Buttermilk Biscuits

Flaky, rich, and oh-so-satisfying, these Buttermilk Biscuits are built for people who care about texture, taste, and let’s be real—bragging rights. Whether you serve them with a pat of salted butter, a spoonful of jam, or layered into the ultimate breakfast sandwich, these biscuits deliver. The dough comes together in just 30 minutes with no fancy tools and bakes up beautifully every time. They’re made from only 5 ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry: just flour, butter, buttermilk, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. The hardest part? Not eating them all before they make it to the table.

What stands out

Buttery and golden on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside, homemade Buttermilk Biscuits are essentially a warm hug in carb form. There’s just something about the crispy edges, melt-in-your-mouth crumb, and signature buttermilk tang that keeps you coming back for more. Thanks to a few pro tips (which we've included below) you’ll get tall, flaky biscuits with irresistible layers just begging to be slathered in Homemade Butter. Mix in cheese, fresh herbs, or make them plain to serve as a carrier for savory eggs and bacon. They’re the ultimate blank canvas for all your favorite flavors.

All-Purpose Flour: We stick with unbleached all-purpose flour for that classic biscuit texture. It has just the right amount of protein to give the biscuits structure without making them tough.

Buttermilk: The acidity of this tangy addition reacts with the baking powder to help the biscuits rise. It also tenderizes the dough and gives it a subtle depth of flavor that plain milk can’t compete with. If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by mixing milk and vinegar or lemon juice until it starts to curdle.

Butter: cold butter is key to achieving that flakey texture. We like to freeze a stick of unsalted butter and grate it into the mixture.

Baking Powder: This leavening powerlifter gives the biscuits their rise. Be sure to check the expiration date since out-of-date baking powder can leave your biscuits deflated.

Salt: Besides balancing the flavor of the dough and giving it that craveable savory goodness, small-but-mighty salt actually has a scientific purpose. It strengthens the gluten strands and gives the dough better structure and elasticity.

Kitchen tip

For a flaky biscuit every time, make sure your butter is absolutely ice cold. We like to grate it straight from the freezer.

Pro Tips for the Best Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

• Properly Measure the Flour: Take a spoon and scoop your flour into the measuring cup, as opposed to dipping the measuring cup into the flour. This will prevent your flour from getting packed down. You could also weigh your flour for the most accurate measurement.
• Use Cold Butter: For flaky layers, you want your butter to be ice cold. When the butter pieces melt, they release steam and create pockets of air that make the biscuits soft and flaky on the inside.
• Don’t Skimp on the Buttermilk: For the most tender biscuits you’ve ever put in your mouth, just say yes to using buttermilk. If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can make your own. Check out our Homemade Butter recipe and use the byproduct to make 100% homemade Buttermilk Biscuits.
• Don’t Overmix: Overworking the dough will cause the biscuits to become dense, and nobody likes hard biscuits. Mix the dough together until just combined; it will be crumbly and that’s totally normal.
• Use the Flatten and Fold Method: To create those nice, flaky layers, follow these steps: Form a 1-inch thick rectangle with the dough. Fold one side, then the other into the center of the rectangle. Flatten and rotate. Repeat this process 2 more times.
• Don’t Twist the Biscuit Cutter: When cutting the dough, press the cutter down into the dough firmly. Twisting will seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising to their full potential.
• Bake Them Close Together: Biscuits love to rub shoulders. Place them in the pan just touching and they will rise nicely.

Swaps

1. Make these vegan by using a plant-based butter and a plant-based milk.
2. You can experiment making these Buttermilk Biscuits with whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour. Keep in mind that the texture and flavor may vary.
3. Have fun with flavors by adding cheese, herbs, garlic, or other seasonings to the dry ingredients.
4. Swap whole milk for buttermilk in a pinch. Additionally, you can add a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to make a buttermilk substitute.

Serve it with

• Make a beautiful brunch spread with poached eggs and our Homemade Breakfast Sausage Recipe.
• Serve during tea time with clotted cream homemade jam and fresh fruit.
• Serve Southern-style for dinner with fried chicken, peas, and mashed potatoes and gravy.
• Enjoy them on their own warm out of the oven. Cut the biscuit in half and spread a pad of room temp Homemade Butter on the inside for a simple-yet-tasty treat.

Ingredients

Makes 22 Biscuits

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ tablespoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, or unsweetened plant based milk
• ½ cup butter (1 stick), frozen

Equipment

• Box Grater
• Mixing Bowls
• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper
• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Liquid Measuring Cup

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Freeze a stick of butter for 30 minutes or overnight before starting this recipe. Butter must be very cold.
2. In a big bowl sift your flour, add your baking powder and salt and whisk.
3. In a separate bowl make buttermilk if you don’t have any: Add 1 cup of any milk to a bowl with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for a few minutes until it curdles or forms lumps & you have buttermilk.
4. Take your frozen butter and grate or chop it finely and add it to your flour and break it all with your hands until a crumbly dough.
5. Now, add your buttermilk to your bowl and mix/ knead until a soft dough for a few minutes. Lightly flour your counter and roll out your dough with a rolling pin (1 inch thickness) and use a glass or a cookie cutter to cut out biscuits.
6. Place your biscuits onto your parchment paper and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Kitchen notes

• Butter: Use VERY cold butter to make this recipe. We like to freeze a stick of butter for 30 minutes and grate the butter using a microplane or box grater.
• Buttermilk: Swap whole milk for buttermilk in a pinch. Additionally, you can add a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to whole milk to make a buttermilk substitute. For true scratch made Buttermilk Biscuits, check out our Homemade Butter recipe and use the buttermilk byproduct to make these biscuits.
• Vegan substitutes: Make these vegan by using a plant-based butter and a plant-based milk.
• Flour: You can experiment making these biscuits with whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour. Keep in mind that the texture and flavor may vary.
• Add-ins: Have fun with flavors by adding cheese, herbs, garlic, or other seasonings to the dry ingredients.

Questions

can we make these straightforward biscuits vegan?

Yes, you certainly can make these vegan by using a plant-based butter and a plant-based milk.

how do we make our own buttermilk?

It couldn’t be easier to make buttermilk, and you have a couple of options. Make our a strong Homemade Butter recipe and use the buttermilk byproduct to make biscuits. (Then slather the warm biscuits with homemade butter!) Additionally, you could add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of whole milk and let it sit for a few minutes until it curdles or forms lumps.

can we make these with another type of flour?

Yes, you can use whole wheat flour, gluten-free flour, or a mix of different flours. However, keep in mind that the texture and flavor may vary.

strong Why does the butter need to be frozen?

We find that freezing the butter ensures it remains solid when mixed into the flour, which helps create flaky layers in the biscuits.

strong Why are our biscuits so tough?

Overworking the dough will make the biscuits tough. To ensure a flaky biscuit, handle the dough as little as possible. Mix until just combined and use the flatten and fold method to create those irresistible layers.

What does buttermilk do to biscuits?

The mix of acidity and moisture in buttermilk helps the biscuits rise (when reacting to baking power) and adds a nice tangy flavor to the dough. Additionally, its creamy consistency lends moisture to the batter, producing a tender, flaky crumb.