There are few things better than a really good homemade biscuit, especially when it's still warm enough to melt the butter you slather on top. These flaky buttermilk biscuits are soft and buttery with plenty of flaky layers, and they're just as good with a little butter and jam as they are covered in sausage gravy.
My Grandpa Sonny (aka Pop) was the king of breakfast. Born in Noble, Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl, he made the kind of hearty, filling breakfasts that would keep you full for most of the day.
Whenever we spent the night at his house or stayed with him at the lake, Pop would be up at 6 a.m. (and therefore everyone else was up at 6 a.m.), but it was hard to be too mad when you woke up to the smell of fresh coffee and waffles, or biscuits and gravy with eggs. To this day, whenever I make homemade biscuits, or really any kind of Southern breakfast, I think of him.
These buttermilk biscuits are my version of that Southern classic. They're made from scratch with cold butter and buttermilk, then folded a few times to create those flaky layers and baked in a hot cast iron skillet until they're tall and golden. Brush the tops with melted butter and a little flaky sea salt while they're still warm and they are SO good. Hope you enjoy!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- All-purpose flour: Regular all-purpose flour works best for these homemade biscuits. Be careful not to pack the flour into the measuring cup, as too much flour can make the biscuits dry and dense.
- Baking powder: This does most of the work to give the biscuits their tall, fluffy texture. Make sure your baking powder is fresh for the best rise.
- Baking soda: Because buttermilk is acidic, a small amount of baking soda reacts with it to help the biscuits rise and brown. Don't leave this out!
- Salt: I use regular fine salt in the biscuit dough. You can also sprinkle a little flaky sea salt over the tops after baking.
- Unsalted butter: I like to freeze the butter before making biscuits and then grate it directly into the flour. Starting with frozen butter makes it easy to distribute little pieces throughout the dough while keeping the butter as cold as possible, which helps create those tall, flaky layers as the biscuits bake. If you don't want to grate the butter, you can cut very cold butter into small cubes and work it into the flour with your fingers or a pastry cutter. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt slightly.
- Buttermilk: Full-fat buttermilk is my preference. If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup and adding enough milk to make 1 cup. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before using.
- Sugar: Just a tablespoon of sugar adds a little flavor and helps with browning without making these biscuits sweet. If you prefer a completely savory Southern biscuit, you can leave it out.
Equipment
For this biscuit recipe I highly recommend that you cook them in a pre-heated Cast Iron Skillet. (I got this 11.75 inch cast iron skillet from Le Creuset as a wedding gift and it's my go-to for these biscuits.)
You will also needs mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, a rolling pin and a grater for the butter. I also recommend a biscuit cutter, but you can use a round glass if that's all you have on hand.
Step-by-Step Photos
Recipe FAQs
The key to flaky biscuits is keeping the butter cold and not overworking the dough. I freeze my butter and grate it directly into the flour so there are small pieces of cold butter throughout. Folding the dough a few times helps create those distinct layers, but three folds is plenty.
When cutting out the biscuits, press the biscuit cutter straight down and lift it straight back up. Twisting can seal the edges together and keep those layers from separating and rising properly.
No. I love baking these biscuits in a preheated cast iron skillet because it gets nice and hot and gives the biscuits beautifully golden bottoms, but you can also bake them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
If you don't have buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup and then add enough milk to reach 1 cup. Stir and let it sit for about 5 minutes before adding it to the biscuit dough.
Yes. You can cut out the biscuits, place them on a baking sheet and refrigerate them until you're ready to bake. This also keeps the butter nice and cold. For longer storage, freeze the unbaked biscuits and transfer them to a freezer-safe container once they're solid.
For the best texture, reheat leftover biscuits in a 350°F oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also microwave an individual biscuit for a few seconds, although the outside won't stay quite as crisp.
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Made these homemade buttermilk biscuits? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
Equipment
- cast iron skillet
- mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Grater
- Rolling Pin
- biscuit cutter
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoon unsalted butter, frozen (or VERY cold)
- 1 cup buttermilk, plus additional for brushing over the top
- 1 tablespoon melted butter, for brushing optional
- flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a cast iron skillet in the oven to warm while it preheats.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.
- Using a vegetable grater, grate the frozen butter directly into the flour mixture. Gently toss the grated butter with the flour until evenly distributed. You want the butter to stay as cold as possible, so don't overwork it with your hands.*Alternatively, you can cut very cold butter into small cubes and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work it into the flour until the butter is in small, pea-sized pieces.*
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Using a fork or spatula, gently mix until the dough just begins to come together. The dough will still look a little shaggy; do not overmix.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it flat. Fold the dough over itself and gently press it flat again. Repeat until you have folded the dough 3 times total.
- Use a rolling pin to gently roll the dough to about 1½ inches thick. Using a biscuit cutter, cut out 8 biscuits. Press the cutter straight down and pull it straight back up, do NOT twist the cutter as this will close up the edges and prevent it from rising properly.
- Carefully remove the hot cast iron skillet from the oven and arrange the biscuits in the skillet. Brush the tops lightly with buttermilk.Bake at 425°F for 15-17 minutes, until the biscuits have risen and the tops are golden brown.
- Remove the biscuits from the oven and immediately brush the tops with melted butter. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired, and serve warm. Enjoy!
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