This Sourdough Biscuits recipe makes tender, flaky, golden-brown biscuits that are perfect for breakfast and dinner alike. They are nice and crusty on the outside with soft, fluffy insides!
Quick and Easy Sourdough Biscuits
Two words: sourdough biscuits. Oh man, these are a serious heaven-in-your-mouth situation, and if you are actively caring for a sourdough starter, they're your answer to a FAST biscuit recipe. And one that is oh-so good. Biscuits make everything better, and sourdough biscuits are really where it's at. That subtle tart flavor mixed with the buttery flakiness of a biscuit is unbelievable! Plus, this recipe is a quickie. No waiting for dough to rise like other traditional sourdough recipes. You just make the dough and they're ready to bake!
The fun thing is you can use your starter OR your discard in this recipe. (If you want to make your own sourdough starter, find my tutorial right here.) The discard gives it more of a strong sourdough flavor, and I actually prefer to use the starter over the discard. But both are good in their own ways! This is a fun and fast weekday recipe or a great one for a big holiday brunch if you need something that's comforting but doesn't take a ton of effort!
What Makes These the Best Sourdough Biscuits?
A few things add to the perfection of these biscuits! First of all, it's the easiest sourdough recipe you'll ever bake. If you love the taste of sourdough but don't have time for a full loaf, this is your answer. Plus, the grated butter does so many things! As it melts, it creates pockets of air for the perfectly flaky, layered biscuits. And you already know butter adds the punch of rich flavor we all need and love in a biscuit. They are SO GOOD!
What's in these Biscuits?
Sourdough starter or discard: The discard will give them a more sour flavor, and I prefer the starter for the best texture and flavor.
Milk: Milk is the liquid that brings the dough together and gives the taste a rich and hearty element.
All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour allows the dough to become thick and hearty, a biscuit must!
Baking powder: Baking powder helps the biscuits rise and puff up as they bake.
Salt: Salt's the almighty balancer of flavors in baked goodies.
Butter: The key! Make sure your butter is extra-cold (you can freeze it for a few minutes) and grate it using a cheese grater for the best biscuit texture.
How to Make Sourdough Biscuits:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly butter the bottom of baking dish.
- Whisk the sourdough starter/discard and ⅓ cup of milk.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and grated butter in separate bowl.
- Add milk mixture to bowl; stir to combine.
- Adjust the dough, using additional milk, until dough comes together well but isn't sticky.
- Remove dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Use your hands to gently pat the dough into 6x9-inch rectangle.
- Use a sharp knife to cut biscuits into 12 pieces.
- Place cut biscuits into prepared pan.
- Bake for about 15 minutes until the tops are golden-brown.
- Remove the biscuits from the oven and serve hot with butter and jam or with sausage gravy on top.
Tips for Making Sourdough Biscuits:
- Use sourdough starter: You CAN use the discard if you like, the choice is yours so use what you like or have on hand.
- Grate the butter: Grated butter melts in tiny pockets as the biscuits bake, making them uber flaky, airy, and layered.
- Gently pat out the dough: When preparing the biscuits, very gently pat the dough into a 1-inch rectangle. Pushing too hard will lead to denser, less fluffy biscuits.
How to Store Sourdough Biscuits:
Let the biscuits cool completely before storing in an zipper-topped bag or airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They also freeze well for up to 3 to 4 months.
FAQs:
What if My Biscuits Aren't Flaky?
Be sure you get your butter really cold by keeping it in the fridge right until you need it -- or even freeze for a few minutes. Then, be sure to grate it with a cheese grater for small little slices of the butter to be incorporated into the dough! This helps create little air pockets for the flakiest biscuits.
How Do I Make My Biscuits Have a Stronger Sourdough Flavor?
Using the sourdough discard, instead of the starter, will lend to a stronger sourdough flavor. Read about how to create your own sourdough starter here.
Quick Sourdough Biscuits
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 biscuits 1x
Description
This Sourdough Biscuits recipe makes tender, golden-brown biscuits perfect for breakfast or dinner. They are crusty on the outside with fluffy insides!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225g) sourdough starter or sourdough discard
- ⅓ cup (plus up to ⅓ cup more as needed) (80-160g) milk, I use whole or 2%
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (15g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
- 6 tablespoons (85g) very cold butter, grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F., and lightly butter the bottom of a baking dish, such as a 12-inch skillet or a 7x11-inch baking dish.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the sourdough starter (or discard) and ⅓ cup of milk. Whisk well with a fork to combine.
- In a second medium mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and grated butter. Stir with a fork to combine.
- Add the milk mixture to the bowl and stir to combine.
- The texture of the biscuits will depend a lot on the starter/discard that you used.
- Adjust the dough, using additional milk as needed, until the dough comes together well but isn't sticky. You can work it with your hands just a little if you'd like to get the last of the flour to come together. It's better if you are working with a slightly dry dough, opposed to a wet or sticky dough.
- When the dough mostly comes together, remove it from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Use a rolling pin or your hands to gently roll or pat the dough into a rectangle that is roughly 6 inches by 9 inches so that the biscuit dough is about 1 inch thick.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the biscuits into 12 pieces.
- Place the cut biscuits into the prepared pan.
- Bake for about 15 minutes until the tops are golden-brown.
- Remove the biscuits from the oven and serve hot with butter and jam or with sausage gravy on top.
Notes
- I like to use my mature bubbly active starter for this recipe. I think it has the best texture and flavor. My starter is considered a 100% hydration starter because I feed it equal parts water and flour. When I use my active starter for this recipe, I use ⅔ cup of milk total.
- You are free to use your sourdough discard in this recipe. The flavor is generally more sour, and you'll need to adjust the milk to account for the texture of your discard. Often discard is thinner than mature starter, so make adjustments as needed. You will likely need less milk.
- This recipe doesn't work well for a long or overnight rising time. The baking powder will lose it's leavening power over an extended time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sourdough
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: sourdough biscuits, sourdough discard recipe, fast sourdough biscuit recipe, homemade biscuits, easy biscuit recipe
Byron
I made the sourdough biscuits this morning and I hate to say it, but they are beyond the best biscuits I've ever made. Amazing! I pulled them out when they were supposed to be done. They weren't quite ready so I ran a stick of better across the tops and put them back in the oven. But that was just window dressing. The out of this world delicious on these is that top and bottom crunch sandwiching the delicious inside with that hint of sourdough tart. My wife, I believe her words were: This is the biscuit I've been waiting for. And again, that's after me making biscuits for some years and "perfecting" them. Thank you so much!!
★★★★★