Cheddar Sourdough Biscuits #SundaySupper

These cheesy, flaky biscuits are made tangy with sourdough toss-off and rich with sharp cheddar.

Even though I have a sourdough starter in my fridge (and have for almost 10 years) I sadly don't bake with it a lot. It's a shame, really - mom loves a good, crusty sourdough loaf as much as I used to (before all that allergy nonsense), and the smell of one baking is definitely bliss. Instead, I feed it every few weeks, keeping it at a low enough hydration that only minimal feedings are required.While I can keep the tossing off and replenishing frequency down, there's no denying that eventually it becomes necessary, and I always feel guilty for throwing away a perfectly good ingredient.

Ironically it was an excess of shredded Cheddar, not sourdough starter, that led me to this recipe. It's been a long time since biscuits were on the menu, especially since we really only like buttermilk varieties. There's something about the tang and richness of buttermilk that sets the scones apart from the regular storebought tea biscuits. My original recipe calls for not only buttermilk, but shortening, which made for a fluffy, tender result, but I actually has neither on hand - buttermilk is not a weekly grocery item for us, and unfortunately the mice inhabiting our walls think that shortening is delicious (seriously - they ate almost entire boxes of the stuff, leaving only the ends of the carboard and parchment behind). Instead, this recipe used sourdough toss-off as the acidic "liquid" - genius if you ask me! Since I was going for a rich, tea-time treat and not a simple accompaniment to soup, I knew I'd have to fill in the creamy dairy component with butter. While I love shortening in plain biscuits, it lacks the richness that I seek in a scone.

As luck would have it, we not only had a good stash of butter on hand, but a god stash of good butter on hand! I'm pretty used to the grocery store blocks in my cooking, and truly they taste fine, behave well in pastry and cakes and are workhorses in the kitchen. However, for my mom's birthday party a few rich dishes were on the menu, including a browned butter and sage pasta and chicken Marsala, and we splurged on two pounds of high-fat, European-style cultured butter for the occasion. While most of it went into birthday cake batter, frosting and the two aforementioned dishes, we did have leftovers - and I just had to try them in biscuits. After all, if pedestrian butter is good, the higher-quality stuff must be better!

I was not disappointed - between the light tang from the cultured butter, the sourdough with just a little bite and sharp, aged Cheddar cheese, these scones were definitely hitting the mark flavour wise. They were buttery enough to not need an accompaniment, yet not so rich that you couldn't spread jam or honey on them for brunch.

This week for #SundaySupper we are embracing the "cheesiness" of the cooking world. We have a great range of savouries here, from Irish Nachos to risotto and even a souffle (Pies and Plots is brave!). Take a look at our offerings and give them a shoutout!

Cheesy Appetizers and Sides

• Cheddar Sourdough Biscuits by What Smells So Good?
• Guinness and Caramelized Onion Cheese Ball by Palatable Pastime
• Irish Nachos with Beer Cheese Sauce by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

Cheesy Main Courses

• Bacon Macaroni and Cheese by Sunday Supper Movement
• Cheddar Cheese Souffle by Pies and Plots
• Cheesy Cheeseburgers by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Cheesy Spaghetti Stuffed Meatloaf by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Easy Cheesy Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes by My Fearless Kitchen
• Easy Chicken Parmesan Skillet by Jersey Girl Cooks
• Lemon Risotto with Asparagus and Zucchini by Caroline’s Cooking
• Saucy Beef and Cheese Stuffed Jumbo Shells by Hot Eats and Cool Reads
• Vegan Stuffed Shells by From the Bookshelf

The Sunday Supper Movement is committed to bringing our readers delicious recipes that encourage them to gather and eat together around the family table. Search for your favorite ingredients on our Sunday Supper website. Also check out the Sunday Supper Pinterest boards for plenty more ideas and inspiration.


Cheddar Sourdough Biscuits
Makes 12
1 cup cake flour
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp garlic powder
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
⅓ cup unsalted cultured butter, cold
1 cup grated old cheddar cheese
1 cup sourdough starter (100% or less hydration)

1. Preheat your oven to 425 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicone.
2. Whisk together flour, salt, garlic powder, baking powder and baking soda.
3. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Stir in the grated cheese, followed by the sourdough starter until a soft dough forms.
5. Fold in the bowl a couple of times until it just comes together.
6. Flatten the dough and cut into 12 biscuits.
7. Place biscuits on the sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 139.7
Total Fat: 8.4 g
Cholesterol: 23.7 mg
Sodium: 59.5 mg
Total Carbs: 12.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.4 g
Protein: 4.0 g