Sourdough Buttermilk Biscuits

5 from 2 votes

Flaky, tender, and perfectly buttery, these Sourdough Buttermilk Biscuits come together in under 45 minutes. Made with sourdough discard, they bake up tall with delicate layers and a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Chill Time15

Total Time45

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: biscuits

Author: Emily Christensen

Equipment

Ingredients

227 grams butter, frozen 1 cup
280 grams all purpose flour 2 cups
5 grams baking soda 1 teaspoon
10 grams baking powder 2 teaspoons
10 grams sugar 2 teaspoons
10 grams salt 2 teaspoons
180 grams buttermilk ¾ cup
175 grams sourdough discard ¾ cup

Instructions

Prep: Place 2 sticks of butter (1 cup) in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to ensure the butter is very cold when making these biscuits.
Preheat the oven to 425℉.
227 grams butter, frozen
Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
280 grams all purpose flour, 5 grams baking soda , 10 grams baking powder, 10 grams sugar, 10 grams salt
Add butter: Shred the frozen butter using a cheese grater, then toss it into the dry ingredients, coating the butter in the flour.
Add wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the cold sourdough discard and buttermilk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork or Danish dough whisk until the dough begins to come together.
175 grams sourdough discard, 180 grams buttermilk
Turn out the dough: Once mixed, turn the dough out onto the counter and gently press and knead it together, incorporating the flour as you go. Work the dough just until most of the flour is mixed in, it will not be smooth. Be careful not to overwork it, as this can melt the butter and lead to tougher biscuits.
Folds: Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle. Lightly flour the top of the dough as needed if the rolling pin starts to stick. Fold it into thirds, like a letter, bringing one side over the center and then the other on top.
Roll the dough out again to flatten it. Fold the dough into thirds one more time, bringing one side over the center and then the other on top.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer for 15 minutes. This will ensure tall, flaky biscuits because it keeps the butter really cold. This step can be skipped in a hurry, but for the best results its ideal.

Roll: Roll the dough into a 9x12” rectangle or until the dough is ½” thick.
Cut: Cut the dough into 2.75-inch rounds using a biscuit cutter or a mason jar lid. Dip the cutter in flour before each cut to prevent sticking, and press straight down without twisting so the layers don’t seal. Gather and reroll the scraps to cut out more biscuits. I typically get about 14 biscuits after two rounds, then shape any remaining scraps into balls and flatten them to bake. Place on lined baking sheets.
Bake: Bake the biscuits at 425°F for 15-17 minutes, or until lightly browned and baked through.
Cool: Brush the tops with melted butter using a pastry brush and sprinkle with flaky salt if desired, then remove the biscuits from the pan and place them on a cooling rack to finish cooling. Serve warm with butter, honey, or jam.

Notes

Make sure the butter you use for the biscuits is very cold, frozen is best. The key is to keep the butter from melting so that you get tender and flaky biscuits.
Use cold sourdough discard to help keep the butter from melting.
Don’t work the dough too much. Doing so will heat up the dough and cause the butter to melt.
Do not twist the biscuit cutter when you are cutting the biscuits. Cut straight down and pull straight up without twisting. Twisting the cutter can seal the edges together, which can prevent the flaky layers from forming.
If you don't have a biscuit cutter, you can use mason jar rings instead. Or, cut them into a square shape using a bench scraper or knife.
Don’t let these biscuits bake too long. If they are overbaked, they can become dry.
Use a rimmed baking sheet when baking the biscuits.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.

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