Sourdough Biscuits with Cheddar and Chives

Name: Sourdough Biscuits with Cheddar and Chives
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup Sourdough Starter ((150g, active or fresh discard)); ½ cup Buttermilk ((121g, plus more for topping)); 2 cups All-Purpose Flour ((240 grams)); ½ tsp Sea Salt; 2 tsp Baking Powder; ¾ tsp Baking Soda; 2 TBS Fresh, chopped chives ((9 grams, plus more for topping)); 1 cup Grated cheddar cheese ((113g or 4oz)); 8 TBS Frozen, unsalted butter ((113g or one stick)); ½ tsp Flaky Salt ((optional for topping))

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Tips for Making the Best Sourdough Biscuits:

Making sourdough biscuits is not unlike making sourdough scones. However, there are some key differences to ensure you get flaky and fluffy biscuits that rise tall.

Sourdough biscuits with cheddar and chives in a basket with a red and white striped towel

1. Keep Ingredients Cold:

Why? Keeping your ingredients as cold as possible while making the biscuits will help them rise, be flaky, and stay tender. This is because the cold layers of butter in the biscuits will create steam when they hit the hot oven. Like pie dough or other pastries, this steam is what creates flaky layers.
How: Use frozen butter and minimize kneading and warm hand contact (use a fork or whisk to mix), refrigerate the dough if it starts to warm up, and freeze the biscuits for 10 minutes before baking.

2. Don’t Over Mix the Dough:

Why? Over-kneading or over-mixing biscuit dough will warm the dough ingredients and create gluten. Gluten development will result in a tougher, chewy biscuit and you want soft and tender!
How: Only knead the biscuit dough a few times until it comes together into a cohesive mass. A shaggy dough is okay and the biscuit dough will come together more as you pat it and cut out the biscuits.

3. Cut Biscuits Straight Down and Don’t Twist:

Why? Twisting the biscuit cutter will seal off the buttery layers/edges of the biscuits and the biscuits won’t rise as tall nor have as flaky of layers.
How: Use a floured biscuit cutter or cookie cutter and cut out the biscuits straight down. Then, lift the cutter straight up to remove the biscuit.

4. Use Low Protein Flour:

Why? Unlike making sourdough bread, gluten development is the enemy of making perfectly soft and tender biscuits. Hence, use low-protein flour to minimize gluten development, which will result in a fluffy biscuit.
How: If you can get your hands on White Lily all-purpose flour, this is the best flour for baking biscuits that southerners swear by! It’s about 9% protein, so it’s actually quite similar to pastry flour which you could also use in this recipe. I bake with King Arthur All-Purpose flour to stay consistent with all my recipes and it works fine for this biscuit recipe.

5. Measure Ingredients by Weight:

Why? Measuring baking ingredients by weight is probably the easiest way to become a better baker. For example, measuring a cup of flour or sourdough starter by volume can result in vastly different results based on the brands of flour, how the flour is measured, or how active the sourdough starter is.
How: Use a baking scale to measure the ingredients separately in this recipe (especially the flour, buttermilk, and sourdough starter).

Sourdough biscuit broken apart and another one intact on table with chives

Tools Needed:

Click on the toggles below for more information, recommendations, and possible substitutes.

Biscuit or Cookie Cutter

I call for a 2.5″-3″ round biscuit/cookie cutter for this recipe.

This set of round cutters is what I use because I like the graduated sizes, straight edges that cut well, and that they’re made of stainless steel. Further, they can be used for cookies.

Conversely, if you prefer cutters with handles, this biscuit cutter set works well too.

Baking Scale

I list ingredients by weight in grams because it is the most accurate way to measure baking ingredients.

This Escali baking scale is the one I use every day.

Box Grater

Grate the frozen butter and block of cheddar cheese with a box grater. You can place the grater directly in the mixing bowl when you grate the ingredients.

Half Sheet Pan

The 8-10 biscuits fit perfectly on these high-quality Nordic half-sheet pans. Furthermore, you can also bake these biscuits in a cast iron skillet.

Mixing bowl with box grater, whisk, biscuit cutter, and pastry brush

Ingredients Needed:

Click on the toggles below for more information, recommendations, and possible substitutes.

All Purpose Flour

I recipe-tested these sourdough biscuits with King Arthur all-purpose flour. However, as mentioned in the biscuit tips section, if you can find White Lily or another low-protein all-purpose flour, that will help create an extra fluffy biscuit.

