How Do I Make Sour Cream Biscuits?

Quick Answer

Sour cream biscuits start with 250 g of all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of fine salt, 85 g of cold cubed butter, and 240 g of cold full fat sour cream. Cut the butter into the dry, fold in the sour cream until a shaggy dough forms, pat to 3/4 inch thick, cut into rounds, and bake at 425 F (218 C) for 14 to 16 minutes.

The sour cream brings both the moisture and the acid the dough needs. Its pH of around 4.5 reacts with baking soda for an extra burst of rise, while the high dairy fat (about 20 percent) keeps the crumb soft and tender. The result is a biscuit that is crisp on top with a soft, almost cake like interior.

The total recipe takes 25 minutes from bowl to oven, and the dough forgives small handling mistakes better than a buttermilk biscuit does.

Why sour cream works in biscuits

Sour cream is cream that has been cultured with lactic acid bacteria. The culturing process drops the pH from a neutral 6.7 down to about 4.5, which is acidic enough to react with baking soda and produce extra carbon dioxide bubbles. Those bubbles add a second wave of rise on top of the baking powder.

The high fat content (around 20 percent) coats flour proteins and limits gluten development, which is why sour cream biscuits stay tender even if you handle the dough a little too much. The thickness also keeps the dough from going wet and sloppy, which is a common issue with buttermilk biscuits in humid kitchens.

The ingredients

• 250 g (2 cups) all purpose flour.
• 1 tablespoon baking powder.
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt.
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional, balances the tang).
• 85 g cold unsalted butter, cubed.
• 240 g (1 cup) full fat sour cream, cold.
• 1 tablespoon milk or cream for brushing.

Step by step

1. Preheat. 425 F (218 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Whisk the dry. Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
3. Cut in the butter. Rub or cut the cold butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs with some pea sized chunks.
4. Add the sour cream. Drop the sour cream in. Fold with a spatula until the dough barely comes together. Stop while there are still floury patches.
5. Shape. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a rectangle 3/4 inch thick. Fold in half and pat back to 3/4 inch. This single fold creates extra flaky layers.
6. Cut. Use a 2 inch round cutter pressed straight down. No twisting. Re pat the scraps once for a second batch.
7. Brush. Brush the tops with milk or cream for a golden finish.
8. Bake. 14 to 16 minutes until the tops are deeply golden. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition per baked biscuit (about 60 g)

Common mistakes

• Low fat sour cream. Too much water, not enough fat, biscuits turn gummy.
• Warm butter. Loses the flake. Keep it cold until the moment you cut it in.
• Overmixing. Develops gluten and toughens the crumb. Stop when the dough barely holds.
• Oven too cool. 425 F is the floor. Below that, biscuits spread instead of rising.
• Cutting the warm biscuit. Tears the crumb. Wait 5 minutes.

Variations

• Cheddar and chive. Fold 60 g of grated cheddar and 1 tablespoon chopped chives into the flour.
• Sweet glazed. Skip the savoury salt, double the sugar, and drizzle with a milk and powdered sugar glaze after baking.
• Whole wheat. Swap 50 g of the all purpose flour for white whole wheat.
• Sour cream and onion. Add 1 tablespoon dried minced onion and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.

Storage

Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. Reheat in a 325 F oven for 5 minutes wrapped in foil. Freeze unbaked cut rounds on a tray, transfer to a bag, and bake from frozen at 425 F for 18 minutes.

Serving suggestions

• Split and spread with butter and honey for breakfast.
• Topped with country ham and a fried egg.
• Served alongside soup or stew.
• Used as the base for fruit shortcake (drop the salt to 1/4 teaspoon and add 1 extra tablespoon of sugar).

Frequently asked questions

Can I taste the sour cream?

A faint tang comes through, similar to buttermilk biscuits. It rounds out the buttery flavour rather than dominating.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead?

Yes, but use full fat Greek yogurt and add 2 tablespoons of milk to loosen the dough. The texture is slightly drier than a sour cream version.

Why did my biscuits not rise?

Almost always old baking powder or baking soda. Both lose strength after about 6 months once opened.

Can I make the dough ahead?

Yes. Cut, place on a tray, freeze, then bag. Bake straight from frozen with 3 extra minutes.