-Scraper or pastry cutter
- Biscuit cutter
- 12" cast iron skillet or baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter (cold)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sourdough starter (discard can be used)
- 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk (or milk)
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) sugar (optional)
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) fine sea salt
- 1.5 teaspoon (7 g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
Instructions
Day 1
- 8AM - Feed your starter so it is active and bubbly for the dough. To a clean jar add 25g starter + 100g water + 100g all-purpose flour. Stir and let ferment for 12 hours. (Sourdough discard can be used in this recipe. See notes.)
- 8PM - Grate the butter using a cheese grater, into a large mixing bowl. Add the flour and use a bench scraper or a fork to cut the butter into the flour until it forms small, pea-sized crumbles. Add the active sourdough starter and buttermilk and stir with a stiff spatula until fully combined. Cover the bowl and let ferment on the counter for 10-12 hours.
Day 2
- 8AM - Preheat your oven to 400°. Combine the salt, baking soda and baking powder in a small bowl and use a fork to combine, making sure there are no lumps. Sprinkle half of the mixture over the dough and work it into the dough with your hands. Sprinkle the second half and continue to work it into the dough until fully combined.
- Generously flour your work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Flour the top of the dough and use your hands to press it into a rectangle shape that is 1 inch in thickness. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits, pressing straight down and pulling straight up. *See notes.
- Arrange the biscuits in a 12" cast iron skillet and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Remove and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- You will only use 100g of the active starter for this recipe in step 1. Place the remainder in the fridge if you do not plan to bake anytime soon OR use the remainder to feed and discard in order to prepare for your next bake. See our sourdough starter recipe for maintenance feeding recommendations.
- Sourdough discard can be used instead of active starter but note that the dough will rise less during the bulk fermentation. They will still bake light and fluffy because the baking soda and baking powder are used as the leavening agents in this recipe.
- The schedule in the recipe instructions is for reference only. Arrange the times to fit your schedule.
- Make sure to thoroughly mix the salt, baking soda and baking powder into the dough to distribute them evenly. If not fully incorporated, the biscuits will have brownish spots on them which don't taste bad but may look unsightly.
- *Do not twist the biscuit cutter when cutting out the biscuits. The twisting motion will seal the edges, making it harder for them to rise.
- Cold butter can be cut into small cubes and use a pastry cutter or a fork to cut the butter into the flour. You can also use your hands to rub the butter cubes into the flour.
- If you do not have a cast iron skillet, use a baking sheet. Arrange the biscuits so there is about 1/4"-1/2" of space between each one.
- A 3" wide glass mason jar can be used in place of a biscuit cutter.
Valerie says
Self isolating and I found you!!
I will be making your recipes from the with my new starter and discards.
Everything looks and sounds delicious!
Amy Duska says
Feel free to ask questions if you have any! I'm self isolating too and testing more recipes 🙂
Debra says
Amy I am a season bread baker and had perfect results first time. Easy to follow directions. Do wish they were not in grams. Wish to retrieve my refrigerated starter and make the biscuits. Set out to achieve room temperature before feeding?
Amy Duska says
I prefer to let mine come to room temperature before feeding but it's not necessary. I find that it's easier to mix at room temperature versus cold.
Steve in Iowa says
Perfect the first time. Thank you for the bullet-proof recipes and instructions that even a novice like myself can follow. in addition to tasting great, they looked great too! I even took a photo of them in the cast iron skillet when they came out of the oven.
Amy Duska says
You are so welcome!! 🙂
Bre says
These are on the menu for an afternoon tea my daughter’s throwing tomorrow for some of her kindergarten friends ❤️☕️🥖
Bre says
I love these SO much! They’re by far my new favorite...first round was a little iffy so I’m glad you added the notes about the brown spots. It gave me the confidence to try again and now they’re a new staple in our house.
Amy Duska says
Hi Bre! I'm so glad you had success! I love hearing success stories with sourdough 🙂
Sue says
Oh my gosh, I can't wait to try these. I'm loving your recipes! Thanks Amy.
Amy Duska says
Hi Sue! You're very welcome 🙂 I wish everyone could try sourdough baking just once!!