Buttermilk Biscuits
Flaky layers and a golden crust come from cold butter and a light touch.
Dietary
Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Nut free, Halal, Kosher
Allergens
Dairy, Wheat
These biscuits get their tender crumb and shattering layers from cold butter cut into flour and a few gentle folds of the dough. Buttermilk adds tang and helps activate the leavening for a good rise. Serve warm with butter and jam alongside breakfast, or use them as a base for sausage gravy.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- 1 cup buttermilk, cold
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
-
Scatter the cold cubed butter over the flour mixture and cut it in using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
-
Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir gently with a fork just until the dough comes together; it should look shaggy and slightly wet.
-
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rough rectangle about 1 inch thick.
-
Fold the dough over itself in thirds like a letter, then pat back into a rectangle; repeat this fold two more times to build flaky layers.
-
Pat or roll the dough to a 3/4-inch thickness and cut out biscuits with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, pressing straight down without twisting.
-
Arrange the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet so they touch at the edges, then gather scraps, pat together, and cut remaining biscuits.
-
Brush the tops with a little melted butter and bake until golden brown on top, 12 to 15 minutes.
-
Brush the warm biscuits with the remaining melted butter and let cool for 5 minutes on the sheet before serving.
Rate this recipe
Buttermilk Biscuits
These biscuits get their tender crumb and shattering layers from cold butter cut into flour and a few gentle folds of the dough. Buttermilk adds tang and helps activate the leavening for a good rise. Serve warm with butter and jam alongside breakfast, or use them as a base for sausage gravy.
40 min 12 biscuits 210 cal
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- 1 cup buttermilk, cold
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Method
- 1
Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
- 3
Scatter the cold cubed butter over the flour mixture and cut it in using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
- 4
Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir gently with a fork just until the dough comes together; it should look shaggy and slightly wet.
- 5
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rough rectangle about 1 inch thick.
- 6
Fold the dough over itself in thirds like a letter, then pat back into a rectangle; repeat this fold two more times to build flaky layers.
- 7
Pat or roll the dough to a 3/4-inch thickness and cut out biscuits with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, pressing straight down without twisting.
- 8
Arrange the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet so they touch at the edges, then gather scraps, pat together, and cut remaining biscuits.
- 9
Brush the tops with a little melted butter and bake until golden brown on top, 12 to 15 minutes.
- 10
Brush the warm biscuits with the remaining melted butter and let cool for 5 minutes on the sheet before serving.