If you’ve ever craved warm, flaky biscuits fresh from the oven that practically melt in your mouth, you’re going to adore this Easy Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe. It’s a straightforward approach that takes simple pantry staples and transforms them into tender, golden wonders that hold their own with butter, jam, or even as the perfect base for your favorite breakfast sandwich. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or new to biscuit-making, this recipe promises consistently delicious results that will have everyone at the table asking for seconds.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Each ingredient in this Easy Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe plays a crucial role, ensuring the perfect texture, rise, and rich flavor you expect from homemade biscuits. The simplicity of the ingredients is what makes this recipe so accessible, yet the quality and combination make every bite truly special.
- White Lily Self-Rising Flour: Known for its soft texture and low protein content, it creates light and fluffy biscuits.
- Cold Unsalted Butter: Cold butter is key for creating those flaky, tender layers, as it melts slowly during baking.
- Cultured Nonfat Buttermilk: Adds a subtle tang and activates the self-rising flour for a perfect rise.
- Unsalted Butter, Melted: Used to brush the tops, giving the biscuits a golden, buttery finish.
How to Make Easy Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Step 1: Preheat and Prepare
Start by preheating your oven to 450°F and lining a baking pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. This ensures even baking and prevents sticking, setting the stage for perfectly baked biscuits.
Step 2: Measure the Flour
In a large bowl, carefully spoon your self-rising flour into a measuring cup and level it off. Accurate flour measurement is vital here—too much can make biscuits tough, while too little can cause them to spread too much.
Step 3: Cut in the Butter
Cut cold butter into small pea-sized pieces using a pastry blender. Alternatively, freeze the butter, grate it, and then mix with the flour. This technique helps create those coveted flaky layers by ensuring bits of butter stay solid until baking.
Step 4: Add Buttermilk and Mix
Pour in the buttermilk and gently stir until the dough just comes together. It should feel like thick mashed potatoes—moist but not sticky. If it’s too wet or dry, adjust by adding a bit more flour or buttermilk accordingly.
Step 5: Kneading and Folding for Flakiness
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly a few times to bring it together. Flatten it into a rectangle and fold it into thirds like a letter. Repeat the dusting, flattening, and folding process about three times to build those flaky layers that make biscuits irresistible.
Step 6: Cutting the Biscuits
Flatten the dough into a rectangle roughly 3/4 to 1 inch thick and use a floured biscuit cutter (2 to 2 1/2 inches wide) to cut out the biscuits in a quick up-and-down motion, avoiding twisting to keep the layers intact. Place the cut biscuits snugly on the prepared baking sheet for soft edges or spaced apart if you prefer them crispier.
Step 7: Bake and Finish
Re-roll any leftover dough to cut out additional biscuits, aiming for 10 to 12 total. Brush the tops with melted butter for that golden glow, then bake for around 15 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown and inviting. The aroma alone is enough to make your kitchen feel like home.
How to Serve Easy Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Garnishes
These biscuits are a blank canvas begging for great toppings. Slather warm biscuits with butter or honey for a simple treat. You can also add fruit preserves, clotted cream, or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for an extra burst of flavor.
Side Dishes
Serve these tender biscuits alongside hearty dishes like creamy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, or a rich gravy for a Southern-inspired meal that’s pure comfort. They are also fantastic with soups or stews, perfect for soaking up every last bit of deliciousness.
Creative Ways to Present
Get creative by slicing biscuits in half and stacking them with fried chicken, cheese, and pickles for a mouthwatering sandwich. Or turn them into mini sliders, topped with pulled pork or your favorite deli meats. The possibilities with this Easy Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe are endless!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep leftover biscuits fresh by storing them in an airtight container or resealable bag at room temperature for up to two days. You can refresh them in the oven or microwave to recapture their original warmth and texture.
Freezing
If you want to enjoy these biscuits later, freeze unbaked biscuits by placing them on a baking sheet until solid, then transferring to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time for convenience without sacrificing freshness.
Reheating
To bring your biscuits back to life, wrap them in foil and warm them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. This method keeps them moist and flaky, unlike microwaving, which can sometimes dry them out.
FAQs
Can I use regular flour instead of self-rising flour?
Yes, but you’ll need to add baking powder and salt to mimic the self-rising flour’s leavening and seasoning. For every 2 cups of all-purpose flour, add 1 tablespoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to get similar results.
Why is cold butter important in this recipe?
Cold butter creates pockets in the dough that steam when baked, which helps produce those flaky layers that make biscuits so special. Warm butter will blend too much and lead to a denser biscuit.
Can I substitute buttermilk?
If you don’t have cultured buttermilk, stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into a cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. This homemade substitute will give your biscuits the right tang and acidity.
How do I get soft edges versus crispy edges?
Place biscuits touching one another on the baking sheet for softer edges, as the dough’s moisture is trapped between biscuits. For crispier edges, space them apart so the heat can circulate freely on all sides.
What causes biscuits to be tough or dry?
Overworking the dough, adding too much flour, or using warm butter can lead to tough biscuits. Handle the dough gently and follow the folding technique to achieve tender, flaky results every time.
Final Thoughts
I can’t recommend this Easy Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe enough for anyone looking to add a little homemade magic to their meals. It’s simple, dependable, and hands-down delicious—perfect for those mornings when you want fresh biscuits fast or evenings when you want comfort food on the table. Grab your ingredients and start baking; your taste buds will thank you!
Print
Easy Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 to 12 biscuits
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
Description
These Easy Buttermilk Biscuits are flaky, tender, and golden brown with a crispy top, perfect for breakfast or as a side. Made with simple ingredients like self-rising flour, cold butter, and cultured buttermilk, they come together quickly and bake in just 15 minutes, offering a comforting homemade touch without any fuss.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups White Lily Self-Rising Flour
Butter
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for brushing)
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cultured nonfat buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. This ensures your biscuits bake evenly and don’t stick.
- Measure Flour: In a large bowl, spoon the self-rising flour into a dry measuring cup and level it off for accuracy.
- Cut in Butter: Cut the cold butter into the flour using a pastry blender until pieces are pea-sized. Alternatively, freeze the butter, grate it, then stir it into the flour for an even flaky texture.
- Add Buttermilk: Pour in the cultured buttermilk and stir just until the dough comes together. The dough should resemble thick mashed potatoes, neither too sticky nor too dry. Adjust by adding a bit more flour or buttermilk as needed.
- Knead and Fold: Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead a few times if it feels loose. Flatten the dough into a rectangle, then fold it into thirds like a letter (tri-fold). Repeat this rolling and folding process about three times to develop flaky layers.
- Cut Biscuits: Roll out the dough to about 3/4 to 1-inch thickness. Use a floured, sharp biscuit cutter (2 to 2 1/2 inches diameter) to cut biscuits with a straight up-and-down motion, avoiding twisting to keep layers intact. Place biscuits close together on the prepared pan for soft edges or spaced apart for crispier edges.
- Re-roll Dough: Gather scraps, gently press together, and roll out again to cut additional biscuits. You should yield 10 to 12 biscuits in total.
- Brush with Butter and Bake: Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter for a golden, flavorful crust. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Notes
- Use cold butter to create flaky layers in the biscuits.
- Do not twist the biscuit cutter when cutting to preserve the rise and flakiness.
- Adjust buttermilk or flour slightly if the dough is too sticky or too dry.
- Placing biscuits close together results in softer edges; spacing them apart yields crunchier edges.
- Use self-rising flour for convenience; if unavailable, combine all-purpose flour with baking powder and salt accordingly.
