How to Make Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
I wanted a biscuit that crumbled as you bit into it and yet wasn’t dry inside. I wanted it to be easy to make and yet full of flavor. I borrowed some technique from Shirley Corriher (a cookbook author whom I greatly admire) and played with different soft self-rising flours (settling on this one here).
I think the technique of grating the butter into the flour is a fantastic trick to have in your toolkit. It creates morsels of butter that are just the right size without having to cut the butter into the flour with a fork or two knives.
The resulting batter is quite wet and soft, but there’s no need to roll it out – just scoop it into your floured hands, tossing it back and forth to shape it ever to slightly and put it right next to its neighbor in the baking pan.
These biscuits rise up nicely and with the tops brushes with a little butter, you’ll be in heaven in about half an hour.
Can I make these biscuits ahead?
I am going to be quite honest with you here. These biscuits are best served the day you make them. But the good news is, they are super easy so you can make them quickly, even on a busy day or holiday. To prep the day before, you can measure out all the ingredients and cut the butter into the flour. Add the buttermilk right before you are ready to bake them. Do not let the batter sit too long before baking because the baking powder will start to activate. Of course if you really have to bake your biscuits the day before, you can reheat them by wrapping the biscuits in foil and baking at 350°F for about 15 minutes. This will also work for leftover biscuits (that is if you have any!).
Substitues for Self-Rising Flour and Buttermilk
You might not have either of these ingredients on hand and in a pinch, there are some substitutions you can make. If you are fresh out of buttermilk, for every cup, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup. Add enough milk to measure 1 cup. Let it stand for 5 minutes. For self-rising flour, for every cup use 1 cup of all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. For this recipe you will need:
1 1/3 cup of Buttermilk = 1 1/3 cup milk + 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice
2 1/3 cups Self-Rising Flour = 2 1/3 cups All-purpose flour + 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt
What to Serve with Buttermilk Biscuits?
Well for me, you can serve these biscuits with just about anything! I especially love them with foods I consider comfort food like my Beef Stew, Classic Pot Roast, Chicken Noodle Soup and Fried Chicken. For variations on these plain buttermilk biscuits try making Cranberry Orange Biscuits or Bacon Cheddar Biscuit Bread.
Best biscuits ever! I had struggled with trying to make biscuits for years and with Meredith’s recipe, I had success the first time. I was so proud, I took a picture of my pan of biscuits. Then every time I made them, I was so amazed I kept taking pictures of every batch. After 6 or so times, I finally stopped. I used White Lily flour and the idea to grate the butter is such a great tip.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is the best biscuit recipe that I’ve ever found. All the others turn out like hockey pucks! Crisp outside / tender inside and very easy to do! Awesome!
First time I made these has been a while back. As with any new recipe, it was a learning experience. My first batch wasn’t very pretty or evenly sized, but they were still yummy. The dough was very wet, as expected, and very sticky to handle to get coated with the plain flour. I should have used a larger pan to coat & roll in the flour. The next couple of times I made them, the process went much easier because I knew what to expect. It really is easy!
Thanks for the recipe! The grated butter is genius 🙂
Awesome !!!
These Buttermilk Biscuits looks delicious & actually easy to make However I would like a recipe for feeding only 2 people instead of a full household if possible! Don’t care for buttermilk, Is it possible to use Milk instead? Thanks for All you do. Big Fan & Miss seeing you on the Q. Best regards.
Hi Becky. In order to make biscuits for just two people, you’d need to have a very small pan and just cut the recipe in a quarter. The pan is necessary to hold the biscuits up and force them to rise up instead of just spread out. If you have a small pan for just 2 or 4 biscuits, you could reduce the recipe and give it a go. If you don’t want to use buttermilk, you could use milk along with some lemon juice. The recipe needs an acid of some kind to help activate the learners in the batter. Hope that helps answer your questions.
These biscuits are fabulous. I make them all the time! Thank you !
Can these be made ahead and refrigerated, to bake later?
