These sourdough biscuits are a great way to use starter that you might be discarding when it is sourdough feeding time.
Don’t have a sourdough starter yet? Grab a copy of my eBook “Learn How to Create a Sourdough Starter” and get yours going today!
Of course, you don’t have to be throwing out starter to make these, you could just make them because you want to!
I have made different variations of these: cinnamon raisin and ham and cheese, and they are really good.
Those variations are below the recipe.
Course, the plain ones are really good, too.
But I just can’t seem to not experiment with recipes!
I’ll probably have to experiment with chocolate chips next.
Because you know as well as I do that anything good is going to be better with chocolate! 🙂
Pin for later
Sourdough Biscuits
- 2 cups organic, unbleached flour
- 1 cup sourdough starter (click here to learn how to start one)
- 1/2 cup homemade buttermilk
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into chunks
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- additional butter, melted
You’re going to need a large mixing bowl for these.
In your large mixing bowl
you need to combine the flour, baking powder, sea salt, and baking soda.
Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter
until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
If you don’t have a pastry cutter you can use 2 forks, or even just rub it in with your fingers.
But a pastry cutter like this one works the best.
all crumbed up
Now add the sourdough starter and the buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the dough forms a ball.
You may need to adjust the flour or milk depending on how thin your starter is.
dough in a ball-ish
Turn the dough onto a well floured surface and knead 5-10 times.
Don’t over knead the dough or it will become tough.
And who wants tough biscuits?
Now gently roll or pat the dough out to 1/2 inch thickness.
patted out on the counter
Cut into rounds with a floured biscuit cutter
.
I love these stainless steel biscuit cutters!
They come in a set with 4 different sizes. I love making the littlest ones for tea parties or brunch.
Or you could just cut it into squares if you wanted to. 🙂
Place the sourdough biscuits about 2 inches apart on a buttered baking sheet.
Now gently brush the tops with melted butter.
More butter is always better, amiright?
all buttered up
Bake these lovely discs of buttery amazingness at 425°F for 12-15 minutes or until they are a beautiful golden brown.
Serve these bad boys warm with more butter and the jam or jelly of your choice!
so much yum!
Yield is 1 dozen with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter.
If you have any left over, and you very well might not, you can reheat them in the toaster, in a toaster oven, or in the regular oven at 350°F for about 5 minutes.
Variations
Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Biscuits
Add 1 Tbsp of sugar, 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, and 1/3 c raisins to the dough after cutting in the butter.
Continue with recipe as written.
You can add cream cheese icing to these (you can find a recipe for cinnamon cream cheese icing here) or even just a simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk.
Ham and Cheese Sourdough Biscuits
Add 2 c of shredded cheddar cheese (Or cheese of your choice, Homemade Pepper Jack Cheese is particularly good in these!), 1 cup of finely diced ham, and 1/4 c thinly sliced green onions to the dough after cutting in the butter.
Continue with recipe as written.
Brush the tops with melted garlic butter before baking.
Freezing Experiment
I did an experiment on how these would do if I froze them and then baked them.
I let some thaw for 30 minutes, some thawed for 10 minutes, and some went straight from the freezer to the oven.
There did not seem to be much of a difference in the way they turned out.
So, if you are going to be freezing them, you can just cook them straight out of the freezer.
I have to say though, that after freezing they did not rise nearly as high as the fresh ones.
The moral of the story is: fresh is better if you have the time!
And, really, it doesn’t take more than 5 minutes to mix, pat, and cut out the biscuits.
If you pre-heat the oven at the same time, you can have fresh, yummy biscuits in 20 minutes start to finish.
I usually scramble the eggs and fix the bacon while the biscuits are cooking.
Or sometimes we just have biscuits and jelly for supper, in which case I make a double batch.
My kids love having breakfast for supper and so do I.
I wonder what that says about us…lol
What kinds of additions do you like in your biscuits?
Blessings!
More amazing things you should bake:
Sourdough Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached flour
- 1 cup sourdough starter does not have to be bubbly and active
- 1/2 cup homemade buttermilk
- 1/2 cup cold butter cut into chunks
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs.
- Add sourdough starter and buttermilk to the flour mixture; stir with a fork until the dough forms a ball.
- You may need to adjust the flour or milk depending on how thin your starter is.
- Turn dough onto a well floured surface; knead 5-10 times.
- Roll or pat out to 1/2 inch thickness.
- Cut with a floured biscuit cutter.
- Place 2 inches apart on a buttered baking sheet.
- Brush with melted butter.
- Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
calendula says
These look delicious! I need to get a starter going so that I can give them a try. I’ll be pinning this one!
Cery says
Thank you! Let me know what you think. And thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Erika says
I just made these. I didn’t have buttermilk so I used 1/8c water plus enough plain yogurt to make 1/2 cup. I used a wide mouth Mason jar to make the cuts.
