A biscuit so tender it practically melts in your mouth, with a subtle tang from the sourdough and a rich creamy sweetness. Simple to make and utterly delicious, these biscuits are about to become a staple in your kitchen.
These aren’t just your average breakfast biscuits! While they’re delightful on their own with a smear of butter, their true magic shines in their versatility. I’ve crafted these sweet cream biscuits to be the perfect base for classic desserts.
Pile them high with fresh strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream for an unforgettable strawberry shortcake, or nestled atop warm, spiced peaches as a tender, golden peach cobbler topping!
The Magic of Cold Butter: The small, cold pieces of butter create steam pockets as they melt in the hot oven… These steam pockets lift the dough and create those beautiful, flaky layers. If the butter is too warm, it blends into the flour, making a denser, tougher biscuit.
To get the best results chill the butter in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before getting started to make sure it stays super cold. The grate the butter into the flour mixture with a cheese grater.
Sourdough Discard (Beyond just flavor): This adds a lovely tang, but sourdough discard also adds moisture and texture, making the biscuits more tender… It’s a great way to use up starter that’s been in the fridge and adds that depth of flavor. Just so you know… Younger discard will be milder, older discard will be more tangy in flavor.
Self-Rising Flour – The Biscuit Builder: Self-rising flour already has baking powder and salt in the correct proportions… So it’s very convenient for biscuits. Plus it has a lower protein content which also adds to a tender crumb, so it’s ideal for biscuits!
If you’re out of self-rising flour, you can make your own by whisking together all-purpose flour with baking powder and a pinch of salt. BUT, for these biscuits, I strongly recommend sticking to self-rising flour because it contains the perfect balance of leavening and low protein content for that ideal tender, fluffy texture.
I used am extra large biscuit cutter in this picture, a regular sized biscuit cutter would make 8 biscuits!
Tips for Success
Lamination (Folding Technique): The repeated dough folding (lamination) creates distinct layers of butter and dough. When baked, these layers puff up, creating the signature flaky texture of a perfect biscuit. This is a key for height and flakiness.
Floured Work Surface: When you’re shaping and folding the dough, remember to flour your work surface. More importantly, work quickly! The goal is to keep that butter as cold as possible so it creates those flaky layers in the oven. And speaking of layers, be sure to avoid overworking the dough during these folds; gentle handling is key to tender biscuits;)
Gentle Mixing is Key: Overmixing develops gluten, which leads to tough, chewy biscuits instead of tender ones. Mix just until combined with a rubber spatula.
The Biscuit Cutter Technique: Twisting the biscuit cutter seals the edges of the biscuit, preventing it from rising properly and creating those beautiful layers. Press straight down with the cutter and lifting straight up. Dipping the cutter in flour between cuts can also help prevent sticking.
Troubleshooting
Even experienced bakers have questions sometimes! Here are a few common concerns and how to address them:
“My dough is too sticky/too dry!”
Biscuits are all about feel, and sometimes the humidity in the air or even slight variations in measuring can affect your dough’s consistency.
If your dough seems too sticky: Resist the urge to dump in a lot of flour! Instead, sprinkle in a tiny bit more flour (about a teaspoon at a time) and gently incorporate it until the dough comes together.
If your dough seems too dry and crumbly: Add a teaspoon more of heavy cream at a time until the dough just barely comes together. Remember, less is more here!
“My biscuits didn’t rise as much as I expected!”
The height and flakiness of your biscuits hinge on a couple of key factors:
Cold Butter is Crucial: Ensure your butter was genuinely cold when you grated it and that it stayed cold throughout the mixing and folding process. Warm butter melts into the flour too soon, preventing those steam pockets that create lift.
Don’t Overwork the Dough: Overmixing develops gluten, which makes biscuits tough and dense instead of light and airy. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
“Can I use active sourdough starter instead of discard?”
Absolutely! You can use either active or sourdough discard for this recipe. I often recommend sourdough discard as it’s a great way to use what might go to waste, and it imparts that wonderful sourdough tang and moisture…. If you use active starter, the flavor profile might be slightly different, but the biscuits will still be delicious!
Let me know what YOU think! Leave a review on the recipe card or in the comments below!
Sweet Cream Sourdough Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sourdough starter discard or active
- 2 cups self-rising flour scooped and leveled, plus more for dsuting counter
- 1/3 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling on top
- 1/4 cup cold butter grated
- 1 cup heavy cream plus more to spread over tops
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the self-rising flour and 1/3 cup sugar until combined.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Grate the cold butter into the well.
- Using your hands or a fork, toss the grated butter with the flour mixture until the butter pieces are evenly coated and combined.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and sourdough starter until combined.
- Pour the cream and starter mixture into the flour and butter mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir just until the dough comes together and is combined. Do not overmix.
- Gather the dough into a ball.
- Lightly flour your work surface. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface.
- Gently press the dough into a rectangle.
- Fold the dough over itself.
- Press the dough into a rectangle again.
- Repeat the folding and pressing process two more times, for a total of four folds.
- After the final fold, press the dough into a circle that is 3/4 to 1 inch thick.
- Using a biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits. Reroll scraps gently as needed to cut out additional biscuits.
- Place the cut biscuits on a baking sheet.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with extra cream and sprinkle with extra sugar.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
About Juliea
Juliea Huffaker is the creator of Farmhouse Harvest, and dedicated to teaching from-scratch cooking, sourdough baking, gardening, and food preservation. With over 25 years of hands-on experience she has preserved hundreds of jars of produce, mastered the art of meats and sourdough baking, and nurtured a thriving organic garden. Her recipes and articles have been featured across the web. And she’s passionate about inspiring others to embrace a simpler, self-sufficient life style.
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