Hi Kim. It’s not ideal to refrigerate them before baking because once you’ve mixed the wet and dry ingredients together, the leavener in the self-rising flour are activated. Waiting to bake will prevent the biscuits from rising as high as they could. If you want to make ahead a little, I would mix the dry ingredients with the butter and refrigerate that. Then, add the buttermilk and shape them right before baking. Alternately, if it’s that fresh baked aroma and warmth you’re looking for, you could make bake them and leave them in the pan. Warm them for 10 minutes in the oven before breaking them apart and serving.
I thought this was a air fryer recipe
Hi Diane,
This is an oven recipe, but if you’re interested in making biscuits in the air fryer, check here: https://bluejeanchef.com/recipes/cheddar-cheese-biscuits/
I saw this video about a year ago. I’ve NEVER been able to make biscuits, which is quite embarrassing when you come from s long line of biscuit makers. I tried the recipe, followed the instructions to the letter…and successfully made homemade biscuits for the first time. Yes I cried. My family ate them and raved at the flavor! Never too old to learn. Thank you Meredith.
Can’t wait to make them this weekend. Will let you know the outcome.
Hands down, my family’s #1 favorite biscuit. This recipe works for sweet AND savory! I make enough so we can have with dinner and then too with whipped cream and strawberries for dessert!
Hi Meredith,
Can these be frozen either before they are baked or perhaps a bit undercooked?
Thanks!
Hi Liza. I would bake them and freeze them once they have cooled completely. Then, just refresh them in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes and they’ll be delicious.
I made these biscuits today today to go with instapot chiken pot pie instead of frozen or canned! They came out awesome. I’ve been trying to make my grandmother’s tea biscuits for years only rose big once, but I’m going to try this method with her recipe and see how it does!
Thank you,
John Nastu
How would you go about freezing the dough and would it be able to be cooked from frozen if the biscuits were already formed before freezing? If so, what would be the recommended time to do so?
Hi Katie. You can freeze the biscuits and cook from frozen, but let them sit on the counter for about 20 minutes first and then add about 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time. They might not have quite the same texture as if you bake them fresh, but it will work. You’ll have to freeze these biscuits in the baking pan because they are too soft to freeze free-form. Once frozen, you could remove them from the pan and put them in a zipper sealable bag until you’re ready to pop them back into the cake pan to bake.
Thank you so much for the recipe and video. I only tried to make biscuits from scratch a coupe of times because they were like Hockey Pucks. These were scrumptious! Thank you again.
I must have nearly 100 different biscuit recipes. This one looked so different I decided I had to try it. I’ll be 86 years old in two days and have been making biscuits for a lot of those years. This has to be the WINNER over all others. Thank you Bluejeanchef for it. I appreciate all your recipes.
Best of Gods blessings to you.
Thank you Meredith for this recipe! I’ve tried soooo many recipes and never have they turned out like these biscuits. Easy Recipe and a delightful outcome. So happy I finally have a biscuit recipe I know will turn out every time and so yummy to eat
Delicious and so easy to make! My go to biscuit recipe!
A family favorite!
These were easy to make and very delicious! I should have made a double batch ☺️. Will be my go to recipe for biscuits from now on
Very excited to try this for Christmas morning….does it matter if the butter you grate into the flour is salted or unsalted?
I like to use unsalted butter in recipes and then add salt myself. So, I recommend unsalted.
I am from Tennessee and I have made biscuits from this recipe many times and the resulting biscuits are the absolute best! I am a fan of all things biscuit and I know a perfect one when I have it in hand. Try this recipe, you will not be disappointed!
They sound easy, but southerners, at least all the many I know would never use sugar in their biscuits!
You’re right – most southerners wouldn’t use sugar in their biscuits. I put sugar in the biscuits because I like the gentle sweetness it adds. Sugar does more than that, however. It is hygroscopic, which means that it loves and holds onto water, making the biscuits a little more moist.
I love the silicone baking sheet you’re using for this recipe (and, of course the recipe as well – genius!).
Can you share the brand you’re using? I’ve never seen any that would fit in a pan like that.
Thanks!
That was a customizable sheet of silicone by Cook’s Essentials. It was originally from QVC, but I don’t know if they still have any in stock.
For the lady who complained about too many biscuits…we always have warmed up biscuits and creamed chicken for supper the day we have biscuits for breakfast….works great.
