Homemade Sourdough Biscuits
Sourdough discard biscuits that bake up tall and flaky. Perfect for breakfast with gravy, jam, or cheesy eggs.
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour or pastry flour, 320 grams
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar optional
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper optional
- 12 tablespoons butter cold and cubed, 170 grams
- ½ cup sourdough discard cold, 120 grams
- ⅔ cup heavy cream cold, 160 grams, plus more if needed
For the Top:
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream melted butter, or an egg wash
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper (if using).
- Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to cut the butter in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some larger pea-sized bits. Tip: Keep the butter cold for maximum flakiness. You can even set the butter in the freezer for a few minutes beforehand.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the cold sourdough discard and the cream. Pour into the flour mixture and gently stir with a fork or spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
- Add more cream a tablespoon at a time if the dough feels too dry, or a bit of flour if it’s too wet. The dough should be soft and just barely hold together; not sticky like bread dough, and not bone-dry or sandy. It’s okay if a few dry bits remain, they’ll come together in the stacking step below without overworking the dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rough rectangle and cut it in half. Stack one half on top of the other and press down gently to help the layers stick together. Repeat this cutting and stacking process 2 to 3 times. It helps the dough come together and creates flaky layers, without kneading or overworking it.
- Pat the dough out with your hands to about 1 inch thick. Flour a 2½ to 3-inch biscuit cutter and press straight down. Don’t twist, or you’ll seal the edges and limit the rise. Gently gather the scraps, press them back together, and cut additional biscuits, handling the dough as little as possible to keep it tender.
- Place the biscuits on the baking sheet. Place them close together for softer sides or space them 1 to 2 inches apart for crispier edges. Brush the tops with heavy cream, melted butter, or an egg wash.
- Bake for 17–22 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the sides look set. Let the biscuits cool on the pan for a few minutes before serving warm. They're best fresh but still tasty the next day if reheated gently.
Notes
Keep the butter cold: Chill your cubed butter in the fridge while you prep the dry ingredients. Cold butter gives you flaky biscuits.
Mix gently: Stir just until a shaggy dough forms. Don’t try to fully mix every dry bit. The stacking step pulls the dough together and builds layers without overworking it.
Stacking builds layers: The cut-and-stack step mimics lamination and create layers that add flakiness and lift.
Avoid twisting the cutter: Press straight down when cutting. Twisting seals the edges and keeps them from rising.
No biscuit cutter? : Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into squares.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 514mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 742IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 2mg
