These Buttermilk Biscuits are light, layered, and flexible. I love them hot from the oven, with or without a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey. Of course the biscuits are marvelous for sandwiches, too, and you can’t beat ’em for sopping up gravy.
My paternal grandmother, Nova Ethel Metzger-Jacobs, was a biscuit QUEEN. She turned out these quick breads the old-fashioned (and decidedly not very quick) way, by patiently rubbing butter and flour together with her fingertips. Buttermilk was added in small increments until the dough mixture seemed “just right.”
Yours truly did not inherit his grandmother’s patience for biscuit-making. I use a food processor to blend the butter and flour together in about 5 seconds. And I know the correct amount of buttermilk to use. No guessing for me.
Buttermilk Biscuits: Making the Dough
The following recipe yields about 10 tall biscuits. You can double the recipe to double your pleasure. Buttermilk biscuits freeze and reheat perfectly.
Pour 2 cups of flour into a sieve or sifter placed over a medium mixing bowl.
Add 2 tablespoons (yes, tablespoons!) baking powder…
1 teaspoon sugar…
And 1 teaspoon ordinary table salt.
Sift away!
Dump the sifted works into a food processor, and add 6 tablespoons of cold, diced butter.
Pulse the machine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Return the flour and butter mixture to the mixing bowl, and add 1 cup of buttermilk.
No buttermilk on hand? Make your own, just as I did for the biscuits here. Stir 1 teaspoon of white vinegar into 1 cup of whole milk. Let sit for 5 minutes before using.
Stir the flour and buttermilk with a fork until a shaggy dough develops — about 1 minute.
Forming and Baking the Biscuits
Scrape the dough onto a generously floured work surface. Flip the dough so that all sides are lightly coated with flour.
Use your hands to press the dough into a rough 1-inch-thick rectangle.
Fold the dough into thirds, as if you were folding a business letter. (Honk if you remember how to fold a business letter.) We’re making layers here!
Then flatten the dough, and form it, again, into a 1-inch-thick rectangle.
Repeat the folding-into-thirds step 1 more time.
Then shape the dough into a fairly neat 1-inch-thick rectangle, and press out biscuits with a floured, 2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter. Do not twist the cutter as you work. Twisting will muck up the walls of a biscuit, and interfere with its ability to rise.
As you work, knock each biscuit into the palm of your hand…
And place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather the remaining scraps of dough, and press out additional biscuits. These last ones won’t look pretty. But they will taste just fine.
Immediately pop the biscuits into a preheated 425°F oven until they’re puffed and lightly browned — about 15 minutes.
Then do what my grandmother always did, and immediately brush the hot biscuit tops with melted butter.
Because we folded the dough, our biscuits can be pulled apart in layers.
If you’re like me, you’ll put a pat of butter between two layers. And you’ll eat the biscuit while butter runs down your chin.
Well. I hope you’ll give these easy breads a try. And if you do try them, I hope you’ll post your review in the comments field below. Also, let me know if biscuits were a part of your childhood. My grandmother made them for every family meal. And I routinely ate waaay too many of them!
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Here’s the printable:
Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, diced
- 1 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Center the oven rack, and preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, and add the diced butter. Pulse the machine just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Return the mixture to the mixing bowl, add the buttermilk, and stir with a fork until a shaggy dough develops -- about 1 minute.
- Scrape the dough onto a generously floured surface. Flip the dough so that both sides are coated with flour. Then pat the dough into a rough, 1-inch-thick rectangle. Fold into thirds, as if you were folding a business letter (see illustration). Pat out and fold into thirds again. Then pat the dough into a fairly neat 1-inch-thick rectangle.
- Press out biscuits with a round, 2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter dipped in flour. Do not twist the cutting gadget; simply push it straight down into the dough, and then pull it out. Arrange the biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the biscuits puff and brown lightly -- about 15 minute. Enjoy hot or warm, with or without a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey. Freeze leftover biscuits.
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Sheila says
A beautiful tribute. I love biscuits, but can’t claim any proficiency- I might mess up Bisquick biscuits . But…I have sampled your recipes- I know they produce beautiful and delicious results…even for the unsure- haha ! I love your good humor combined with real care. Thanks for another great recipe to try!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Sheila – You are too kind! If you make the biscuits, please let me know how they turn out for you.
JoAnne says
A while ago, I saw a recipe say to freeze the butter, and then grate it into the dry ingredients. It makes nice course crumbs. Do you think that will work with y9ur recipe?