The biscuits are delicious. I’ve tried making biscuits before but they were never fluffy and delicious. I love the idea of grating the butter, sure makes it easier. Thanks for the recipe. Yum!
YUMMY !! Easy to make and delicious !
Hi Meredith, I made my first batch this morning. Outstanding biscuits! Couldn’t Becky C. In the above comments use just a larger muffin/cupcake pan for smaller quantity baking? I too miss you on Q (its not the same)!
Yes – using a muffin pan is a great idea for Becky C! Thanks for that!
ML
These biscuits are the best. Interior is moist and exterior is crisp and crunchy. And I love your puppy pictures.
Tried these biscuits at a family meal. Doubled the recipe. They were delicious and so easy to make. This recipe is a keeper and will be my go-to for biscuits. Thank you, Meredith!
Do you recommend the butter be at room temperature or straight from the refrigerator?
Hi Megan. The butter should be slightly frozen and then grated into the flour mixture.
I made the buttermilk biscuits recently and thank you for the easy recipe. Didn’t realize you could grate very cold or frozen butter into the flour. We enjoyed them for breakfast and also made strawberry shortcake for dessert another day. I just heated them in the microwave for a few seconds and it was scrumptious. This recipe is a keeper.
The simplicity and deliciousness never ceases to amaze me with this recipe. I have Ziplock baggies with frozen grated butter in my freezer. As well as the pan of AP flour to dust them in!
Wonderful recipe! Where can I find the beautiful blue and white mixing bowl that you used?
Thanks, Dianna. That was a Temp-tations bowl in blue floral lace pattern from QVC.
Oh my gosh. These biscuits are fantastic. I will never make biscuits any other way now. Besides being easy they are light and fluffy and not dry. The tops are crunchy and buttery. I highly recommend this recipe to anyone who loves homemade biscuits.
OMGee good! I even put a little sugar in the butter to brush on top and they come very close to the ones served at the Flying Biscuit Cafe in Atlanta, GA. Keeper recipe!
The simplicity and deliciousness of this recipe continues to amaze me. I’ve made them so much I no longer need to follow the recipe. Found out this morning I can sub greek yogurt and milk for the buttermilk. Thinned out the yogurt to a buttermilk consistency. Thanks again bluejeanchef!
I have tried for years to make a wonderful biscuit like my Mother’s and I couldn’t, but now I can and even better than my Mothers. Thank you so much, can’t wait to try the cheese biscuits next. Can the biscuit be frozen before baking?
Hi Cinda, I’m afraid you can’t freeze the biscuit dough before baking. The leavener in this recipe is baking powder (in the self-rising flour) and it is activated when the dough is mixed together. As a result, you want to put the biscuits into the oven as soon as it’s mixed so that you get the rise you need.
ML
I made these tonight and they were awesome. A little crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Perfect!! Thank you for the recipe!
How much Greek yogurt and milk did you use?
Hi Angie. This recipe calls for buttermilk, not yogurt or milk. In a pinch you can make your own “buttermilk” by using 1⅓ cups milk + 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice.
I made this recipe for dinner last night to go with sausage gravy. It is a very good recipe. It went together very quickly, and the results were delicious. Thank you for writing such detailed and easy to follow directions.
I made these this morning for my family and everybody loved them! They are so delicious and make the house smell fantastic!
Best Biscuits Ever! I never realized how delicious biscuits could taste. Great tips and hints included to assist everyone. Light fluffy and comfort food till the last bite.
I have always wanted to make biscuits, and it seems like we all have extra time now. Some Southerners make 7-Up biscuits, so those are slightly sweet.
Should the butter be unsalted or salted?
I like to use unsalted butter because there is salt in the self-rising flour.
These were incredibly easy and delicious. They reminded my family of Cracker Barrel’s. I had to cover them for the last 5 minutes of cooking time, because they were getting to brown – may just be my oven. I’m excited to finally have a “biscuit recipe”.
SO good! Make great little ham & cheese sammies when they are warm. Thank you Meredith! Love your cooking so much!
