Easy Sourdough Biscuits – Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

This is the best recipe for easy sourdough biscuits! So soft and flaky, they are incredible. The biscuits can be made with fed or discard sourdough starter.

Tall and sturdy, these sourdough biscuits are so, so good. The tang of the sourdough adds amazing flavor without overpowering the tender biscuits.

How to Make Sourdough Biscuits

I am always looking for ways to use my sourdough starter. Bonus points if I don’t have to remember to feed it first!

These biscuits are perfect because they can be made with fed or discard sourdough starter, and they are amazingly delicious either way!

Here’s how to make them:

1. Grate frozen or very cold butter into the dry ingredients (you can cut the butter in with a pastry blender or use a food processor for this step, but grating the butter is super easy and kind of fun!)
2. Toss the butter and dry ingredient together until the butter is evenly coated.
3. Add the sourdough starter and buttermilk.
4. Gently fold and mix the dough until it forms a rough ball.

Why Folding Biscuit Dough is Important

Turn the biscuit dough onto a lightly floured counter and pat into a thick rectangle.

Fold the dough into thirds and then pat out into a rectangle shape again.

Repeat this process one more time.

These folds, combined with the cold butter, are what help to create flaky layers in the biscuits.

Cut the dough into squares using a knife or bench scraper. You can use a round biscuit cutter, as well – the re-rolled scraps may not be as flaky and tender as the first cut biscuits.

Tall and Flaky Biscuits

These biscuits, thanks to the extra oomph of the sourdough starter, bake up tall and flaky!

They are slightly sturdier than your typical buttermilk biscuit, and the sourdough tang is spot on perfect.

Immediately out of the oven, brush the tops with melted butter, and if possible, serve the biscuits warm.

A Note About Sourdough Starter

I prefer to “do sourdough” the lazy girl way. And most of the time, that means using recipes that call for sourdough discard.

The beauty of this recipe is that it can be used with fed or discard sourdough.

I feed my sourdough starter with a 1:1:1 ratio. It is thick but pourable. If your sourdough starter has a different consistency, it’s possible you may need to add more flour (or more buttermilk) to help the dough come together.

The most important factor in making these biscuits is to work quickly so the butter doesn’t melt and to not overwork the dough. 

A Perfect Biscuit

These sourdough biscuits are absolutely divine with butter and jam.

Or butter and honey.

Or just butter.

And I have it on record that they are unbelievably good sandwiched with mustard, ham and a wedge of sharp cheddar cheese.

This is a perfect recipe for sourdough experts and beginners alike. It is simple, straightforward, and the biscuits are so delicious!

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The Best Sourdough Biscuits

Yield: 14 biscuits

Prep Time: 25 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

• 3 cups (426 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ¾ teaspoon table salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup (12 tablespoons, 170 g) very cold or frozen salted butter
• 1 ½ cups (413 g) sourdough starter, fed or discard
• ¾ cup (182 g) buttermilk
• Melted butter, for brushing

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda.

• Using the large holes of a box grater, grate in the cold butter. (Alternatively, you can cut the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or use a food processor for this step.)

• Toss the butter with the dry ingredients until evenly mixed.

• Add the sourdough starter and buttermilk. Fold/gently mix the biscuit dough until it starts to come together in a rough mass and only a few dry streaks remain.

• Turn the biscuit dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Gently pat the dough into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Gently fold the dough in thirds and then lightly press into a thick rectangle. Repeat the folding process one more time and then press or roll the dough into a rectangle about 1-inch thick.

• Cut the dough into 12 to 14 squares (or you can use a round biscuit cutter – re-rolled scraps may not be as flaky as the first biscuits cut).

• Place the biscuits 1/2-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden and baked through.

• Immediately out of the oven, brush with melted butter. Serve warm.

Sourdough Starter: my sourdough starter is fed at a 1:1:1 ratio and is thick but pourable. If your sourdough starter has a different consistency, it’s possible you may need to add more flour (or more buttermilk) to help the dough come together. The most important factor in making these biscuits is to work quickly so the butter doesn’t melt and to not overwork the dough. 
Butter: if using unsalted butter, increase the salt in the recipe by 1/4 teaspoon or so.

Serving: 1 biscuit, Calories: 221kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 393mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g

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Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (adapted from this favorite recipe)