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Buttermilk Biscuits

Buttermilk Biscuits

Bake flaky, golden Buttermilk Biscuits for warm breakfasts or brunch—easy, forgiving, and full of buttery layers.

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time16 minutes
Total Time31 minutes
Yield6

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and ready the pan

Preheat the oven to 450°F and prepare your chosen baking vessel — a shallow ceramic pie dish or an 8x8-inch square pan lightly greased. Spray the pan or rub a thin layer of fat so the biscuits will release cleanly; set the prepared pan to the side on the painted pine surface, ready for the formed biscuits.

Step 2: Grate and chill the butter

Using the fine edge of a grater, grate the cold stick of salted butter onto a piece of parchment so the shavings stay loose and feathery. Slide that parchment with the grated butter into the freezer immediately so the butter stays icy-cold and flaky when you cut it into the flour.

Step 3: Whisk the dry mix

In a large bowl combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk them together until evenly distributed and aerated — the dry mix should look soft, pale, and powdery with no visible clumps.

Step 4: Work the butter into the dry mixture

Retrieve the frozen grated butter and sprinkle it over the dry mix. Using a fork (or a sturdy pastry tool), quickly cut and press the frozen butter into the flour until you see tiny pale butter flakes coated in flour — a coarse, sandy texture dotted with cold butter pieces that will create steam layers when baked.

Step 5: Add buttermilk and bring to shaggy dough

Pour in the buttermilk and stir gently until the mixture comes together into a mostly combined, shaggy dough — still a little lumpy and tacky with visible butter specks. Be careful not to overwork it; you want distinct pockets of cold butter trapped in the dough.

Step 6: Turn out and gather the dough

Tip the shaggy mass onto the painted pine surface and use your hands to gather loose bits and press them into one cohesive lump. The surface may be lightly floured to prevent sticking; work quickly so the butter remains cool and the dough keeps its irregular, flaky texture.

Step 7: Press and fold to build layers

Press the dough into a flat square about 1½ inches thick, then fold the square over itself and press flat again. Repeat this fold-and-press sequence two or three times to create subtle layers; the dough should feel cool, slightly tacky, and show faint lamination from the folds.

Step 8: Cut biscuits and arrange in the pan

Use a biscuit cutter, round cookie cutter, or a tall glass to stamp out rounds, pressing straight down without twisting so the edges remain neat. Place each biscuit touching in the prepared pie dish (or pan) — you should be able to get four, then re-form the scraps and cut two more, keeping them snug to encourage lift.

Step 9: Bake until golden and finish with butter

Bake at 450°F for 12–16 minutes until the tops are deep golden with no wet spots between biscuits. Remove from the oven, brush the hot tops with melted butter for a glossy sheen, and serve immediately for the flakiest texture and warm, buttery aroma.

Notes