I’ve tried a lot of biscuit recipes, but I hadn’t found one that is produced the consistently good results the way this one does. I’ve messed around with it a couple of different ways, including cutting the sugar and adding fresh minced garlic and cheddar, and other times using a honey butter glaze on top. Every time I’ve made them, they turn out light, fluffy and delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Easily made. I made mine a bit too large at first, so my last few are smaller. But no worries. Awesome flavor! Thanks, Meredith!
Sooo good. These were great in a smaller portion as ham slider buns.
Been looking for a good biscuit recipe and I think I found it. I ended up with 7 biscuits and my pan would only take 6, I put the extra in a small ramekin. My husband said he really like that one cause there was a nice crust. Next time I might try a muffin pan, that would be great for a 1/2 batch.
I watched you make these biscuits from blue jean chef recipe on QVC and thought, this recipe is way too easy to taste good. Oh my, was I wrong. They are the best biscuits I have ever eaten. My husband likes biscuits and gravy. These are perfect for that and I like eggs, sausage, and cheese on a biscuit. Thank you so much for giving us this recipe!
I made these biscuits from your recipe while you were on QVC. I’ve been making them regularly ever since. They are the best biscuits I’ve ever eaten. My husband likes them with sausage gravy and I like egg, sausage and cheese or plain with lots of butter and jelly. Thank you Meredith, we appreciate you sharing this great biscuit recipe with us.
These are awesome. My husband can’t stop raving about them. My mom wants to know if you can use whole wheat flour. Also can these be gluten free
Hi Erika. So glad you liked them. I’m afraid you can’t replace the self-rising flour with whole wheat flour because the rising power in the biscuits is mostly in that self-rising flour (flour + baking powder + salt). You could try replacing just part of the self-rising flour with whole wheat, but you’d also have to adjust the rest of the recipe, adding baking powder and changing the buttermilk quantity too. So, while it might be possible, it would take a lot of work and calculating and the result wouldn’t be close to the same. As for gluten free, I haven’t tested it with gluten-free flour either. If you wanted to substitute gluten-free flour and give it a whirl, you will also have to add baking powder and salt – read my paragraph on substituting the self-rising flour near the end of the page.
These biscuits are wonderful! I have been looking for a recipe that would look and taste like the ones that my mother-in-law used to make. I have found the right texture and taste and my family loves them.
Ruby D.
Awesome! Hubby raved about them! It took a Canadian to come up with the recipe! Thank you!
So fast, easy and DELICIOUS! THANK YOU!! Literally in the oven after 10mins.
I’ve been experimenting with biscuit recipes during quarantine and I made a double batch of these this morning. My whole family agreed this was the best I’ve made and my SIL said these rival Popeye’s. Will definitely make these again.
Best biscuits ever. When I think of moist on the inside, crisp on the outside and pretty much perfect country biscuits- these are all that. Thank you so much for the butter grating technique and recipe.
Have made many biscuits, some very good, some not so good. These are EXCELLENT!! The difference, I think, is the self rising flour and your technique. Thank you so very much. All your recipes I’ve tried and are excellent . You are very talented.
Made these for the first time this evening to go with homemade sausage gravy. These are the best tasting biscuits I have EVER had!!! Bar None!!! Lots of delicious flavor & very easy to make!! We WILL be having these again. Thank You Meredith!!!
Best biscuits I have ever made. Sent recipe to my daughter in Denver. Will she need to make any adjustments since she is at a higher altitude?
Hi Pam. There are adjustments that you need to make for all baking at high altitude. She may know all about it already, but I always reference King Arthur flour for info: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
ML
These were excellent! I didn’t have enough for a double recipe, so used substitutes for self-rising flour and buttermilk. They were a real hit!! I will buy the proper ingredients for next time because there will definitely be more times. Thank you!
This has been my go-to biscuit recipe for years, so thank you! I do omit the sugar – I’m a Southerner and we don’t put sugar in our biscuits. Other than that tweak, this recipe is perfect as-is.
I could never make biscuits, but these changed that and they are heavenly every single time. Now I get requests for “my” biscuit recipe all the time.
This biscuit recipe was Fabulous!! I told my daughter about it now she wants to try it. My son said, Mom i don’t know what you did to these biscuits but they are Delicious!! 😛
I’ve made these for years, my grandma and mom taught me. Love them!!!! If there is any left over I put bacon in them and wrap them up and freeze for a snack. You can also add garlic and cheese great for dinner! I’ve also added cinnamon great with orange marmalade.
