Buttermilk Biscuits (2024)

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These homemade buttermilk biscuits have fluffy, flaky layers and a sweet honey butter topping. They take just 35 minutes to make with just 6 ingredients!

Be sure to serve these with my savory Sausage Gravy or myChicken Pot Pie with Biscuits.

Buttermilk Biscuits

I am not typically a successful baker, and I have yet to mess these biscuits up. It hasn’t ever happened once. So I promise you, you can do the same.

Be sure to check out my PRO TIPS and it will be a breeze, there are just a few simple rules to follow. (BONUS: You can even make these without buttermilk, check out my substitution options below!)

How to Make It

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut the cold butter into cubes and add it to the bowl. Use a pastry cutter to work the butter in until coarse crumbs have formed.

Create a hole in the middle and add cold buttermilk and honey. Use a silicone spatula to stir until just combined, don’t overmix.

Use your hands to gently form a 10-inch rectangle. Fold one side into the center, then the other side. Rotate the dough horizontally and gently form it back into a 10-inch rectangle.

REPEAT the same folding technique 2 more times. This is what creates the layers in the biscuits.

Form into a 10 x 7 inch rectangle about 1-inch thick. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter (product link in tools section below) to cut out 6 biscuits. Roll back into a rectangle that’s 1-inch thick and cut out 2 more biscuits. You’ll end up with about 8 in total.

Place into a buttered cast iron skillet or on parchment paper.

Place them close together- this is important as this helps them to rise. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Combine honey/melted butter and brush the tops when they come out of the oven. For more browning on top, bake for up to 5 more minutes at 450°. Serve and enjoy!

Pro Tips

• To properly measure the flour, take a spoon and scoop it into the measuring cup as opposed to dipping the measuring cup into the flour. Use the knife to level off the top. This is important to have an accurate measurement.
• Alternatively, you can weigh the flour. 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour is equal to 300 grams.Be sure to subtract the measuring cup from the weight.
• Don’t twist the biscuit cutter: it will seal the edges and prevent airflow which will hinder them from rising.
• Salt: Non-iodized salt is best for baking. (Table salt is generally supplemented with iodine, which can generate a bitter taste in baked goods.) I use Redmond Real Salt for all of my baking and cooking recipes. (Enter code ‘COZY‘ for 15% off!)
• Butter:I use salted butter for this recipe but feel free to use unsalted. Land O’ Lakes or Cabot Butter are my preferred brands.If you have frozen butter,you can shred it and incorporate it into the dough instead of refrigerated butter.
• If you don’t have honey, an equal amount of sugar can be used in the biscuits and you can brush the tops with just butter. (But honey really adds *great* flavor!)
• Make sure the butter is very cold. When the butter melts in the oven, it creates steam which forms air pockets, which makes the layers light and fluffy.
• Don’t overmix the dough or it will become too dense and won’t be as flaky and soft.
• Fold the dough as instructed and pictured above- this is really important, that’s what creates the layers within the biscuit.
• A large fork can be used if you don’t have a pastry cutter.

What Does Buttermilk Do For Biscuits?

• Tang: Buttermilk adds a nice tangy component to baked goods.
• Acidity: The acidity in the buttermilk works in conjunction with the baking powder to help the biscuits rise.
• Liquid: This is what forms the dough and creates steam in the oven which in turn, allows the layers in the biscuits to rise.
• Low Fat Content: Buttermilk is usually low in fat content, which works as a nice offset since butter is dispersed throughout the dough and is high in fat.

Buttermilk Substitutes

To create a substitute for buttermilk, you’ll need milk and any one of the following: Sour Cream, Plain Yogurt, White Vinegar, or Lemon Juice. These instructions give you enough to make a cup, which is sufficient for this recipe.

• 4 tablespoons milk + enough sour cream to make a cup.
• 2 tablespoons milk + enough plain yogurt to make a cup.
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar + enough milk to make a cup. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice + enough milk to make a cup. Let sit for 10 minutes. It’ll look curdled. Stir to combine.

Make-Ahead Method

• Method #1:Prepare the dough and cut the biscuits. Refrigerate for up to 2 days prior to baking. Alternatively, you can prepare the dough and complete the folding steps, cover the dough with plastic wrap and cut the biscuits prior to baking.
• Method #2: Make dough and cut biscuits as outlined. Flash freeze on a baking sheet for 2 hours, then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
• Let them defrost in the fridge overnight, then bake as outlined.

Storage

• Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
• Refrigerated biscuits retain more moisture and therefore taste better when reheated (vs. storing at room temperature).

Tools for This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

• Pastry Cutter
• Biscuit Cutter
• Pastry Brush
• Silicone Spatula
• 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet

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Recipe Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

posted by Stephanie on July 8, 2021 — 421 Comments »