Tender and Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
Making buttermilk biscuits from scratch is easy and so much better and store-bought. These biscuits are so tender, flaky, and buttery. You'll love them!
Servings: 9 biscuits
Calories: 297kcal
Equipment
- Pastry cutter
- Large mixing bowl
- Food processor (optional)
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen and cut into cubes see note
- 1 cup cold buttermilk see note
- Heavy cream for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour with sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Alternatively, you can pulse everything in a food processor.
- Add the COLD cubed butter (freeze the butter beforehand). Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into smaller pieces, incorporating it with the flour until you get pea-sized pieces. You may also need to use your fingers to work the butter into the flour. If using a food processor, pulse a few times until you get pea-sized pieces.
- Gradually add the buttermilk and incorporate using a rubber spatula until you get a shaggy and crumbly dough. If using a food processor, pulse a few times until a shaggy and crumbly dough forms. The pieces of butter should be visible in the dough.
- Transfer the shaggy dough onto a working surface. Bring everything together and press the dough to form a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold it over, from short end to short end, and press it down again to re-form a 1-inch thick rectangle. Tip: I like to transfer the dough to a large piece of parchment paper and use it to press the dough - it’s much easier, less messy, and helps keep the dough cold.
- Cut into 9 biscuits using a 3-inch round biscuit cutter. Note: Do not twist the biscuit cutter as you press it down, as this can seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising and forming flaky layers.
- Arrange biscuits in the prepared sheet pan, about 1 inch apart (biscuits tend to rise taller when you place them close together). Brush the tops with some heavy cream. Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 to 16 minutes, or until risen and golden brown. Enjoy!
Notes
- Butter: Freeze the butter overnight or for at least 30 minutes prior to using. This is important to make flaky biscuits.
- Buttermilk: Use full-fat buttermilk, and make sure it's cold (refrigerated).
- Freezing: You can freeze baked (let them cool down first) in freezer-friendly bags for 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and warm them up if desired. You can also freeze unbaked biscuit dough, and thaw in the fridge overnight prior to baking.
- When using the biscuit cutter, don't twist it down. This will seal the edges, preventing the biscuits from rising properly. If you don't have a biscuit cutter, you can cut them into squares using a knife.
- Place the biscuits close together (about 1 inch) in the sheet pan. This will help them rise taller.
- Try not to use a baking dish, and use a sheet pan or cast iron skillet instead. The tall edges of a baking pan will prevent proper heat flow for the biscuits to rise properly.
- Try my Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie recipe!
Nutrition
Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 491mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 472IU | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 2mg