These are the best biscuits, only ones I make now! If I make chicken pot pie I use them instead of pie dough. 🥰
Thank you! This is similar to what my granny would make when I was a kid. We used bacon grease for the cast iron skillet and to brush across the tops of the biscuits. This is the perfect drop biscuit recipe. This will be our new go to biscuit recipe!
If I don’t have all purpose flour to use at the end when separating, is it ok to use a little self-rising?
You could use self-rising, but you risk an odd flavor on the outside of your biscuits. There could be a raw baking soda and salt flavor from the self-rising flour.
These are the best by far. So easy and my family loved them!!t
Thank you for this recipe. I’ve been trying to find a good recipe throughout the past 10+ years, with no luck up until I stumbled on your recipe. I made them back earlier in the year and was so excited when I saw and tasted the outcome. I can’t remember if I saw here or my aunt told me, but I place my butter (stick and grated) in the freezer: which in turns: makes for easier grating and also slow melting when baking (or I atleast think so). While I’m pre heating oven I mix flour and butter place in freezer up until time to mix wet and dry ingredients. Thank you so much again, I’ve made multiple batches and they’ve all turned out just as good as first batch!!
I made these a few days ago – WE LOVE THEM. Very easy recipe and tasty buscuits! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for sharing this with us!
My families favorite biscuits. This the only recipe I use now. Thank you!
Made these for breakfast. So very good. I will make again.
Ok, I can grill, Stove Top cook some great meals, BUT..I always Fail with Anything Flour in the Oven for over 20 years….Until Now!!! Thank You!!!!!
Made these for my husband on his birthday for brunch. Turned out absolutely perfect! I had been worried about even trying to make biscuits as my grandmother used to make the best, and I was always told it was hard to get biscuits to turn out right. I will definitely make them again! Thank you, Meredith, for an easy reliable, & delicious recipe.
The biscuits were so easy to make and turned out so delicious!!!! I will keep on making them!!
Once again, you’ve made a recipe easy to follow, taste delicious and make my neighbors envious because of the smells coming out of my kitchen from baking biscuits! Please keep doing what you’re doing and inspire the rest of us to try to imitate you because you are awesome!!! 😎❤️🐶
This is the go to recipe for me and for my grand daughters. We have been making these together for the last few years. They love making them. Our special memory making biscuits.♥️♥️♥️
The biscuits are the best I have ever eaten. I like the sweetness from the sugar. Very tender on the inside and a little crunch on the outside. Easy to make and just so so good! Thank you for the recipe!
These are the best biscuits I have ever made or eaten! I don’t need anything except butter with these. Love them!
This biscuit recipe is the best! So tender and buttery! Absolutely love the beautiful dish you baked it in and also what brand spatula is that you used in the video? What is it called? It seems more easier to handle bs using a spoon? Thanks again for such a wonderful recipe.
Hi Anika. The dish I baked the biscuits in is just a square metal baking pan. Perhaps you were refering to the bowls, which are blue floral lace temptations bowls from QVC. The spatula I used to stir with is a wooden spurtle – also from QVC.
Delicious! This is our biscuit recipe now!
Absolutely the best biscuits ever! I won’t make them any other way!
Being from the south we love cheese biscuits- the kind with a big hunk of hoop cheese in the center. The biscuit looks right but how to put the hunk of cheese in the center. Any suggestions?
Hi Kathy, I would just push a chunk of cheese into the batter and shape the biscuit around that chunk when putting the biscuits into the pan. The biscuit should bake around the cheese and the cheese will melt.
I LOVE this recipe! I found it on Facebook and it has been my go to biscuit recipe, my family used to want biscuits and gravy on Sunday mornings. Well now that want biscuits with every dinner now, and I am so glad I found this recipe and I have passed it around to my children and friends. However for the shaping I use an ice cream scoop and it works perfectly every time for every batch! Thank you so much for the recipe!
I just made these exactly as written. I left them in for the thirty minutes called for, and they were ruined. They were even brown all the way through. Thirty minutes is way off. The only thing positive was that the middle was quite soft. The rest? Well not so much. Have to throw them out. I thought at the time that it sounded like too long at that high of a temperature, and should have followed my thinking on that.
