Easy Sourdough Biscuits Recipe - Tender Homemade Biscuits! (2024)

Bless This Mess Recipes Breads Sourdough

By Melissa

5 from 23 votes

on May 11, 2020, Updated Mar 11, 2024

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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!

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Table of Contents

  • Quick and Easy Sourdough Biscuits
  • What Makes These the Best Sourdough Biscuits?
  • What’s in these Biscuits?
  • How to Make Sourdough Biscuits:
  • Tips for Making Sourdough Biscuits:
  • How to Store Sourdough Biscuits:
  • FAQs:
  • Quick Sourdough Biscuits Recipe

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!

Easy Sourdough Biscuits Recipe - Tender Homemade Biscuits! (3)

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.

Easy Sourdough Biscuits Recipe - Tender Homemade Biscuits! (4)

How to Make Sourdough Biscuits:

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly butter the bottom of baking dish.
  2. Whisk the sourdough starter/discard and 1/3 cup of milk.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and grated butter in separate bowl.
  4. Add milk mixture to bowl; stir to combine.
  5. Adjust the dough, using additional milk, until dough comes together well but isn’t sticky.
  6. Remove dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface.
  7. Use your hands to gently pat the dough into 6×9-inch rectangle.
  8. Use a sharp knife to cut biscuits into 12 pieces.
  9. Place cut biscuits into prepared pan.
  10. Bake for about 15 minutes until the tops are golden-brown.
  11. Remove the biscuits from the oven and serve hot with butter and jam or with sausage gravy on top.
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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.

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Easy Sourdough Biscuits Recipe - Tender Homemade Biscuits! (7)

5 from 23 votes

Quick Sourdough Biscuits

By: Melissa Griffiths

This Sourdough Biscuits recipe makes tender, golden-brown biscuits perfect for breakfast or dinner. They are crusty on the outside with fluffy insides!

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 12 biscuits

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup (225g) sourdough starter or sourdough discard
  • 1/3 cup plus up to 1/3 cup more as needed (80-160g) milk, (I use whole or 2%)
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) baking powder
  • 1/2 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 7×11-inch baking dish.

  • In a small mixing bowl, add the sourdough starter (or discard) and 1/3 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 2/3 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 12 biscuits, Calories: 150kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 251mg, Potassium: 34mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 0.4g, Vitamin A: 186IU, Calcium: 72mg, Iron: 1mg

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

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About Melissa

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Easy Sourdough Biscuits Recipe - Tender Homemade Biscuits! (2024)

FAQs

Why are my homemade biscuits tough? ›

Kneading too much and overhandling biscuit, shortcake and scone dough overdevelops the gluten in the flour, resulting in a chewy, tough baked product.

What does adding an egg to biscuit dough do? ›

For super light, crumbly biscuits try grating or pushing the yolks of hard-boiled eggs through a sieve into the biscuit dough. This increases the fat content and slows down the development of gluten. Cookie recipes on the other hand are more likely to contain eggs. Adding moisture as well as binding the mixture.

How do you keep homemade biscuits from getting soft? ›

Take the biscuits and wrap them in a plastic cling film or zip pouch to make sure there's space for moisture to seep in. Lastly, put them in an airtight box and store inside a refrigerator to enjoy crunchy biscuits each time.

Does too much kneading toughen biscuits? ›

Kneading more makes the texture slightly tougher.

like, you can notice the difference between 15 and 45 kneads, but barely.

How do you make biscuits less hard? ›

If your biscuits are too tough…

If you do think this about your dough, fight the urge to add more dry ingredients — dough that isn't wet enough will bake into a hard, dry biscuit.

How do you keep homemade biscuits from getting hard? ›

Move the cooled biscuits to an airtight container.

Plastic containers or tins will also work, but you have less control over the amount of air sealed in with the biscuits. Biscuits stored this way may dry out faster than usual. Another option is to wrap the biscuits up tightly in a few layers of foil or plastic wrap.

What happens if you add too much egg to biscuits? ›

If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe.

What does cream of tartar do in biscuits? ›

In the presence of a liquid, the acidity of the cream of tartar activates the baking soda, causing it to start bubbling away, and that, in turn, is what makes the biscuits rise.

What happens if you add too much egg to dough? ›

So, if you use four extra-large eggs instead of four large eggs, you will add too much egg to a batter, which could result in a product that tastes eggy and is spongy and dense.

Should you let biscuit dough rest? ›

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and pat it down into a rough rectangle, about an inch thick. Fold it over and gently pat it down again. Repeat two more times. Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Why are my biscuits not soft and fluffy? ›

Overworking (or Underworking) the Dough

The biscuits will be hard and tough if you stir the dough too much. They will have a floury, uneven texture if you don't mix enough. Our Test Kitchen cracked the code: Stir the dough 15 times for the perfect consistency and texture.

What causes biscuits to go soft? ›

As the biscuits sit around, even in a tin, the sugar absorbs moisture from the air. Leave sugar in a bowl in the tropics, for example, and it will absorb so much water it will eventually turn into a liquid! As the sugar in the biscuit absorbs more moisture, it becomes softer and softer and less and less appetising.

Can you knead sourdough too much? ›

Over-kneaded dough can become very hard to work with and produce a more flat and chewy bread. It's vital to stop mixing at the first signs of over-kneading, as a fully over-kneaded dough cannot be fixed.

Why are my biscuits hard and heavy? ›

More fat will make softer biscuits, which could be a good thing. Too little fat will result in dry and heavy biscuits. The type of flour you use is important. Don't use bread flour unless the recipe calls for it and avoid whole wheat and other whole grain flours.

How long should you knead biscuit dough for? ›

DO NOT OVERMIX. Dough will not be completely smooth. Gather dough into a ball and knead on lightly floured surface quickly and gently, about 6 to 8 times, just until no longer sticky. The kneading is meant only to flatten the pieces of fat into flakes, not to blend fat completely with the flour.

Why are my biscuits hard and not fluffy? ›

Overworking (or Underworking) the Dough

The biscuits will be hard and tough if you stir the dough too much.

Why are my biscuits soft and not crunchy? ›

If your freshly baked biscuits seem too soft after they're cooled, then they're either under baked, or there is too much liquid in the recipe. When stamping out biscuits with a cutter, you might find that they stretch as you transfer them to the tray with your hands, and become misshapen.

How do you firm up soft biscuits? ›

The best way to make soft biscuits crispy again is to put them in the oven at a low temperature (200–250°F) for about 10 minutes. The heat will help dry out the moisture in the biscuits, making them crispy again.

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