Maraya says
A while back, I saved a recipe of yours called American Buttermilk Biscuits. It appears to be a more typical recipe – teaspoons, not tablespoons, of baking powder, and some baking soda. I haven’t made either recipe yet. How do the results differ?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi JoAnne – Frozen, grated butter should work. Much easier, methinks, to use a food processor!
Hi Maraya – Both recipes are terrific. The recipe above produces lighter, taller biscuits, without the extra boost of baking soda.
Susan says
Hi Kevin, how much in advance can I make these biscuits and how to reheat please. Christmas Eve brunch my one oven is working overtime. Would love to be able to make these rally early in the morning and pop them in the warped oven just before we eat. Btw, your waffle recipe is a requested favorite on that day.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Susan – The biscuits can sit, covered with a towel, for 30 minutes before you bake them. Alternatively, you can make and bake a giant batch days or even weeks ahead of time. Let the biscuits come to room temperature, then freeze in zip-lock bags. Thaw and serve at room temperature, or brush with butter and reheat at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
Dori says
Can I add cheese and brush with garlic butter ?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Dori – I don’t know how cheese might affect the dough. But you can certainly brush the baked biscuits with garlic butter!
Lyn says
I plan on making your biscuits as a little gift for our daughter for Christmas. Every year I use a theme for shopping for the family. This year’s theme is “self care” – even for the guys. I know some of their favorite things and go with it. Our daughter loves apple butter so I have a large jar that we purchased at our local farm stand – these biscuits will hit the spot with the apple butter. What a nice treat for our daughter – Mom to two tiny little granddaughters. Simple pleasures are the best. Happy holidays!
Carla says
Saw this recipe for biscuits this morning……. jumped right up and made them. I loved the recipe and thought I’m going to try this……right now. I did. I surprised myself…… I usually don’t act that fast……They were wonderful… My husband, son and I loved them. They were easy to make. Followed your wonderful instructions and ended with delicious biscuits. Thank you.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Lyn – “Self-care” gift-giving theme. Love it!
Hi Carla – Kudos to you for making the biscuits. So happy the recipe worked out for you!
cleo jordan says
I have been making cheese scones for years and the recipe is exactly the same as ‘biscuits’ just an American version! a good cup or two of hard grated cheese is nice plus a shake a cayenne for good luck. Thank you Kevin for another great recipe.
shirley welch says
Thank you for another wonderful recipe ~
Rosemary says
Oh Kevin ……
True to my word of this morning, I made these biscuits to enjoy with this evenings chili-spiced tomato soup. They were the best I have ever eaten and I can finally retire my baked hockey puck recipe.
Folding the dough makes them flakey and very tender, just as you said it would. Like your Grandmother, I worked the butter into the flour mixture with my fingertips. Every biscuit came out of the oven lightly golden and ready to be brushed with melted butter.
To say we enjoyed these doesn’t really describe the pleasure they gave. In the end, the only question was ‘when can we have them again’. . That will be at breakfast with freezer strawberry jam.
Thank you ever so much ! I will tape a copy of this recipe to the kitchen cupboard door
Sheila says
Made the biscuits with the food processor- couldn’t have been easier. They have a beautiful, light texture and buttery flavor . I also made the carrot ginger orange soup (which I have made before -from your recipe). Now that was a fantastic
dinner! Thanks
Willabella says
These biscuits turned out as promised, light, lofty and delicious. I’ve been making biscuits for years, but this is now my go-to recipe for white-flour biscuits. So thanks for sharing!
Just wanted to add that if using a food processor, you can save the sifting step, as the recipe calls for the flour to be measured before sifting. Just a few pulses to blend/sift the dry ingredients together before adding the butter will do the trick. I sometimes don’t feel like dragging my Cuisinart out of the cupboard (and washing the fiddly bits afterward), and just use a pastry cutter instead, so in that case I do sift the flour before cutting in the butter. Either way, this quick and easy recipe is a winner.
Lori says
I’ll be trying your biscuit recipe this week. My biscuits are usually laughed at, so I cheat and buy store bought ones. This should go perfectly with moms stew recipe, a piece of my childhood. She came up for a visit and she painstakingly made that day long recipe to top it off with store made biscuits. That same stew is on the agenda for this week. It will go perfectly with the bone chilling cold we are going to experience the next few days.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Willabella – So happy the biscuits worked out for you. Thanks for the 5 star review! And you are correct — the food processor can manage the sifting step.
Hi Lori – Stew weather here, too. Let me know how the biscuits turn out for you!
