1. Prepare Your Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Make sure there are no lumps and everything is well combined. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agents.

2. Cut in the Cold Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. The cold butter is key for flaky biscuits.

3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the mashed cooked sweet potato, sourdough discard, milk, and optional honey or maple syrup until smooth.

4. Mix Wet and Dry: Pour the wet sweet potato mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; the dough will be shaggy and slightly sticky, but that’s exactly what you want for tender biscuits.

5. Shape the Biscuits: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead it 3-4 times, just enough to bring it together. Pat the dough into a 1-inch thick circle or rectangle. Use a 2-3 inch biscuit cutter or a knife to cut out your biscuits. For extra flaky layers, you can fold the dough over on itself once or twice before the final pat-down.

6. Arrange and Bake: Place the cut biscuits onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving about an inch between each. If you prefer softer sides, you can place them closer together. If desired, brush the tops with a little extra milk for a golden finish.

7. Bake to Golden Perfection: Bake in a preheated oven at 400 F (200 C) for 15-20 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown on top and cooked through. The exact time will depend on your oven and the size of your biscuits.

8. Cool and Serve: Remove the biscuits from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Serve warm.