Sourdough (Discard) Skillet Biscuits and Cinnamon Rolls

Improvised skillet biscuits

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Using SourDough Discard

After getting back from running errands this morning I was going to post my All-Purpose Cleaner recipe, but it was 65 degrees and I thought it was a perfect day to wander into the kitchen and bake. After yesterday's heat index of over 100, this felt amazing! I had some sourdough starter that I needed to use anyway, but didn’t want to heat the house up. I wondered if I could make biscuits in my iron skillet. I discovered I was out of buttermilk, so I improvised.

It turns out you can make biscuits in an iron skillet, and they resemble English muffins, though the crumb texture is a bit more dense. Here’s how I did it:

Sourdough Skillet Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 - 3/4 cup sourdough starter discard

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

They brown quickly. Turn stove to low once skillet heats up.

Instructions:

1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda.

2. Add Wet Ingredients: Add the water, sourdough starter discard, and honey to the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.

3. Knead the Dough: Knead the dough for a few minutes to develop the gluten. This helps give the biscuits a nice texture.

4. Roll Out and Cut Biscuits: Roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch thick and cut out biscuits.

5. Cook in Skillet: Lightly oil your iron skillet and cook the biscuits for about 5 minutes on each side.

6. Finish in the Oven: If the middle isn’t done, turn the oven on to 350°F and finish baking them. Next time, I’ll cook the biscuits on low heat in the skillet for a bit longer to avoid using the oven.

Since the oven was on, I also made some sourdough discard cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting. It was a great day in the kitchen!

Cinnamon Roll Filling

Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

• For the dough:

  • 3/4 to 1 cup sourdough starter discard

  • 3 cups flour

  • 1/2-3/4 cup water

  • 3 Tablespoons honey

  • 6 Tablespoons melted butter

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

• For the filling:

  • 1/4 cup melted butter

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoons cinnamon

• For the frosting:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 2 Tablespoons butter, softened

  • 1 cup powdered sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

  • 2 Tablespoons milk

Ready to be cut

Instructions:

1. Make the Dough: Mix all dough ingredients until well combined. Knead the dough for a few minutes, then let it rise until doubled in size. (If you are in a hurry you can skip the rise).

2. Roll Out the Dough: Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.

3. Add Filling: Spread the melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over the dough,

4. Roll and Cut: Roll the dough tightly into a log, then cut into 1-inch pieces.

5. Bake: Place the rolls in a greased baking dish and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

6. Make the Frosting: Beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. ( I sometimes melt the cream cheese and butter, then mix in the rest).

7. Frost the Rolls: Spread the frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls.

It was a great day in the kitchen! The sourdough skillet biscuits turned out well, and the cinnamon rolls were a delightful treat. I look forward to experimenting more with my sourdough starter and discovering new recipes. Happy baking!

I posted links below to materials I used in this post.

Links:

Iron Skillet (mine isn’t available - this is the closest one to it)

Counter mat/pastry mat

Rolling pin - French

Dough Cutter