Sourdough Cheddar Biscuits

These melt-in-your-mouth sourdough cheddar biscuits are moist, flakey, and packed full of flavor. They’re gently seasoned with cayenne pepper and garlic and perfectly risen from the sourdough starter.

why you’ll love these sourdough cheddar biscuits

You are going to have to trust me on this one. You NEED these sourdough cheddar biscuits in your life. These are perfect for just about every occasion. They are soft, buttery, cheesy, flakey, but strong enought to hold together. They are easy enought to make that you can whip them up on a weekday morning, but also SO delicious that they can pass as a holiday treat. I made them to go with dinner the other afternoon and an hour later, I looked up and they were gone. Oops. The cayenne and garlic are so subtle that they are NOT hot, but just have this amazing flavor that is irresistable. My little guys who don’t like heat will vouch for me on this one!

Ingredients for sourdough cheddar biscuits

• 2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/8 tsp galic powder
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sourdough starter discard
• 1/2 cup cold, salted butter
• 1/4 cup cold water

how to make sourdough cheddar biscuits

To make these biscuits, start by preheating the oven to 400 * F . Then begin mixing together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and seasonings in a bowl.

Next, using a butter knife, “cut in” the cold butter until the largest pieces are no larger than a kidney bean.

Then, add in the shredded cheese, egg, and sourdough starter discard. Mix together until just incorporated. If needed, add up to 1/4 cup of cold water so that the dough comes together when you form it into a ball.

The dough should be just wet enough to hold together, but on the dryer side. I recommend adding the water a few tablespoons at a time until it comes together.

Roll out the dough to around 3/4 inch thickness and cut them out using a 2 inch biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass cup (as pictured below). You should get between 14- 18 biscuits depending on the size of your cutouts.

Place all the biscuits on a baking sheet and brush with a milky egg wash. Bake in the preheated oven for 12- 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits are risen.

At only 2″ in circumference, these biscuits are on the smaller side- making them perfect for little kids, brunches, tea parties, and special occasions. Something about their petite size gives them the appearance of a more “formal” biscuit.

You can serve these warm with butter or just eat them hot right off the pan. Enjoy!

tips and tricks for sourdough cheddar biscuits

How do you get light, fluffy biscuits? Several factors are at play here. First, you want to make sure you are using a low protein flour, such as all purpose. You also want to work the dough as little as possible. Both high protein flours and overworking dough result in gluten development, which strengthens your dough and can make it tough and chewy.

How do you get flakey layers in biscuits? The flakiness all comes down to cold butter. Make sure when you are cutting it in that it is VERY cold. You can even stick it in the freezer prior to cutting it in. Then, once it is cut in, handle the dough as little as possible and bake immediately after shaping. You can even refrigerate the prepared biscuits before baking to ensure the butter goes into the oven still cold. It is the rapid melting of the butter creating steam inside of the dough that creates the beautifully flakey layers.

Does my sourdough have to be active to use it in this recipe? No. You can use sourdough discard. Since the recipe also calls for other leavening agents like baking soda and powder, the sourdough is not acting as the singluar mechanism for rise and does not have to be at its peak to use.

Can I make these ahead? Yes! You can make the dough and shape your biscuits, then place them on parchment paper on a baking sheet in the freezer for several hours until they are frozen through. Then, remove them from the freezer and place in a freezer safe ziplock bag or airtight container and return them to the freezer. They should stay good for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, just take them out and place them on a pan to thaw. Once thawed, bake according to the directions. OR bake them from frozen and add an additional 5-10 minutes to the bake time. They are ready when they are golden brown and have doubled in size.

DID YOU MAKE IT? LET ME KNOW BY LEAVING A REVIEW BELOW OR TAGGING ME WITH A PIC ON INSTAGRAM @GOOD.TO.GATHER

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