Baking Powder & Baking Soda

I use both baking powder and baking soda in this biscuit recipe. Both help the biscuits rise tall in the oven and the baking soda will react and balance out the acidity of the buttermilk and sourdough starter.

Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Sharp cheddar cheese gives the best flavor bang for your buck in this recipe. I recommend buying a block of cheddar and grating it on your own instead of buying pre-grated cheese. This is because pre-grated cheese often has added preservatives and anti-clumping additives. However, pre-grated cheddar will work fine too.

Kerrygold and Cabot are both two great cheese brands you can find in many stores with excellent cheddars. Have local cheese? Even better!

Don’t have cheddar? Substitute with colby, colby-jack, some parmsesan, gruyere, gouda, or any good semi-hard or hard cheese.

Chives

Use fresh chives for the best flavor and color in these biscuits. If you don’t have fresh chives, substitute them with two teaspoons of dried chives.

Additionally, feel free to substitute with another herb that would go well with your cheese. Scallions or garlic are great choices to keep the garlicky flavor. However, parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary, or tarragon would all be nice additions too!

Sourdough Starter

You can use an active sourdough starter or sourdough discard for this biscuit recipe. Either is fine as the dough is not fermented. I recommend a fresh sourdough starter for the best results.

Don’t have a sourdough starter? Be sure to follow my How to Make a Sourdough Starter guide to learn how to make and maintain your own in just a week and follow my sourdough starter tips.

Buttermilk

In my opinion, buttermilk is the best liquid to make southern-style biscuits. Buttermilk helps the biscuits rise and balances out the richness of the biscuits with a nice tang. Kate’s Real Buttermilk is typically the brand I use.

Furthermore, you can substitute the buttermilk with dried buttermilk powder. Just mix the powder with water according to the powder’s instructions to equal the same amount of buttermilk.

Unsalted Butter (frozen)

As mentioned above, keeping your biscuit ingredients cold is the best way to ensure you get flaky and tender biscuits. I grate the butter in this recipe while frozen and it makes all the difference!

Sea Salt
Flaky salt like Maldon (for topping, optional)

Ingredients for sourdough biscuits including flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cheese, chives, butter, and buttermilk — Ingredients for Sourdough Biscuits

How to Make Sourdough Biscuits with Cheddar & Chives:

Follow along with this visual and detailed guide to help you bake these sourdough biscuits.

1. Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 450ºF (232ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. Whisk together the buttermilk and sourdough starter

Use a fork or whisk to mix together ½ cup (121g) buttermilk and about ¾ cup (150g) sourdough starter in a small mixing bowl until it is a pourable, liquid consistency.

Now, freeze the buttermilk mixture during the next step. This will help keep the biscuit dough as cold as possible as you knead and cut them soon.

Buttermilk in liquid measuring cup and sourdough starter in another measuring cup — Buttermilk and sourdough starter

Buttermilk and sourdough starter mixture in liquid measuring cup — Buttermilk and sourdough starter

3. Mix together the dry ingredients:

In a large mixing bowl, use a fork or whisk to mix together the following dry ingredients:

2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoons baking soda
Two tablespoons (9g) chopped, fresh chives
1 cup (113g, or 4 oz) freshly grated cheddar cheese

You can use the box grater to grate the cheese directly into the mixing bowl.

Large mixing bowl with flour mixture and two smaller bowls with chives and cheddar cheese — Dry ingredients, cheddar, and chives

Adding cheddar cheese and chives to mixing bowl with biscuit dry ingredients — Dry ingredients, cheddar, and chives

4. Grate the butter:

Grate the frozen unsalted butter (one stick, 113g, or 8 TBS) using the large holes of a box grater directly into the dry flour mixture.

Leave the butter wrapper or parchment paper on as you grate the butter so your warm hands don’t melt the butter.

Then, use a fork or whisk to distribute the butter throughout the mixture. Coat the butter with the dry ingredients, dispersing evenly.

Grating frozen butter on box grater in mixing bowl — Grating frozen butter

Mixing grated butter in bowl with fork — Grating frozen butter

5. Pour in the buttermilk mixture & knead:

Pour the cold buttermilk and sourdough starter mixture slowly into the mixing bowl.

While pouring, use a fork to start to bring together the biscuit dough.

At first, the dough will start off dry, but large clumps will begin to form as the mixture is poured in.