Sorry you had a problem with the cooking time. All ovens do vary somewhat so sometimes it is best to check on them during the baking process to avoid overcooking.
Meredith… I have been on a mission to master my biscuit making technique and I keep coming back to your recipe. I have finally found the best recipe and technique, discarding all my other biscuit recipes. They come out so pretty that I even take pictures of them. I cook for one, but, I still bake the full recipe. After cooling, I wrap each leftover biscuit in foil and place in a LocknLock container and every morning I warm a biscuit up in the air fryer, they stay fresh and taste like I just baked them, maybe, even better! Thank you, thank you!
Meredith… I forgot to mention what I have discovered on my perfect biscuit quest. I have used all the big name brands of self rising flour available in the Chicago area and through my biscuit recipes research, people kept recommending, including you, the “White Lily” brand which is not available in my area. So after a couple of years, I finally broke down and ordered it online, let me tell you it has been life changing in my biscuit baking. My biscuits are now tender and fluffy, my new go to brand, soft red winter wheat does make a difference in baking!
These are fantastic! The idea to drop balls of dough on a floured cookie sheet and toss them back and forth to shake off the excess was groundbreaking. I made mine in a cast iron skillet and they rose beautifully.
What if I dont have self rising flour?
Hi Susan. If you scroll up from the recipe into the article above, you’ll see how you can substitute the self-rising flour.
ML
I never understood why my biscuits baked on a cookie sheet spread out, and didn’t rise. This recipe makes the fluffiest biscuits ever. Mine took a bit longer to bake. Must be time to calibrate the oven again!
Delicious biscuits. Crunchy on the outside yet soft & fluffy inside. I have been searching for a good & simple biscuit recipe and now I have one. Thanks
Thank you so much for this recipe!!!! I have looked for and tried so many trying to make biscuits like my Grandma Karpinski. THESE ARE THE MATCH!!!!
Is it OK to use UNSALTED butter?
Yes – I use unsalted butter for almost every recipe I make, which gives me the control over how much salt to add.
I’ve always made biscuits but was disappointed that they weren’t light enough to suite me. Saw this on Facebook and decided to try it.
It’s my go to recipe from now on. Going to try the cranberry orange recipe also. I used regular flour and added the baking powder and salt and it worked beautifully.
I love this recipe but have had some issues lately! I don’t know what it is but the dough doesn’t seem as wet as the first dozen times I have made it. Spent the morning searching for this recipe so I can try again. Great biscuits
Hi Sarah. This might have something to do with how you measure the flour. It’s never possible to be precisely consistent with measurements unless you weigh your ingredients. So, just know that you can be flexible. If you make them again and they don’t seem wet enough (or conversely, too wet), feel free to add a little more buttermilk (or a little more flour). It’s also a great idea to start a system for yourself with respect to measuring. I have an article and video here that talks about measuring properly. https://bluejeanchef.com/cooking-school/how-to-measure-ingredients/
Hello Bluejean, I have to tell you, I have the worst time making biscuits. I can never make them so they rise so high. I’m 86 years old. You would think I would mastered it by now. I try not to handle the dough too much. I try to make them so they would rise. I’m going to try this recipe. Wish me luck. Love your recipes.
My husband and I made this recipe today and WOW! Blown away. They are soft, sweet and buttery. They hold up well for sandwiches too. Definitely saving this for all occasions!
Lovely. I have a question. I don’t keep milk or buttermilk in my house, however, and I wonder if you have ever tried making it from the baker’s buttermilk powder sold by King Arthur? Or using that as a substitute in any recipe, for that matter. I’m always coming across recipes that don’t work for me b/c of buttermilk, and since I’m a rather clumsy baker, I hesitate to buy it and experiment.
You can use powdered buttermilk in any recipe just as you would cultured buttermilk. Just mix the buttermilk according to the package directions and use the same amount called for in the recipe.
Sounds delicious! Any suggestions for a df, gf biscuit.