Quick, Flakey and Delicious!
Thank you!
Cery says
Hi Erika!
That is a brilliant substitution! I’m so glad you liked them!
Cery
Victoria says
The ingredients list at the top of the page say to use 1 1/2 tsp sea salt. But the printable ingredients list says 1 tsp sea salt. Which one is correct?
Cery says
Hi Victoria! Thanks so much for catching that! The correct amount is 1 tsp.
Blessings!
sara says
Could I proof the dough for 24 hours in the fridge? I do this for better digestion of gluten
Cery says
Absolutely! That’s a great idea!
Vicki says
I also make biscuit cinnamon rolls. This could probably be done with sourdough as well I imagine huh! Leftover plain biscuits are never as good as fresh out of the oven but when you do pinwheels, oh so good fresh or room temperature!
Cery says
Hi Vicki! Biscuit cinnamon rolls sounds like a wonderful idea! Let us know how it goes. Blessings!
Claire Cottrell says
I stink at biscuit making, but these turned out good the first time?
Cery says
Hi Claire! Yay!! I’m so happy that they turned out good for you! Blessings!
Peggy says
Really delicious! I added 1 c shredded cheddar cheese and 1/2 t garlic powder. Put a poached egg, salsa, avocado sour cream and cilantro/- and more cheese
Cery says
Oh Peggy! That sounds down right heavenly! I’ll have to give that a try. Thanks for sharing that with us. Blessings!
Verla Davis says
ok did just a half recipe and got 6 biscuits. These are the most perfect biscuit I have ever made. I hate to trash starter when I feed so it will be happening at my house often and in full batches…. think my next try will be make a full batch, bake half and freeze the rest. Thanks!
Cery says
Hello Verla!
I’m so happy that these worked out so well for you! I make these about once a week, 🙂
Christy says
Can I use a 1/2 cup of milk or 1/2 extra starter in place of the buttermilk?
Cery says
Hi Christy!
You can use regular milk with no problems.
Cery
Dawne says
Thanks for the tip about freezing first. Takes the guess work out for the rest of us. Trying these tomorrow with some discard from a fridge starter I’ve been reviving after being away.
Cery says
Hi Dawne!
You are so welcome. Hope they turned out great!
Cery
Lelia says
Made the biscuits with the early started discard. Sure we’re yummy. I gotta get better with the rollout size! Some were thin, but I got better!
Can I put the dough in the fridge to make in the morning?
Don’t know how to send a picture.
Cery says
Hello Lelia!
I’m so glad you liked them!
You should be able to refrigerate overnight with no problem. Let them come to room temperature before baking.
Cery
Beverly McClarren says
These are the absolute best biscuits ever!! I’ll be making them often.
Cery says
Hey Beverly,
I’m so glad you liked them!
Cery
Bonnie Devenport says
I haven’t made these yet but was wondering , what if you bake them and then put in freezer, reheat when wanting one any one done this?
Cery says
Hi Bonnie!
That sounds like a great idea! You could split them and put them under the broiler or even in the toaster to reheat.
Cery
Sabrina says
I have made many of your recipes and they are all a hit but this one was out of the park. I am a mom of two boys and my husband – lol. They loved these biscuits! I made the ham and cheese ones and they said they are my best biscuits! Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Cery says
Hello Sabrina!
Thank you so much! I’m glad they were a hit. 🙂 We love those ham and cheese ones too!
Blessings!
Cery
Earlene says
I made these biscuits and will use this recipe from now on. They are wonderful . I wrapped them in a damp paper towel and heated the left overs in the microwave for 30 seconds and they tasted like they were right out of the oven.
Cery says
Hi Earlene!
I’m so glad you like the recipe!
Cery
Carol says
Yummy…. 😋
I made these this morning with my starter for the first time I’ve made anything with it instead of dumping it and I used whole milk.
I’ve been making biscuits for the past 38 years for my husband he loves biscuits and gravy so I made them for him and he liked them. 😳
I’ll be making these often! 👍🏻
Thank you 😊
Cery says
Hi Carol!
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad your husband liked them. That really is the seal of approval, isn’t it? 🙂
There are other discard recipes here on the site you might like to try. Just click the recipes tab at the top and choose the sourdough category. Lots to explore there!
Blessings!
Cery
Debra Wilson says
Again, these biscuits are the best flaky, buttery nuggets of deliciousness!! They can’t be easier to make!!
Holli says
This is my go-to recipe! I’ve made them with buttermilk, plain milk, and buttermilk powder. They always turn out fantastic. Don’t skip brushing them with butter; it makes a difference!
Cery says
Hi Holli!
I’m glad to hear all those different ways worked!
Cery