Now, use your hands to knead the dough a few times in the bowl until it comes together into a largely cohesive but shaggy dough.

Add a teaspoon or two of buttermilk at a time if the dough is still too dry and not coming together.

Pouring buttermilk and sourdough starter mixture into mixing bowl with biscuit dough ingredients — Pouring in buttermilk and sourdough starter mixture

Mixed sourdough biscuit dough in mixing bowl before kneading. The dough is shaggy and barely together. — Pouring in buttermilk and sourdough starter mixture

6. Cut out the biscuits:

Transfer the dough and any scraggly bits of flour onto a floured work surface and pat it down into a circle about 1 ½ inches thick.

Use a floured 2½-3” biscuit or cookie cutter to cut out 8-10 biscuits.

Cut the biscuits straight down without twisting the biscuit cutter so as to not seal the edges of the biscuits. This ensures you get a good rise and flaky sides.

Finally, with any scraps of dough, reform and cut out more biscuits.

Patted down sourdough biscuit dough into a circle on countertop — Biscuit dough patted into circle

Cutting out a sourdough biscuit with a round biscuit cutter — Biscuit dough patted into circle

7. Freeze the biscuits:

Space the biscuits about an inch and a half apart onto the prepared baking sheet.

Then, transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and freeze them for 10 minutes.

By the time you’ve cut out the biscuits, the biscuit dough will likely be warmed up (especially if it’s warm in your home). This quick freeze will ensure that the biscuits are cold as they hit the oven and give you a better rise and more flaky biscuit.

Sourdough biscuits on sheet pan before baking

8. Top & bake:

After 10 minutes in the freezer, brush the tops of the biscuits with a couple of teaspoons of buttermilk and flaky salt (optional).

The buttermilk brushing will help brown the top of the biscuits.

Brushing buttermilk with a pastry brush on top of sourdough biscuit

Bake the sourdough biscuits at 450ºF for 15 minutes.

When done, the tops and edges of the biscuits will be golden brown and the bottoms will slightly darker.

Finally, enjoy warm!

Close up of the top of a sourdough biscuit topped with flaky salt and chives

How to Store Sourdough Biscuits

Biscuits are best served warm and freshly baked. However, you can easily store the biscuits and make parts of this recipe ahead.

For example, you can freeze the dough once the biscuits are shaped to bake later. Then, store the shaped biscuits in a freezer-safe bag and bake as normal. They may need a couple of more minutes of baking.

Once baked, you can store the biscuits in a brown paper bag or a tightly sealed container where they will keep for a few days. Simply reheat before serving.

How to Serve Sourdough Biscuits

I love eating biscuits with a hearty weekend breakfast or brunch. However, these biscuits go well with dinner too!

In fact, they’re quite similar in flavor to Red Lobster biscuits.

The biscuits are great for picnics, summer barbeques, get-togethers, or Sunday brunch.

I like to serve the biscuits with more butter, and keep them simple since they already pack a punch of flavor.

If you enjoy these biscuits, you may also enjoy some of my other sourdough breakfast recipes including Sourdough Apple Butter Muffins, Sourdough Discard Blueberry Scones, Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting, or Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles.

Sourdough Biscuits with Cheddar & Chives FAQs:

Can I double this recipe?

This recipe makes 8-10 sourdough biscuits, but you’re welcome to double the recipe. The only change you’ll need to make is to have two baking sheets for your biscuits.

Can I bake these sourdough biscuits in a cast iron skillet?

Sure! Bake the biscuits the exact same way and bake in a 10″ cast iron skillet. They may be a little tight in the skillet and as they bake, but will still be great!

Can you freeze sourdough biscuits?

You can freeze the sourdough biscuits once they’re cut and right before baking. Place them in a resealable freezer-safe bag and freeze indefinitely.

Can I use another cheese or herbs?

Yes, please refer to my ingredients section where I list out other substitutions.

Can I bake these plain without cheese or chives?

Sure. If you remove the cheese in the recipe, you will likely need another ¼ teaspoon of salt and you can add a couple teaspoons of sugar to the recipe as well.

Sourdough biscuit with cheddar and chives on sheet pan

What Questions Do You Have About Sourdough Biscuits with Cheddar & Chives?

Leave your sourdough questions or comments in the discussion below.

Interior of a sourdough biscuit with cheddar and chives on plate with biscuits stacked in background

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Sourdough biscuits in a basket with red and white towel

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