Sourdough Drop Biscuits

Directions

1. In the morning, when your sourdough starter is ripe (when you’d typically give it a refreshment), heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Slice the butter into ¼-inch pats and place them into the freezer for about 10 minutes while you ready the rest of the ingredients.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk and sourdough starter, stirring to break up the starter until combined.
3. Add the flour, salt, and baking powder to a large mixing bowl, whisking to combine. Remove the butter from the freezer and place the pieces in the mixing bowl with the flour, tossing to coat. Using a pastry cutter or the back of a fork, cut the butter into the flour until only small pieces remain, about the size of small peas. Alternatively, use a food processor to pulse the flour and butter.
4. Pour the buttermilk and starter mixture into the flour and butter mixture. Using a spatula, gently fold the liquid mixture into the flour. Avoid overmixing the dough: Mix just until all the ingredients come together into a cohesive mass. If the mixture seems too dry, conservatively add a little more buttermilk, a small splash at a time, to help everything come together. The dough should be slightly sticky but not dripping wet or loose.
5. Using a blue scoop (#16, 2 ounces) or cookie dough scoop, scoop the dough and place 8 evenly spaced mounds of dough on the baking sheet. I like to leave the dough a little ragged, which creates crispy peaks when baking in the oven.
6. Bake the biscuits for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and cover the biscuits with a clean kitchen towel to keep them moist as they cool. Once cool enough to handle but still warm, eat them as is or with butter and jelly.