Name: Flaky Butter Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe (Classic Southern Style)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups All-Purpose Flour, spooned and leveled; 1 tablespoon Baking Powder; ½ teaspoon Baking Soda; 1 teaspoon Salt; 6 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed; ¾ cup Buttermilk, cold

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What is it about a warm, flaky biscuit that feels like a comforting hug? Maybe it’s the golden-brown top, the buttery layers that pull apart effortlessly, or the way it perfectly soaks up gravy or melted butter. Biscuits are a staple of Southern cooking, yet many home bakers feel intimidated by them, fearing they’ll turn out dense or dry.

Contents

Ingredients
Timing
Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and Whisk Dry Ingredients
Step 2: Cut in the Cold Butter
Step 3: Add Buttermilk and Mix
Step 4: Fold for Layers
Step 5: Cut and Bake

Nutritional Information
Healthier Alternatives
Serving Suggestions
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Storing Tips
Conclusion
FAQs

Q1: I don’t have buttermilk. What can I use?
Q2: Can I use salted butter?
Q3: Why didn’t my biscuits rise?
Q4: Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Flaky Butter Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe (Classic Southern Style)

Description
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?

The secret to Butter Buttermilk Biscuits that are tall, tender, and full of flaky layers lies in a few simple techniques: keeping your ingredients cold and handling the dough gently. This recipe demystifies the process, guiding you to bakery-quality biscuits in just 30 minutes. Whether you’re serving them with breakfast, alongside a hearty stew, or simply slathered with jam, these buttermilk biscuits are sure to become a requested favorite in your home.

Ingredients

This recipe uses simple pantry staples to create magic. Using cold ingredients is the absolute key to success!

Ingredient	Amount/Quantity	Notes
All-Purpose Flour	2 cups	Spooned and leveled
Baking Powder	1 tablespoon	Provides the lift
Baking Soda	½ teaspoon	Reacts with buttermilk for fluffiness
Salt	1 teaspoon
Unsalted Butter	6 tablespoons	Cold and cubed is essential!
Buttermilk	¾ cup	Cold; adds tang and tenderness

Timing

These biscuits are quick to assemble, making them perfect for a weekend morning or a last-minute dinner side.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 12-15 minutes
Total Time: Approximately 30 minutes

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps carefully to create tall, flaky layers. Remember: Cold butter + gentle hands = perfect biscuits!

Step 1: Preheat and Whisk Dry Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.

Actionable Tip: Whisking aerates the flour, which helps create a lighter biscuit.

Step 2: Cut in the Cold Butter

Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You want to see some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.

Actionable Tip: Do not overwork the butter! Those small chunks of cold butter will melt in the oven and create steam pockets, which are responsible for the flaky layers. If the butter melts before baking, you’ll lose the layers.

Step 3: Add Buttermilk and Mix

Pour the cold buttermilk into the bowl. Stir gently with a fork or spatula just until the dough comes together. It should look shaggy and a bit messy.

Actionable Tip: Stop stirring as soon as the flour is moistened. Overmixing develops gluten, which leads to tough, hockey-puck biscuits.

Step 4: Fold for Layers

Turn the shaggy dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it together. Now, fold the dough over onto itself, turn it 90 degrees, and pat it down again. Repeat this folding process 4-5 times.

Actionable Tip: This folding technique (similar to making puff pastry) physically creates the layers in your biscuits. Be gentle; don’t knead it like bread dough.

Step 5: Cut and Bake

Gently pat or roll the dough out to about 1-inch thickness. Using a biscuit cutter dipped in flour, press straight down into the dough to cut your biscuits. Do not twist the cutter! Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, with their sides just touching. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

Actionable Tip: Twisting the cutter seals the edges of the dough, preventing the biscuit from rising fully. Pressing straight down ensures a tall rise. Placing them close together also helps them climb higher.

Nutritional Information

Nutritional information is an estimate per biscuit (assuming 8 biscuits) and can vary based on specific ingredients used.

Calories: Approx. 200 kcal
Protein: 4 g
Carbohydrates: 25 g
Fat: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Sodium: 400 mg

Healthier Alternatives

While biscuits are a treat, you can make some adjustments:

Whole Wheat: Substitute up to half of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour for added fiber. The texture will be slightly denser.
Greek Yogurt: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can mix plain Greek yogurt with a little milk to thin it out. This adds a bit of protein.
Reduce Sodium: Reduce the added salt to ½ teaspoon if you are watching your sodium intake.

Serving Suggestions

These Butter Buttermilk Biscuits are incredibly versatile.

Classic Breakfast: Split open while hot and top with butter and honey, or smother in sausage gravy for a hearty meal.
Sandwiches: Use them as the base for egg and cheese sandwiches or ham biscuits.
Dinner Side: Serve warm alongside fried chicken, stew, chili, or soup.
Shortcake: Top with macerated strawberries and whipped cream for a quick dessert.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

For the best biscuits, steer clear of these pitfalls:

Warm Butter: If your butter gets warm, the layers won’t form. Solution: Keep butter in the fridge until the very last second. If the dough gets warm, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking.
Overmixing: This makes biscuits tough. Solution: Mix gently and stop as soon as the dough comes together.
Twisting the Cutter: Seals the edges. Solution: Press straight down and lift straight up.
Rolling Too Thin: Results in flat biscuits. Solution: Keep the dough thick—at least 1 inch—before cutting.

Storing Tips

Biscuits are best fresh, but leftovers can be saved.

Room Temperature: Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Freezing: Biscuits freeze beautifully! Wrap cooled biscuits tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat: To restore freshness, warm biscuits in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes (or a few minutes longer if frozen).

Conclusion

Mastering homemade Butter Buttermilk Biscuits is a kitchen skill that will reward you forever. With this simple recipe and the secret of keeping things cold, you can skip the refrigerated can and bake tall, flaky, buttery biscuits from scratch in just 30 minutes. They are the ultimate comfort food that brings a touch of warmth to any meal.

Ready to bake the best biscuits of your life? Give this recipe a try and let us know how high they rose in the comments below! We love seeing your baking successes. Don’t forget to rate the recipe and subscribe for more classic comfort food recipes!

FAQs

Q1: I don’t have buttermilk. What can I use?

You can make a simple substitute! Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup, then fill it to the ¾ cup line with regular milk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it curdles slightly.

Q2: Can I use salted butter?

Yes, you can. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt in the recipe to ½ teaspoon to prevent the biscuits from being too salty.

Q3: Why didn’t my biscuits rise?

The most common reasons are expired baking powder/soda, overworking the dough (killing the layers), or rolling the dough too thin. Ensure your leavening agents are fresh and handle the dough as little as possible.

Q4: Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes! You can cut the biscuits and place them on the baking sheet, then freeze them raw. Once frozen solid, transfer to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.