Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Flaky, golden, and irresistibly tender, buttermilk biscuits are the perfect comfort food for breakfast, brunch, or as a side for hearty dinners.
Ready in just 35 minutes, these homemade biscuits layer buttery richness with a kiss of honey and a crisp, golden crust.
Star Ingredients in These Buttermilk Biscuits
- All-purpose flour – Forms the structure, creating the ideal balance of fluff and density for tall, tender biscuits.
- Baking powder – Aluminum-free and mighty, it gives the biscuits their essential rise and layered lift.
- Salt – Sharpens the flavors and balances the sweetness from the honey topping.
- Honey – Adds subtle sweetness and enhances browning for a beautifully golden finish.
- Cold butter – The magic behind flaky layers; it melts in the oven, creating steam and texture.
- Cold buttermilk – The key to a tender crumb and signature tangy flavor, binding everything together beautifully.
How to Make Buttermilk Biscuits: A Quick Look
Start by blending dry ingredients before cutting in cold butter until you have coarse crumbs. Stir in cold buttermilk and honey, then gently bring the dough together.
Use a folding technique to create buttery layers, cut out biscuits, and place them close together in a skillet or on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, then brush with a honey-butter glaze for extra flavor and shine.
Biscuit Brilliance: Tips and Tweaks
Keep all your ingredients, especially the butter and buttermilk, as cold as possible. This prevents the fat from melting before baking, which is crucial for flakiness. Avoid overmixing or kneading the dough too much—gentle handling is key for soft, airy biscuits.
For variations, you can fold in shredded cheddar and chives for a savory twist, or brush with maple butter for a sweeter finish. Swapping honey for sugar works in a pinch, but honey adds a rich complexity that’s hard to beat.
Use a sharp biscuit cutter and press straight down—don’t twist—so the edges don’t seal shut. This ensures maximum rise. And remember, crowding the biscuits in the pan actually helps them rise higher!
Storing Your Buttermilk Beauties
Once baked, these biscuits will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Refrigerating helps retain moisture better than leaving them at room temperature.
For freezing, shape and freeze the raw biscuits on a baking sheet until solid, then store in a freezer bag. When ready to bake, let them thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as directed—no need to let them come fully to room temperature. Reheat leftovers in a toaster oven for the perfect crisp-and-soft combo.
Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons aluminum-free baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted or salted butter very cold (1 stick)
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons cold buttermilk
Topping
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add cubed cold butter and cut it in using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Form a well in the center, pour in the buttermilk and honey, and gently stir with a silicone spatula until loosely combined—the dough should remain crumbly.
- Turn the mixture onto a floured surface and pat into a 9-inch rectangle. Fold the left third over the center, then fold the right third over the top. Rotate the dough horizontally, press into a rectangle, and repeat this folding process two more times to build layers.
- Shape the dough into a 10-by-7-inch slab approximately 1 inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cutter, press out 6 biscuits without twisting. Lightly flour the cutter between uses and chill cut biscuits to keep them cool. Gather the remaining dough, re-roll, and cut 2 additional biscuits to yield a total of 8.
- Butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet and arrange the biscuits inside with sides almost touching for optimal rise. Alternatively, place them close together on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden on top.
- Melt the topping butter and mix with honey, then brush over the warm biscuits. For deeper browning, optionally bake for 5 additional minutes at 450°F.
