Name: Buttermilk Biscuits
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 4 teaspoons baking powder; 2 teaspoons granulated sugar; ¼ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon salt; ⅓ cup cold butter; 1 cup buttermilk

Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

There is nothing quite like warm, flaky, buttermilk biscuits served fresh from the oven! Whip up these biscuits with a few simple pantry staples, a touch of butter, and creamy buttermilk for an effortless and delicious treat.

Spread them with lots of butter, homemade jam, or smother them in sausage gravy.

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Why We Love Buttermilk Biscuits

Pantry Ingredients: These biscuits are made with simple ingredients that you probably have in the pantry.
Extra Flaky: These come out layer upon layer of flaky buttery goodness.
Add-Ins: Mix in some finely shredded cheddar cheese & chives, bacon, or fresh herbs and parmesan.

Ingredient Notes

Flour – I use all-purpose flour in this recipe.

Butter – For the best flaky layers, use cold butter. Cut it into pieces and then mix it into the flour with a fork or pastry cutter until it is the size of small peas.

Buttermilk – Buttermilk adds tenderness and combined with baking soda, it helps the biscuits rise. It has a very slightly tangy flavor and makes baked goods tender.

Variations – Buttermilk biscuits are great with variations in the dough. Try about 1 cup of cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of chives, feta, dill, or bacon. Use part whole-wheat flour or brush with melted butter or garlic butter after baking!

Make a buttermilk substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of regular milk.

squares of butter in a bowl of flour on a wood board

Mixing butter into flour in a bowl with a pastry cutter

How to Make Buttermilk Biscuits

Here are the steps to the best buttermilk biscuits:

Combine dry ingredients according to the recipe below.
Cut in the butter until crumbly. Stir in buttermilk until moistened.
Knead the dough gently and fold over a few times to create layers.
Cut with biscuit cutter or a sharp knife and bake until golden brown.

Serve Sweet or Savory! Anything goes. Serve with honey butter, tomato jam, bacon gravy, or hamburger gravy.

cutting dough with a cutter on a wood board

Holly’s Tips for Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

Biscuits are easy to make but like pie crust, scones, and other quick dough recipes, the key to success is the way the dough is handled.

Ensure butter is COLD, if time allows, cut it into cubes and place it in the freezer for a few minutes before starting.
Work the butter into the flour until you have crumbs about the size of peas.
When cutting the biscuits, don’t twist the cutter. Use one simple cut straight down. Twisting the cutter seals the edges and the biscuits won’t rise as well. The dough can also be patted into a rectangle and cut into squares with a sharp knife.
Ensure the cutter is sharp, don’t use a glass to cut biscuits because the blunt edge will cause the same issue as above.
Don’t overmix, the dough needs to just hold together and the butter needs to stay cold. Handling the dough too much will result in a tough biscuit. The heat from your hands will melt the butter.
Use a lightly floured surface so you don’t add too much additional flour to the dough.

Freeze Before or After Baking

To make buttermilk biscuits ahead of time, prepare the dough as directed, cut out biscuits, and freeze on a tray. Once frozen, store in a freezer bag.

To bake from frozen, preheat the oven to 425° and bake the biscuits for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Any leftover biscuits can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 days. They will keep it in an air-tight container in the freezer for 1 week. Reheat in the oven.

Easy Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits with butter on top

More Easy Sides

Did you enjoy this Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and a rating below!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

close up of Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

4.97 from 157 votes

Author Holly Nilsson

Buttermilk Biscuits

Author Holly Nilsson

Servings 10 biscuits

These homemade buttermilk biscuits are buttery, flaky, and baked until golden with tender layers inside. They’re simple to make and perfect with butter, jam, or gravy.

Save Rate Print

Servings 10 biscuits

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, & salt.
Add the cold butter to the bowl and use two forks or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until the butter resembles large crumbs the size of a pea.
Gradually add the buttermilk and stir with a spoon just until moistened. (You may need about 2 tablespoons more or less of buttermilk).
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead a few times until the dough holds together.
Pat the dough into a square and fold it over on itself 5-6 times.
Pat the dough to 1-inch thick and cut using a sharp biscuit cutter, reshaping the scraps as needed.
Place the biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.

Video

Notes

Ensure butter is COLD. I place the butter in the freezer for a few minutes before starting.
Cut in the butter until you have coarse crumbs about the size of peas.
When cutting the biscuits, don’t twist the cutter. Just do one simple cut straight down. If twisted, this seals the edges and the biscuits won’t rise as well. The dough can also be pat into a rectangle and cut into squares.
Use a sharp biscuit cutter. A round glass will produce the same size, the blunt edge will cause the same issue as above.
Don’t overmix, the dough needs to just hold together and the butter needs to stay cold. Handling the dough too much will result in a tough biscuit. The heat from your hands will melt the butter.
Use a lightly floured surface so you don’t add too much additional flour to the dough.
Keep leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

4.97 from 157 votes

Nutrition Information

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American

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Recipe slightly adapted from Food.com