Description
These Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits are tender, buttery, and layered to perfection. Made with simple ingredients like all-purpose flour, cold butter, and buttermilk, they are quick to prepare and bake into golden, flaky biscuits that are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or any time you crave a comforting homemade bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed (or salted butter, omit salt)
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup buttermilk (for brushing)
- 1 Tbsp honey or sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to get it ready for baking the biscuits.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt to ensure even distribution of the leavening agent and seasoning.
- Cut in Butter: Using a pastry cutter or fork, work the cold, cubed butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter bits remaining. This creates the flaky texture.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Whisk honey or sugar into 3/4 cup buttermilk, then drizzle half of this buttermilk into the flour and butter mixture. Gently mix until absorbed. Repeat with the remaining half, mixing until just combined.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it 3-4 times, just until it comes together. If too sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Shape and Fold: Flatten dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold the left side over to the center, then fold the right side over the top. Rotate dough 90 degrees and repeat folding two more times to build layers.
- Cut Biscuits: Flatten dough back to about 1 inch thick. Using a 2-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits. Re-shape scraps gently and cut out remaining biscuits.
- Prepare for Baking: Arrange biscuits in a greased cast iron skillet (for soft sides) or spaced apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (for crispier edges).
- Brush with Buttermilk: Brush the tops of the biscuits with the reserved 1/4 cup buttermilk to encourage browning.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until biscuits have risen and are golden brown on top. Serve warm.
Notes
- Using cold butter is crucial for flaky biscuits.
- Honey or sugar is optional but adds a slight sweetness and aids in browning.
- If dough is too sticky, add small amounts of flour to make it workable.
- Folding dough multiple times creates the classic flaky layers.
- Cast iron skillet baking yields soft sides, whereas baking sheet yields crisper edges.
- Biscuits are best served fresh but can be reheated gently.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: buttermilk biscuits, flaky biscuits, homemade biscuits, breakfast biscuits, easy biscuit recipe
