Salt-and-Pepper Biscuits

• ¾ cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream, divided
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper plus more
• 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for surface
• 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

Salt-and-Pepper Butter (optional; click for recipe)

A 2¼”-diameter biscuit or cookie cutter

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Whisk sour cream and 3 Tbsp. heavy cream in a small bowl.
2. Pulse baking powder, kosher salt, sugar, ½ tsp. pepper, and 2 cups flour in a food processor until combined; add butter and pulse until the texture of coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining.
3. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Using a spoon, mix in sour cream mixture, then gently knead a few times just until a shaggy dough comes together (a light hand is key to tender biscuits, so be careful not to overmix).
4. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until ¾” thick. Using cutter, cut out biscuits, rerolling scraps as needed.
5. Place biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with remaining 1 Tbsp. heavy cream; sprinkle with sea salt and more pepper. Bake until golden brown on the tops and bottoms, 15–20 minutes. Serve warm with salt-and-pepper butter, if desired.
6. Do Ahead: Dough can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Biscuits can be baked 2 hours ahead. Reheat before serving, if desired.