Easy Homemade Biscuits Recipe

Introduction

These easy homemade biscuits are tender, flaky, and perfect for breakfast or any time you want a comforting baked treat. Made with simple ingredients and a straightforward method, they come together quickly and taste wonderful fresh from the oven.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter (very well chilled)
• ¾ cup cold full-fat buttermilk (or more, as needed)
• Melted butter (for brushing)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Place the unsalted butter in the freezer for 30 minutes to chill thoroughly.
2. Step 2: Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until well combined.
4. Step 4: Using a box grater, shred the chilled butter over the flour mixture, then stir to coat. Break up the butter with your hands or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
5. Step 5: Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir gently with a wooden spoon until just combined, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl. Avoid overworking the dough.
6. Step 6: Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface and gently bring it together with your hands. If it feels too sticky, add a little flour; if too dry, add a small splash of buttermilk.
7. Step 7: Fold the dough in half and gently flatten the layers together. Rotate it 90 degrees and fold again. Repeat this folding process five more times, being careful not to overwork the dough.
8. Step 8: Flatten the dough with your hands to about 1-inch thickness. Lightly flour a 2¾-inch round biscuit cutter.
9. Step 9: Press the cutter straight down into the dough to cut out biscuits, and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Work gently to re-form the dough and cut out at least six biscuits.
10. Step 10: Bake biscuits for about 12 minutes or until the tops are just beginning to turn lightly golden brown.
11. Step 11: Brush the hot biscuits with melted butter right out of the oven. Serve warm and enjoy.

Tips & Variations

• For extra flaky biscuits, keep the butter as cold as possible before grating and mixing.
• Substitute buttermilk with regular milk mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar, left to sit for 5 minutes.
• Try adding fresh herbs like chives or rosemary to the dry ingredients for a savory twist.
• Use a sharp biscuit cutter to ensure clean edges, which helps biscuits rise evenly.

Storage

Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To keep longer, freeze wrapped tightly for up to 1 month. Reheat by warming in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes or in a toaster oven until heated through.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use frozen butter instead of chilling it fresh?

Yes, using very well chilled or frozen butter helps create flaky layers, but be sure to grate it directly from the freezer and work quickly to prevent melting.

What if my dough is too sticky or too dry?

If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle on a little more flour while gently handling it. If it’s too dry and crumbly, add a small amount of cold buttermilk, a tablespoon at a time, until it comes together.

Easy Homemade Biscuits Recipe

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5 from 111 reviews

These easy homemade biscuits are tender, flaky, and buttery, perfect for breakfast or as a side to any meal. Made with simple pantry ingredients and chilled butter, they come together quickly using a hands-on folding technique to ensure light, fluffy layers without a rolling pin.

• Author: Sana
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 27 minutes
• Yield: 6 biscuits 1x
• Category: Breakfast, Snack
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp coarse salt

Wet Ingredients

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter (very well chilled)
• ¾ cup cold full-fat buttermilk (or more, as needed)
• Melted butter (for brushing)

Instructions

1. Freeze Butter: Place the unsalted butter in the freezer for 30 minutes to ensure it becomes very cold and firm; this helps create flaky biscuit layers.
2. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and coarse salt until well combined to evenly distribute the leavening and flavorings.
4. Grate Butter: Using a box grater, shred the chilled butter directly over the flour mixture. Stir briefly to coat the butter in flour, then cut it in with your hands or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter.
5. Add Buttermilk: Pour the cold buttermilk into the flour and butter mixture, stirring gently with a wooden spoon until just combined. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate all ingredients without overworking the dough.
6. Work Dough: Transfer the dough onto a well-floured surface. Gently work the dough just enough to bring it together, adding more flour if sticky or a splash of buttermilk if too dry, maintaining a tender texture.
7. Fold Dough: Fold the dough in half over itself, gently pressing the layers together with your hands. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and fold again. Repeat this folding process about 6 times to develop flaky layers while avoiding over-mixing.
8. Flatten Dough: Use your hands to flatten the dough to about 1 inch thick. Avoid using a rolling pin to keep the flakes intact. Lightly dust a 2 & 3/4-inch round biscuit cutter with flour.
9. Cut Biscuits: Press the biscuit cutter straight down into the dough to cut out biscuits, placing each biscuit onto the prepared baking sheet. Cut biscuits as closely as possible to reduce dough waste, gently reworking scraps to cut at least 6 biscuits total.
10. Bake Biscuits: Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until the tops just begin to turn a light golden brown, indicating they are cooked through and flaky.
11. Brush with Butter: Remove the biscuits from the oven and immediately brush the tops with melted butter for extra richness and a glossy finish. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

• Chilling the butter is crucial as it creates pockets of steam while baking, resulting in flaky layers.
• Do not overwork the dough to avoid tough biscuits. Gentle folding and minimal mixing preserve tenderness.
• If biscuit dough is too sticky, dust with a bit more flour; if too dry, add a splash more buttermilk.
• Using a biscuit cutter dipped in flour prevents sticking and helps maintain biscuit shape.
• For buttermilk substitute, you can mix ¾ cup milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Serve these biscuits warm with butter, honey, or your favorite jam.

Keywords: homemade biscuits, flaky biscuits, easy biscuit recipe, buttermilk biscuits, quick breakfast biscuits