Sour Cream Biscuits

Biscuits piled on a wooden serving platter on a table.

5 from 17 votes

This sour cream biscuits recipe makes soft, fluffy biscuits with rich flavor. Learn how to use sour cream in biscuits for perfect results every time!

Prep Time10

Cook Time12

Total Time22

Course: Side Dish, Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 187kcal

Author: Renae Gerhardstein

Equipment

medium mixing bowl
dough whisk
rimmed baking sheet
rolling pin
Biscuit cutter

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour cold
2 teaspoons baking powder cold
½ teaspoon salt cold
6 tablespoons butter shredded from frozen *See Notes
1 cup sour cream cold
2 tablespoons milk optional (for brushing tops before baking)

Instructions

To encourage a higher rise and fluffier texture in the biscuits, chill all dry ingredients in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
While ingredients are chilling, use the large holes of a box grater to grate the frozen butter. Then, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt with a wire whisk until completely mixed.
Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the butter and sour cream. Stir until the dough comes together in a ball. You may need to finish mixing by hand.
Lightly flour your work surface and place dough on it. Using your hands, flatten it into a disc shape about 2 inches thick.
Fold the bottom third of dough up and over the middle, then fold the top third down, (like you're folding a letter). Turn the dough clockwise 1/4 turn, then fold letter style again. After folding, you should have a thick square of dough consisting of several layers.
Lightly dust rolling pin, then roll the dough into a disc shape about 1 inch thick. Using a 2 1/4-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 10 biscuits from dough.
Note: Press the cutter straight down through the dough, then pull it straight up - do not twist. Twisting seals the edges of the dough, resulting in dense, flat biscuits.
Arrange unbaked dough on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1-inch of space between each. Optional step: Before transferring sour cream biscuits to the oven, use a pastry brush to apply a little milk to the tops, to encourage browning.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until biscuit tops are golden.

Notes

Recipe Variations:

Use unsalted butter – This gives you better control over the flavor and salt content in the dough.
Roll dough thinner for crispier, biscuit-style rounds—or thicker for those tall, diner-style classics.
Want to bake biscuits straight from the freezer? Freeze them unbaked and pop them into a hot oven whenever you need fresh biscuits in a flash.
Add a touch of baking powder and don’t overwork the dough if you love fluffy biscuits with tall layers.
Mix in garlic powder and fresh herbs like chives or rosemary for a savory version that’s perfect with soups or roasted chicken.

TFN Pro Tip:

Use cold ingredients. The colder the ingredients are, the better the biscuits will look and taste, as it will encourage a higher rise and fluffier texture. This includes dry ingredients as well! Grated frozen butter incorporates into the flour more easily, and also reduces the chance of it melting under the warmth of your hands and rolling pin.

Make 10 regular-sized or several smaller sour cream biscuits.

Using a 2 ¼” cutter, as we do, will yield 10 old fashioned biscuits with all purpose flour. This is a good size for breakfast sandwiches, to serve with gravy, as a dinner side, and so on.

But if you’re looking to make a larger number or snack-sized rolled biscuits, then use a 1 ¾” cutter or even a shot glass like we do with our mini biscuits — this size makes for a fantastic appetizer!

How to Store and Reheat:

You can keep sour cream biscuits on the countertop for about two days. Store in a Ziploc baggie or other airtight container. They’ll keep for up to a week in the fridge, if you wish to make them last even longer.
Reheat in the oven at a lower temperature, around 375°F, for just a few minutes until warmed through.

Nutrition