Perfectly flaky with buttery layers, these buttermilk sourdough biscuits are a tangy twist on a classic southern breakfast staple.
Since I’ve picked up an interest in sourdough a few years ago, I’ve really wanted to do sourdough takes on some of my favorite recipes.
I whipped up a batch of these flaky sourdough buttermilk biscuits one morning and I can tell you with confidence they are so delicious. Honestly, it’s hard to choose between these and a classic buttermilk biscuit.
I think you’ll feel the same way once you try them. The flavor that the sourdough adds really compliments the savory profile of a biscuit, making them the perfect buddy for strawberry jam, honey and butter, applebutter, or biscuits and gravy
Can Sourdough Buttermilk Biscuits Be Long Fermented?
Yes, sourdough buttermilk biscuits can be long fermented. Doing so will not only develop the flavor further, but it will also add nutritional benefits to the biscuits.
Long fermented sourdough biscuits are likely very similar to the biscuits our ancestors prepared centuries ago. Only recently have we lost this art of soaking grains.
To long ferment these flaky sourdough buttermilk biscuits, add your flour, butter, and buttermilk to a bowl, mix the batter, and let them sit in the fridge overnight for 8 hours or up to 2 days.
Tips for Making a Flaky Sourdough Buttermilk Biscuit
Biscuits are tricky. It took me a couple of years to get the hang of them. Throw a sourdough starter in the mix and you have yet again another learning curve. Here are some tips I learned along the way that I hope help you.
Use Cold Butter
Small bits of butter that get trapped in the flour will melt during the baking process. This creates little pockets of steam that give the biscuits that flaky texture. When you use cold butter, the butter won’t melt into the dough as you shape your biscuits. It stays in little solid chunks, getting blended throughout.
A little trick is to precut your butter into little cubes and pop it in the freezer for a bit to get it nice and firm.
Perform a Series of Folds
Similar to a croissant, you want to create those layers. You do this by folding the dough. Fold it into thirds like a letter. Repeat that letter folding one more time, then pat the rectangle out for cutting.
Don’t Overhandle Your Dough
Over working your dough can lead to tough biscuits, so try not to handle it too much. Be quick and efficient. If the dough is becoming wet or elastic feeling, you’re overworking it.
Instructions
To makes these little layery and buttery biscuits, start by adding your flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to a bowl. Cut your super cold butter cubes into the flour using either a food processor, pastry cutter, or fork.
Do this until you get a crumbly texture will little balls of butter coated in flour the size of peas.
Next add in your buttermilk and sourdough start. Mix together just until a shaggy mass is formed.
Then, turn that mass out onto a floured surface.
Bring the dough together with your hands until there are no more crumbly bits.
Once it’s pulled together, pat the dough out into a rectangle shape and fold the rectangle like a letter into three sections.
Do that one more time. You are creating the layers here.
Cut out your biscuits using your preferred size biscuits cutter. It helps to stick the cutter into a little flour to coat it with a slight layer of flour. This prevents the dough from sticking to the cutter.
Place the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. You can brush on an egg wash or melted butter. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until they start to turn golden brown on top.
Serve warm and enjoy!
How to Store Sourdough Buttermilk Biscuits
These can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days. They are also great to freeze and bake later since they heat back up like a dream. Just turn your oven temperature to 250 degrees and let them unthaw.
My Favorite Biscuit Making Supplies
Other Must Try Sourdough Breakfast Recipes
Fluffy Sourdough English Muffins
Simple Sourdough Discard Pancakes
Sourdough Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Thick Sourdough Starter (fed or unfed)
- 1 1/2 Stick of Butter
- 1 Cup of Buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
- 1 Tsp Salt
Instructions
- Cut the stick of butter into little cubes and stick in the freezer for about 15 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 450
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Whisk to combine the dry ingredients
- Take the butter out of freezer and cut into the flour mixture until it resembles pea sized bits
- Pour in your sourdough discard and buttermilk
- Mix together in bowl until dough forms a shaggy mass
- Flour a work surface
- Dump the dough on the work surface, gently patting together until all there are not more dry bits
- Gently pat the dough in a rectangle
- Fold the dough like a letter by a top half down over the middle, and the lower half down over the top half
- Roll out into another rectangle and repeat the letter fold again
- Roll out into an even mass about 1/2 inch thick and use your desired cookie cutter to cut out biscuits
- Place on a lined baking sheet
- Add an optional coating of melted butter or eggwash
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden on top
