Melt-in-Your-Mouth Whole Wheat Sourdough Biscuits with Freshly Milled Flour

Prepare to experience the ultimate melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness with these incredible whole wheat sourdough biscuits! This recipe is a game-changer, crafted entirely from freshly milled flour and designed for an overnight fermentation that deepens the flavor and improves digestibility. It’s an unexpectedly easy path to creating the most scrumptious, buttery, and fluffy biscuits you’ve ever tasted, bringing wholesome goodness to your breakfast table or any meal of the day.

The Sourdough Advantage: Why Freshly Milled Whole Wheat Shines

My Sourdough Starter Journey

I’ve nurtured my sourdough starter for about four years now, and I can’t emphasize enough how simple it is to maintain. My aunt, who kindly passed down this living legacy, never relied on scales, so I had to adapt and discover the secrets to keeping it vibrant and active. Despite being a novice at the start, my starter not only survived but continues to thrive! It just goes to show that with a few simple feedings, anyone can enjoy the benefits of homemade sourdough.

Embracing sourdough in your baking is more than just a trend; it’s a healthier way to consume whole grains. The fermentation process, aided by the sourdough, transforms hearty grains, making them much easier to work with and, more importantly, easier to digest. This ancient method brings a depth of flavor and a host of nutritional advantages that modern baking often overlooks.

The Science Behind Sourdough and Whole Grains

One of the most significant benefits of soaking freshly milled flour with sourdough is its ability to reduce phytic acid. Phytic acid, naturally present in whole grains, can bind to minerals, making them less available for your body to absorb. Sourdough fermentation breaks down this phytic acid, unlocking more nutrients and making the wheat far easier to digest. The longer you allow the dough to ferment, the more effectively phytic acid and even gluten are broken down. This long fermentation process, sometimes up to 24 hours, can be particularly beneficial for individuals with gluten sensitivities, allowing them to enjoy whole grain breads that might otherwise cause discomfort.

Beyond digestibility, sourdough imparts a distinctive, complex flavor profile that is simply unparalleled. The natural leavening also contributes to an impressive rise, resulting in lighter, airier whole grain baked goods, including these wonderful whole wheat sourdough biscuits. It’s a testament to how traditional methods can enhance both the taste and nutritional value of our food.

Pairing Your Sourdough Biscuits: Delicious Accompaniments

These homemade sourdough biscuits are incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in countless ways. At our farmhouse, we cherish the old-fashioned approach: generously slathered with homemade mayonnaise, accompanied by fluffy scrambled eggs, fresh green onions, and thick slices of savory ham. It’s a hearty, comforting meal that never disappoints.

For those craving classic Southern comfort, a warm batch of biscuits and gravy is always a hit. And when breakfast sandwiches are on the menu, these biscuits serve as the perfect foundation for a satisfying egg and cheese creation. But their utility extends beyond breakfast; they make a fantastic snack, whether spread with a rich hazelnut spread or your favorite fruit jam. Their wholesome flavor makes them a staple that complements both sweet and savory cravings.

Crafting the Perfect Sourdough Biscuits with Freshly Milled Flour

My journey to creating the perfect whole wheat sourdough biscuits using 100% freshly milled flour was not without its challenges. I tried numerous recipes, but none quite hit the mark…

The Whole Wheat Biscuit Challenge (and Solution!)

Working with whole wheat flour, especially freshly milled varieties, is indeed a different ball game compared to white flour. My initial attempts at using standard non-sourdough biscuit recipes always resulted in crumbly, dense biscuits that were a far cry from the light, fluffy white flour biscuits I cherished. I experimented with various types of wheat, trying soft wheat, and even going without sourdough, but nothing yielded truly superior results – though we still ate them!

It wasn’t until a friend shared a sourdough biscuit recipe that I had a breakthrough. I discovered that sourdough is key to properly hydrating freshly milled flour. The natural acids and enzymes in sourdough effectively break down the components of whole wheat, allowing it to absorb moisture more efficiently. This, combined with the extra leavening power from baking powder, is what truly creates the most incredibly fluffy sourdough biscuits using whole grains!

A Recipe Months in the Making

Inspired by this discovery, I meticulously converted that original white flour recipe to incorporate 100% whole wheat flour, and the results have been nothing short of amazing! This particular sourdough biscuit recipe took months of careful testing and perfecting, and I’m thrilled to share all my hard-earned tips with you.

These overnight sourdough biscuits made with freshly milled flour are, hands down, the best wholesome biscuits you’ll ever bake. While they do require a bit of planning, the prep work is minimal and worth every moment. Simply prepare the dough the day before, let it ferment in the fridge overnight, and then bake them fresh early the next morning for a quick, wholesome, and unbelievably delicious breakfast!

Essential Ingredients for Your Sourdough Biscuits

Making delicious buttery sourdough biscuits starts with quality ingredients. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why each component is crucial:

• Active Sourdough Starter: This is the heart of your biscuits. An active starter provides a subtle tang and contributes to the unique texture and improved digestibility. If your starter isn’t at its peak, you can absolutely make these into sourdough discard biscuits. Just add a pinch more baking soda to ensure a good rise.
• Whole Wheat Flour: For the best results, use freshly milled flour. I highly recommend hard white wheat berries. This variety gives the biscuits excellent structure, similar to traditional white flour biscuits, but with all the benefits of whole grains. For a more versatile, all-purpose blend, you could mix half soft wheat with half hard white wheat. The fresh milling ensures maximum flavor and nutrient content.
• Cold Butter: This is essential for flaky biscuits. Grating the butter and working it into the flour quickly helps create pockets of steam during baking, resulting in those desirable flaky layers. Make sure it’s as cold as possible!
• Whole Milk: Rich and creamy whole milk adds moisture and tenderness to the dough, contributing to the overall decadent texture of the biscuits.
• Baking Powder: While sourdough provides some leavening, baking powder is the primary leavening agent in this recipe, ensuring a consistently high and fluffy rise. I appreciate its straightforwardness in combination with sourdough.
• Salt: A good quality sea salt enhances all the flavors in the biscuits, balancing the tang of the sourdough and the richness of the butter.

