Recipes
Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
These buttermilk biscuits are crisp and golden outside, tender inside, and ready in about 30 minutes. Cold butter, a light touch, and a hot oven create flaky layers without complicated equipment.
Overview
These buttermilk biscuits are tall, tender, and lightly crisp on top, with buttery layers that pull apart easily. The dough comes together in one bowl, and a few gentle folds create the flakiness without kneading.
For the best texture, keep the butter cold, handle the dough as little as possible, and bake the biscuits as soon as they are shaped. Serve them warm with butter, jam, gravy, or alongside a savory breakfast such as this savory breakfast strata.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon for the work surface
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk, plus 1 tablespoon for brushing
How to make it
Heat the oven and prepare the pan. Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. A light-colored metal baking sheet gives the biscuits an even golden base; avoid greasing the pan heavily, which can make the bottoms spread.
Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until evenly mixed. Breaking up any small baking powder or soda clumps now helps the biscuits rise evenly.
Cut in the butter. Add the cold butter and work it into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the largest pieces are about the size of small peas. A few flatter, almond-sized pieces are useful too: they melt in the oven and help form layers. If the butter starts to feel soft or greasy, refrigerate the bowl for 10 minutes before continuing.
Add the buttermilk. Pour in 3/4 cup cold buttermilk and stir with a fork or flexible spatula just until no dry pockets remain. The dough should look shaggy and slightly sticky, not smooth. If a tablespoon or two of flour remains loose at the bottom, gently fold the dough a few more times rather than adding extra liquid immediately.
Fold the dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick, then fold it in half. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, pat it out again, and fold it in half two more times, for three folds total. Stop when the dough holds together; overworking it can make the biscuits firm.
Cut the biscuits. Pat the dough to a final thickness of 3/4 to 1 inch. Use a floured 2 1/2-inch round cutter to cut straight down without twisting. Twisting can seal the edges and limit the rise. Gather the scraps once, press them together gently, and cut the remaining biscuits. You should have 8 biscuits.
Chill briefly if needed. Place the biscuits on the prepared sheet with their sides just touching for softer edges, or about 1 inch apart for more browned sides. If the butter has softened while shaping, chill the tray for 10 minutes.
Brush and bake. Brush the tops lightly with the remaining 1 tablespoon buttermilk. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through, until the tops are puffed and golden brown and the sides look dry rather than doughy. The centers should feel set but still tender when lightly pressed.
Serve warm. Let the biscuits cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then serve. Split them with a knife or pull them apart along the layers while they are still warm.
Expert tips
- Keep everything cold: Cold butter should remain in visible pieces in the dough. Warm butter blends into the flour and produces flatter, less flaky biscuits.
- Measure flour carefully: For the most consistent result, weigh 250 g. If using cups, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it rather than scooping directly from the bag.
- Do not twist the cutter: Press straight down and lift straight up. If you do not have a cutter, use a sharp knife to cut squares and avoid re-rolling scraps.
- Adjust for different buttermilk thicknesses: If your buttermilk is especially thick, add 1 teaspoon at a time only if the dough will not come together. If it is thin, begin with 2/3 cup and add more as needed.
- Use a substitute when necessary: To replace 3/4 cup buttermilk, stir 2 1/4 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar into 3/4 cup milk. Let it stand for 5 minutes before using. The flavor and thickness will be slightly different, but the biscuits will still work.
- If the biscuits spread: The butter was probably too warm, the dough was too wet, or the oven was not fully preheated. Chill the shaped biscuits and verify the oven temperature before baking the next batch.
- If they are dense: Common causes are overmixing, too much flour, or old leaveners. The finished dough should look rough, and baking powder and baking soda should be within their printed best-by dates.
Serving and storage
Serve the biscuits warm with butter, honey, jam, or sausage gravy. They are also useful as sandwich rolls for eggs, ham, or fried chicken.
Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Rewarm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or microwave one briefly if convenience matters more than crisp edges.
For longer storage, freeze completely cooled biscuits in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or reheat from frozen in a 325°F (165°C) oven until warmed through. Unbaked cut biscuits can also be frozen on a tray, transferred to a freezer bag, and baked from frozen at 450°F for about 16 to 20 minutes; look for a fully risen, golden top and a set center.
Frequently asked questions
Why didn’t my buttermilk biscuits rise?
The most common causes are old baking powder or baking soda, overworked dough, twisted biscuit-cutter edges, or an oven that was not fully preheated. Keep the dough shaggy, cut straight down, and bake at 450°F so the butter creates steam quickly.
Can I make buttermilk biscuits ahead of time?
Yes. Cut the biscuits, freeze them in a single layer until firm, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake them directly from frozen at 450°F for about 16 to 20 minutes, adding time if the centers are still doughy.
Can I use salted butter?
Yes. Replace the unsalted butter with the same quantity of salted butter and reduce the added salt to 3/4 teaspoon. Salt levels vary between brands, so the final flavor may differ slightly.
How do I make softer-sided biscuits?
Arrange the cut biscuits so their sides are touching on the baking sheet. This supports the sides as they rise and keeps the edges softer. For crisper sides, space them about 1 inch apart.
