Description
Classic Southern buttermilk biscuits that are flaky, tender, and easy to make. These biscuits combine cold butter with buttermilk and flour to create a light, layered texture perfect for breakfast or as a side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, for a slightly sweet biscuit)
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
- extra buttermilk for brushing
Fat
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and optional sugar to evenly distribute the leaveners and seasoning.
- Cut in the butter: Add the cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. This is key to flaky biscuits.
- Add buttermilk: Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and gently pour in the cold buttermilk. Stir lightly with a fork until the dough just comes together; avoid overmixing to keep biscuits tender.
- Layer the dough: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently pat it into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold the rectangle in half and gently pat down again. Repeat this folding process two more times to build flaky layers within the dough.
- Shape and cut biscuits: Roll or pat the dough to about 3/4-inch thickness. Using a floured biscuit cutter, cut out rounds and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Position close together for softer sides or spaced apart for crisper edges. Brush the tops with a little extra buttermilk for color.
- Bake the biscuits: Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits are cooked through.
- Serve warm: Remove from oven and serve warm, optionally with butter, honey, or jam for a delicious accompaniment.
Notes
- For extra flaky biscuits, freeze the cubed butter before incorporating it into the flour mixture.
- You can freeze unbaked biscuits on the baking sheet and bake them directly from the freezer, adding 2–3 minutes to the bake time.
