What could be more comforting or more satisfying than a big ole Vintage Sourdough Biscuit? Biscuits are total comfort food for me.
Not only are biscuits comforting but they have the most wonderful and inviting texture that makes my taste buds happy.
I created this particular photo and recipe for a fun food article all about wild west chuckwagon dinners. Back in the old west days, sourdough biscuits were considered a special treat when dining at the Chuckwagon. The Chuckwagon cook would make a sourdough starter and keep it on the wagon in a dark ceramic crock and use it for biscuits, breads and sweets.
When I was growing up in the south, my sweet neighbor, who we called Aunt Nancy, used to make all sorts of baked goods. One of those baked goods was sourdough biscuits. I remember being amazed by her culinary prowess and how she’d whip up those vintage sourdough biscuits so easily; and just in time for the evening meal.
You can find several recipes online to make your own sourdough starter, which takes about 3-4 weeks. Or, you can order sourdough starters online and then keep them going in your kitchen for these biscuits, breads and special treats throughout the year. I especially like having this starter on hand for holiday biscuit baking. Which is when most of my biscuit making seems to happen.
It’s still hot here and vintage sourdough biscuits don’t seem quite appropriate for the weather. But it is September and I say, let the baking begin!
Delicious Wishes and Loads of Love,
Karista
Vintage Sourdough Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
- 1 cup unfed sourdough starter
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 425F.
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Add the cold butter to the flour mixture and then using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles little crumbles.
- Stir in the sourdough starter and mix until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead the dough into a small disc. Wrap the disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. This isn’t absolutely necessary; however, I find that cooling the dough keeps the butter from getting too soft and yields a flakier biscuit.
- To make the biscuits, add a little flour to the top of the disc and then roll out the dough to about ¾ of an inch thick. Cut biscuits with a 2 or 3-inch biscuit cutter and then place them in a buttered cast iron skillet, round cake pan or pie plate.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes or when the biscuits are golden on top. Remove the biscuits from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes. Serve with jam, honey and butter or slices of ham and cheese.
These biscuits look just like the ones my grandma used to make. I’m definitely going to try them myself =)
Thank you Sean! They are definitely the kind that many grandmothers made and I think that’s why they’re so special! Enjoy!
I love that you call this recipe vintage.
It makes me want to make it even more than when I first laid
eyes on that photo!
Lol! I totally feel this is vintage because hardly anyone makes sourdough biscuits any longer and all the women I knew who were my grandmother’s age always used their sourdough to make biscuits. Except my grandmother… she had 7 kids and 26 grandkids so there wasn’t much in the way of sourdough anything. Haha!
My starter is already out and fed. Will this still work?
My starter is already out and fed. Will this recipe still work the same?
Hi Susan, I haven’t prepared this recipe with a fed starter, but, I think adding more liquid (maybe milk or buttermilk) to the recipe could help keep the biscuits moist. As well, because the starter has been fed, you could probably trim the baking powder to 1 teaspoon rather than 2. If you try this, I’d love to know how it turns out. Good luck! Karista
I am new to the sourdough game but tried these yesterday and they turned out amazing! My husband is from Alabama and said these were the best biscuits he’s ever had – that is a big statement coming from a man who grew up on biscuits!!!
Rating: 5 / 5
Hi Erin, Oh my goodness, I am so happy your husband loved the biscuits! I grew up in Arkansas so I know how much a good tasting biscuit means to a Southerner. Lol! My family loves these biscuits as well and they always look forward to them when they come home. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I truly appreciate it! Wishing you all the best, Karista
Great recipe. I modified slightly to make them into shortcake for my strawberry shortcake. I used half white whole wheat and half all purpose flour (that’s what my sourdough is made of as well.) I used about 1/4 c extra sourdough starter because while whole wheat socks up more moisture. After refrigerating, I patted the mixture into a rectangle and cut out 12 squares, brushed the tops with an egg wash and sprinkled sugar in the raw on them. Baked in my convection oven 13 minutes at 410 F. These were absolutely delicious, a bit fluffier than the shortcake I have made in the past and a lot more flavorful (thank you sourdough!)
Hi Suzette,
Thank you so much for the comment! Wow, this sounds like a delicious modification! I do love white whole wheat and what a wonderful addition to these biscuits. And who doesn’t love fluffy shortcakes. I think sourdough makes everything taste better. 🙂 Warmest Wishes, Karista
Can you refrigerate overnight or can you refrigerate after the biscuits have been cut, so I can throw them in the oven first thing in the morning
Hi Darrell, You can refrigerate the biscuit dough overnight. I’d refrigerate the disc of dough and then cut the biscuits right before adding them to the pan and baking. Enjoy the biscuits! Warmest Wishes, Karista