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–+ servings
Stack of tall, golden sourdough biscuits cut from a cast iron skillet with visible flaky layers

Sourdough Biscuits Recipe

This recipe provides an engineered dual-path system for mastering sourdough biscuits, ensuring a reliable, tall rise and flaky texture whether you choose an immediate bake or an overnight fermentation.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 12 hours 40 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12 biscuits
Calories 183 kcal

Equipment

  • Cast iron skillet
  • Biscuit cutter (2.5-inch recommended)
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Bench scraper or fork
  • Stiff spatula
  • Digital scale (recommended for flour measurement)

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients / Base Mix

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour See notes
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cold
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Wet Ingredients / Liquids

  • 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard
  • 1 cup buttermilk or milk

Leavening Agents (Added separately based on path)

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon sugar optional

Instructions
 

Preparation Steps (Common to both paths)

  • Grate the cold butter into a large mixing bowl. Add the flour and use a bench scraper or fork to mix the butter into the flour until it looks like small pea-sized crumbs.
  • If using the immediate bake method, add the sourdough starter discard, buttermilk, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a stiff spatula until everything is well combined, then use your hands to ensure there are no dry bits left. Let the dough rest while you preheat the oven.
  • If fermenting overnight: Add the sourdough starter discard, buttermilk, and sugar. Stir with a stiff spatula until everything is well combined. Cover the bowl and let it rise on the counter for 10-12 hours.

Baking and Finishing Steps

  • Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly grease a cast iron skillet with butter and set aside.
  • If you fermented overnight: Right before cutting the biscuits, mix the salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl with a fork, breaking up any lumps. Sprinkle half of this mixture over the dough and work it in with your hands. Then sprinkle the remaining half and keep mixing until everything is fully combined. This delayed addition is crucial.
  • Generously flour your work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Flour the top of the dough and use your hands to press it into a rectangle shape that is 1 inch in thickness.
  • Use a biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits, pressing straight down and pulling straight up without twisting to prevent sealing the edges and maximize rise.
  • Arrange the biscuits in the cast iron skillet so that they are just barely touching each other.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and let them sit in the skillet for three minutes before serving to allow the internal structure to set fully.

Notes

Pro tip: Use a digital scale to measure your flour for this recipe, as volume measurements can vary by as much as twenty percent depending on how the flour is packed. When cutting the dough, press the cutter straight down and pull straight up without any rotation to avoid fusing the edges, which prevents vertical rise. For storage, reheat leftovers in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes instead of microwaving to restore the crisp crust. If your kitchen is warm (above 75°F), consider refrigerating the dough during the overnight ferment.

Nutrition

Calories: 183kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 4gFat: 9g
Keyword baking science, cast iron, flaky biscuits
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