Buttery Sourdough Biscuits

Recipe by PJ Hamel
648 Reviews 4.5 out of 5 stars

This sourdough biscuit recipe yields big, tender, palm-sized sourdough biscuits that are perfect for breakfast sandwiches. Their sourdough tang pairs nicely with egg, ham, sausage, or whatever you choose to stuff them with. Better yet — this sourdough biscuit recipe uses sourdough discard, the extra starter you might otherwise throw away during the feeding process.

Prep
10 mins
Bake
20 to 23 mins
Total
30 mins
Yield
6 to 7 large biscuits
Buttery Sourdough Biscuit Recipe - select to zoom
Buttery Sourdough Biscuit Recipe - select to zoom
Buttery Sourdough Biscuit Recipe - select to zoom
Sourdough Biscuits - select to zoom
Buttery Sourdough Biscuit Recipe - select to zoom
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Instructions

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  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the upper third. Grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.

  2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Work the butter into the flour until the mixture is unevenly crumbly.

  3. Add the starter, mixing gently until the dough is cohesive.

  4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (a piece of parchment works well), and gently pat it into a 6" round about 1"-thick.

  5. Use a sharp 2 3/8" biscuit cutter to cut four rounds, cutting them as close to one another as possible. Gently push and pat the scraps into a 2 1/2" x 5" rectangle. Cut two more biscuits. Push and pat the remaining scraps into a 1"-thick biscuit; it'll be slightly smaller than the others.

  6. Place the sourdough biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2" between them; they'll spread as they bake.

  7. Bake the sourdough biscuits in the upper third of your oven for 20 to 23 minutes, until they're golden brown.

  8. Remove the sourdough biscuits from the oven, and serve warm. Or cool completely, wrap in plastic, and store at room temperature for several days. Freeze, well-wrapped, for longer storage.

Tips from our Bakers

  • Don’t have any starter? Here’s a recipe for homemade sourdough starter. If you're making it from scratch, you'll need to feed it for 5 to 7 days before it’s ready for baking. Want a head start? Purchase our classic fresh sourdough starter — it’ll be ready for baking soon after it arrives at your door. Looking for tips, techniques, and all kinds of great information about sourdough baking? Find what you need in our sourdough baking guide.

  • To add a subtle, nutty, whole grain flavor to these biscuits, substitute 20g (about 3 tablespoons) medium rye flour or buckwheat flour for an equal amount of the all-purpose flour in the recipe. No other changes are necessary.

  • Feel free to make this sourdough biscuit recipe into smaller biscuits, if desired; they'll need slightly less time in the oven than the larger biscuits.

  • Sourdough starters can vary in how liquid they are. If your biscuit dough seems very dry, dribble in a bit of milk or buttermilk until it comes together.

  • Join King Arthur baker Martin Philip and his family as they bake through this sourdough biscuit recipe together, start to finish. Watch Martin Bakes at Home — Sourdough Biscuits now.

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