Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
These homemade buttermilk biscuits are tall, flaky, and buttery with a crisp golden outside and a soft, layered crumb. Grated frozen butter and a simple folding technique give them bakery-style layers while cold buttermilk keeps them rich and tender with that classic Southern tang. Ready in about 45 minutes and under 50 cents each, they work just as well next to sausage gravy at breakfast as they do alongside a bowl of chili at dinner.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 2 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup very cold unsalted butter 1 stick
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
- 2 tbsp heavy cream optional for richness
- melted butter for brushing tops
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ (218 ℃). Grease a cast-iron skillet or line a baking sheet.
- Place the butter in the freezer for 15-20 min if it's not already super cold.
- Measure the flour using the scoop-and-level method. (see note) Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, and kosher salt together.
- Use a box grater to grate the butter into the flour mixture and gently toss with your hands or a fork until the butter is coated.
- Create a well in the flour mixture and add the buttermilk and the optional heavy cream. Stir gently just until the dough starts to come together. The dough should look shaggy and slightly messy. DO NOT overmix.
- To create layers, turn the dough onto a floured surface and use your hands to press the dough into a rectangle.
- Fold the dough in thirds. This is done by folding one side of the dough to the middle, and bringing the other side over that. Similar to folding a letter.
- Rotate the dough 90°, gently press the rectangle out with your hands until thin enough to fold, and repeat the folding process. Repeat the folding a total of 3- 4 times. The dough should feel smooth.
- For cutting, press the dough until it's 1- ½ inches thick. Cut the dough with a 3 inch biscuit cutter dusted with flour. Press straight down, do not twist. (You can also use a 2 ½ inch biscuit cutter instead)
- Freeze shaped biscuits for 10-15 minutes before baking.
- Arrange the biscuits in the greased cast iron pan or on a baking sheet. Place them close together but not touching. If you prefer a softer edge, have the biscuits touching.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes at 425℉ (218 ℃) until the tops start to brown. Brush the tops with butter and serve warm.
Notes
HOW TO MEASURE FLOUR CORRECTLY
The way you measure flour makes a bigger difference than most people realize. Scooping the measuring cup directly into the flour bag packs the flour down and can add anywhere from two to four tablespoons of extra flour per cup without you realizing it. Over the course of a recipe that uses two and a half cups, that adds up fast and can be the difference between a tender biscuit and a dense one.
The correct method is simple. Use a spoon to scoop the flour into your measuring cup until it's heaped over the top, then run the flat back of a knife or a straight edge across the top to level it off. You're not packing it in or tapping the cup to settle it — just spoon, heap, and level. That's it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1biscuitCalories: 282kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 328mgPotassium: 392mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 460IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 176mgIron: 2mg
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