Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
Fluffy, buttery, and loaded with flaky layers, these homemade buttermilk biscuits come together in just 30 minutes. Six simple ingredients are all you need to make perfect biscuits from scratch.
Servings: 12 biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes
- 1 cup cold buttermilk cold
Instructions
- Cut the butter into small cubes and place in the freezer. Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the cold butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter in until the pieces are no larger than a pea.
- Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the buttermilk. Stir gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. The dough will look shaggy. Do not overmix.
- Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Fold the dough in half, press down gently, and turn 90 degrees. Repeat the fold 3-4 times total.
- Press the dough out to ¾-inch thick with your hands. Cut out biscuits with a floured cutter, pressing straight down without twisting.
- Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet with edges touching. Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden brown on top. Serve warm.
Notes
- Cold butter is key. Freeze the cubed butter for 15–20 minutes before starting. Grating frozen butter into the flour with a box grater is an easy shortcut.
- Don't overwork the dough. Stir just until the flour is incorporated. A shaggy, rough dough is correct.
- Check your baking powder. Test freshness by adding a teaspoon to hot water. It should bubble right away.
- Press, don't twist. When cutting biscuits, press the cutter straight down and lift straight up. Twisting seals the edges and prevents a full rise.
- For a deeper flavor, reduce sugar to 1 tablespoon if serving these alongside soup or a savory dinner.
- To freeze unbaked biscuits: Cut and freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen at 450°F, adding 3–5 minutes to the bake time.
- Storage: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze baked biscuits for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 225mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 269IU | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg
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