Gail says
Oh Kevin! These look so awesome! Wish I could eat one right now, but I’m gluten free now. Sad to say, our family went from homemade hockey pucks to Pillsbury. Homemade is alway the best in my book. Wondering if you experimented with gluten free flours, so Mr. Fox could enjoy this deliciousness. Your expertise would be greatly appreciated here. Love your blog! Have learned so much from you! Thanks!
Anne says
I’ve always loved my own recipe, but this looks even more luscious! Thank you, Kevin! When you reheat at 350 as described above, do you wrap the biscuits in foil, or just set them on a cookie sheet?
Thanks,
Anne
Marie Morgan-Roth says
As always another wonderful recipe Kevin! For me I grated the cold butter on the large holes of a box grater, and only because I don’t use my processor very often 🙂
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Anne – To stop the biscuits from drying out in the oven, wrap them in foil. The biscuits reheat quite well in microwave, too, if enclosed in a slightly damp towel.
Hi Marie – So happy you enjoyed the biscuits. Thanks for the 5 stars!
Lois says
Hi Kevin,
I am so glad I took a break from a too-hectic Sunday and watched your video about making buttermilk biscuits, along with the memories of your grandmother. It caused me to fondly think of my childhood and my own “culinary memories”. My grandmother, whose parents at one time owned a tea room and a restaurant, lived with my family and knew how to cook. I don’t remember biscuits but I certainly remember the meat pies she’d make from the leftovers of roasted meat (lamb was the best), and her potato soup. None of us have succeeded in replicating the latter but we keep trying! Thanks…your video was JUST what I needed today!
Jean Hughes says
Your buttermilk biscuits are called scones in the U.K. and are usually served with clotted cream and strawberry or raspberry jam. Absolutely delicious!
Adriana Nowacki says
Tried your recipe last night to serve with homemade chicken soup….the bicuits were delicious, light and fluffy. The recipe is a “keeper”. Thanks for sharing your Grandma’s recipe, and also for all your videos. So informative and fun to watch!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Adriana – So happy you enjoyed the biscuits.
Kathy Sandel says
You have missed the best thing about buttermilk biscuits! The next morning take a cold biscuit, put it on a bread board and with a serrated bread knife carefully slice it on its side into thirds. Lay each layer out on the sheet of a toaster oven (not a regular toaster) and toast each side, then butter them. They will be crunchy and perfect with eggs of any kind. I dream of these….
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Kathy – Sounds scrumptious!
Mary P. says
My mother made these almost every Sunday and we had baked chicken with them.
Our favorite meal. I am glad for the recipe as hers is long gone.
Merry Christmas and I love your website.
Mary
Lori says
Kevin, these were a life saver! My dinner rolls were slow to rise, so I warmed the buttermilk biscuits for 45 secs in the microwave that I made to go on top of my stew a few days ago and had extras. Everyone was bummed they didn’t get seconds. Awesome texture and flavor even when a few days old. Thank you so much !
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Mary says
Saw your recipe today and made the biscuits tonight! They are the tastiest and easiest biscuits I have ever made! Light and fluffy! Tossing all my other recipes and using this one from now on. I didn’t use a biscuit cutter. I just cut the dough in squares. They taste just as good and no waste. Thanks Kevin ❤️
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Lori – So glad these biscuits came to your rescue!
Hi Mary – Great idea to cut the biscuit dough into squares. Thanks for the 5-star review!
Sandra Payette says
Loved these bickies, Kevin. They are so good. Thanks for sharing the recipe. xo
Patricia Mersman says
I’m eager to make the tomato pie today, but forgot to buy packaged biscuits. Hope this recipe will work. I may cut it in half, as I’m a one-person household with a smaller pie dish ready to go.
RosemaryS says
Hi Kevin,
Oh these biscuits !!!!!! I am making them again today as a neighbour will be popping in for tea this afternoon. This will be at least the 50th time I’ve made them and I can’t get to trying other biscuit or scone recipes because I adore and only have eyes for these. It’s the folding technique that adds volume and a delightful bite to them.
A couple of weeks ago, I made them for a friend’s ‘recovering from Covid’ Mom. As I was readying a plate for her, she said that she couldn’t be bothered to bake anymore. By the time she was on her third bite she said ‘you have to give me your recipe’. I printed it for her and made sure your web address and lovely smiling face was on the page. Last week she made them as well as the superb Chicken Francese recipe you gifted us. Recovery is a wonderful thing and oh yes, she’s done with Covid too. Taking the time to ‘bother’ can in many ways, indeed influence our health.
To your continued Good Health Doctor Kevin,
Thanks