A Happy Accident: The Secret to Ultra-Crispy, Flaky Biscuits! A true story about discovery! The best sourdough biscuit recipe I’ve ever made actually came about by complete accident. In a moment of distraction, I accidentally added all the ingredients together without meticulously cutting the butter into the flour first. That day, I ended up with the flakiest and crispiest biscuits imaginable! To replicate this delightful mishap, simply add all ingredients at once, use a bit more flour to handle the wetter dough, and refrigerate the dough for only a couple of hours after mixing. You will be astonished at how crisp and flaky they turn out!

Step-by-Step: How to Bake Fluffy Sourdough Biscuits

You’ll love how quickly these whole wheat sourdough biscuits come together after their refrigeration period. The beauty of this recipe is that you start the dough the day before, making baking morning quick and effortless!

1. In a medium glass bowl, begin by combining the freshly milled (and cooled) flour with the very cold butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. The mixture should clump together if squeezed.
2. Next, add 1 cup of your active sourdough starter (or discard), the cold whole milk, baking powder, and sea salt. Mix everything together gently, just until combined and all the flour is moistened. Overmixing is the enemy of tender biscuits, so stop as soon as it comes together. The dough will be quite wet and sticky at this stage.
3. Cover the bowl tightly and place the dough in the refrigerator to ferment overnight, or for a minimum of 2 hours, before you plan to bake. This crucial step allows the sourdough to work its magic, developing flavor and improving the texture.
4. When ready to bake, transfer the chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface or a pastry mat. To create flaky layers, we’ll laminate the dough. Cut the dough into four equal pieces. Stack these pieces on top of each other, one by one, then gently press down and pat or roll them into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thickness. This layering technique helps achieve those coveted flaky biscuits.
5. Using a bench scraper, cut the dough into 8 square biscuits. This method is efficient and minimizes scraps. Alternatively, use a 2-inch biscuit cutter for traditional round biscuits, patting together any scraps to cut out additional biscuits (handle scraps minimally to avoid tough biscuits).
6. Arrange the shaped biscuits snugly into a 10-inch cast-iron pan. The close arrangement helps the biscuits rise taller and stay soft.
7. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the bottoms are nicely colored.

Storing and Reheating Your Homemade Biscuits

To keep your whole wheat sourdough biscuits at their best, store them in a bread bag or an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. While biscuits are always most delicious on the day they’re baked, you can maintain their softness for longer by freezing them shortly after baking and cooling completely. For reheating, place room-temperature biscuits in a baking dish, cover tightly with foil (this helps retain moisture and keeps them soft), and bake at 350°F for about 8 minutes, or until warmed through. This ensures they emerge tender and flavorful, almost as good as fresh from the oven.

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Sourdough Biscuits with Freshly Milled Flour

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Overnight Fermentation: 12 hours hours

Total Time: 12 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 biscuits

These whole wheat sourdough biscuits are melt-in-your-mouth delicious! This recipe is made entirely from freshly milled flour and is best fermented overnight. It’s easy and makes the most scrumptious buttery and fluffy biscuit ever! 

Equipment

• 1 10-inch cast-iron skillet
• 1 Bench scraper
• 1 medium glass bowl with a lid

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 289 grams hard white wheat (freshly milled and cooled)
• 6 Tbsp cold butter
• 1 cup active sourdough starter (or discard)
• 2/3 cup milk (cold, whole milk preferred)
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Directions:

• 

  In a medium glass bowl, cut the cold butter into the cooled, freshly milled flour until it looks crumbly. Add the sourdough starter, cold milk, baking powder, and sea salt. Mix well with your hands or a spoon just until the flour is moistened and everything is combined. The dough will be wet and sticky. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough overnight, or for at least 2 hours.
• 

  Lightly flour a pastry mat or clean surface, then transfer the chilled dough onto it. Divide the dough into four equal pieces using a bench scraper.
• 

  Laminate the dough: Overlay the diagonal pieces over each other (stacking them), then gently press down or roll to a 1/2-inch thickness, forming a rectangle. This creates layers for flakiness.
• 

  Cut 8 square biscuits using your bench scraper. This minimizes waste and handling. If you prefer round biscuits, use a 2-inch biscuit cutter and carefully pat together any scraps to cut out additional biscuits, handling them as little as possible. Arrange the biscuits snugly into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
• 

  Bake the biscuits in your preheated 400°F oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bottom. Brush the tops with two tablespoons of melted butter immediately after baking for extra richness and serve warm.

Notes

• Always cool your freshly milled flour before incorporating the cold butter to prevent it from melting prematurely, which can compromise the flakiness of your biscuits.
• For an extra crisp and flaky biscuit with a slightly different texture, try this alternative method: use 300 grams of freshly milled flour and 189 grams of sourdough starter. Instead of cutting the cold butter into the flour first, add all ingredients (flour, butter, starter, milk, baking powder, salt) together at once and mix just until combined. Refrigerate the dough for only a couple of hours before baking. This technique often results in ultra-crisp and wonderfully flaky biscuits.

Nutrition per serving

Serving: 1biscuit
Calories: 221kcal
Carbohydrates: 29g
Protein: 6g
Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
Monounsaturated Fat: 2g
Trans Fat: 0.3g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 244mg
Potassium: 320mg
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 1g
Vitamin A: 299IU
Calcium: 107mg
Iron: 2mg