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Buttermilk Biscuits · Classic

Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

Tall, golden biscuits with layers you can peel apart. Grated frozen butter and a few quick folds do the work, and they're on the table in about 30 minutes.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
14 min
Total
30 min
Serves
8 · 8 biscuits
Level
Medium

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • ⅜ cup unsalted butter, frozen
  • ⅞ cup cold buttermilk, 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons, plus more if needed
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, for brushing

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a large bowl.
  3. Grate the frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater straight into the flour. Toss with your fingers so every shred is coated.
  4. Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. If dry flour remains at the bottom, add buttermilk a teaspoon at a time.
  5. Turn the dough onto a floured counter and pat it into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. Fold it in thirds like a letter, turn it a quarter turn and pat it out again. Repeat the fold two more times for layers.
  6. Pat the dough to 1 inch thick. Cut straight down with a floured 2 1/2-inch round cutter without twisting (twisting seals the edges). Press the scraps together once to cut more.
  7. Set the biscuits on the pan so their sides just touch, which helps them rise tall. Brush the tops with melted butter.
  8. Bake until tall and deep golden on top.
  9. Cool a few minutes on the pan and serve warm.

Tip: Keep everything cold. If the butter gets soft while you work, slide the bowl into the freezer for 10 minutes.

Tip: No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice into 7/8 cup milk and let it sit 5 minutes.

Storage: Best the day they're made. Keep leftovers airtight up to 2 days and rewarm at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes.

Make ahead: Freeze cut, unbaked biscuits on a tray, then bag them up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 425°F (220°C), adding 4 to 6 minutes.

Estimated nutrition per serving: 220 calories · protein 4 g · carbohydrates 26 g · fiber <1 g · sugars 2 g · fat 11 g (saturated 6 g) · sodium 520 mg. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 8 of 8 ingredients.