Hi Patti. Both the dairy and the flour are pretty critical to this recipe. You could try experimenting with a gluten free flour, and a df buttermilk substitute like a nut milk or silken tofu with either lemon juice or vinegar added to it. It will produce a very different result however. I am not a cook with a gf or df focus, so I haven’t tried it.
These are the best biscuits ever!! High rising, tender. I used White Lily self rising flour, which is the best. White Lily has a good recipe, but this surpasses it. The addition of a bit of sugar works very well here too. It’s actually easier and more fun to do them this way rather than rolling out the dough and cutting them. Thank you Meredith 👏🏻👏🏻
Hi Meredith!
I’m not a big biscuit lover but my husband is. I made these for him and he loved them. They are very tasty with the crispness on the outside and moist insides. Very tasty!
These are the BEST biscuits! They turn out fluffy and delicious every time. The recipe does not call for salt, but you mentioned in your reply to a commenter that you add salt, as opposed to using salted butter. Can you please tell me how much salt you use in this recipe? I thought that for me, they may be even better with some salt, but I’m hesitant to alter the recipe at all. Thank you!
Hi Kittye,
Self-rising flour actually includes salt, which is why there’s no salt listed in the recipe. If you wanted more salt in the recipe, I would just add a little – no more than ½ teaspoon.
ML
These taste great! I also like not having to roll out the dough.
*I can use a hint about the best way to grate the frozen butter. I kept looking around my kitchen for a utensil I could use to hold the butter while grating so I didn’t end up adding my flesh to the mixture.
Hi Nancy,
I just use the butter wrapper or a piece of plastic wrap to hold the butter, but you might try using a piece of crumpled up aluminum foil for added protection.
ML
Wonderful biscuit recipe!!
I made my own self-rising flour and subbed cultured buttermilk for liquid. One recipe to rule them all!
Made the biscuit……AWESOME!
We don’t have the White Lily flour available to us here, and to buy it online is very expensive but I would if it makes a huge difference. That is my question for you Meredith, how much difference does it make having the right flour? And I’d there a right or wrong brand of AP flour to use in making your self rising? I always have King Arthur in my house. Would that be ok?
Hi Sue. You can make delicious buttermilk biscuits with any brand. The White Lily just uses a soft winter wheat that is more traditional in the South. King Arthur is an excellent brand of flour and you can use that to make your own self-rising flour.
ML
These look amazing . Is there a substitute for self rising flour as I don’t. Have it on hand & want to make them today ?
Hi Carleen, If you scroll up into the article above the recipe, you’ll see how to make your own self-rising flour.
ML
Hello Meredith, can this dough be shaped and pressed with a biscuit cutter, instead of rolled in a ball?
Thank you!
The dough is very soft and sticky so you can’t roll it out or use a biscuit cutter. The balls of dough will flatten some and spread out during the baking process.
These biscuits are amazing! They are SO easy to make and take no time at all. Best of all they are delicious! I’ve made them six times already. My family really enjoy them. (Because of my arthritis, I found it is easier after freezing the butter to cut it into little pieces. I had issues with my hands grating the frozen butter.) They are very tasty with butter, jelly or honey and even plain! Excellent recipe. I highly recommend this buttermilk biscuit recipe.
I’ve made so many other buttermilk biscuit recipes and after my husband ate his sausage gravy over these biscuits he begged me to throw out all other ones! Light, fluffy and delish! The video made the making easy! THANK YOU!
This recipe is amazing! My daughter and I made them this morning to pair with her homemade sausage gravy and the biscuits were so light and fluffy. Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe!!!
Great recipe! Taste just like my Mom’s!
I rolled these biscuits out very gently, cut with biscuit cutter and baked in iron skillet – they were awesome!
Just made these and I couldn’t be happier with the results. Thank you for a great recipe.
These were delicious I’ll be making them again!
I made these at work for chicken and biscuits and my coworkers clapped at the meal 😂 these biscuits are amazing
I’ve made these many times and they’re always wonderful. The other night I needed to use up some ingredients from the fridge (oh, man, it had just blown a circuit board and that fridge is dead). I didn’t have the counter space to put out the extra pan of flour. So I made the soft dough, then floured a greased square cake pan and dumped the dough in. I smoothed it with a spatula and baked it per the instructions. When it was done I took it out and cut up the “cake” into nine squares with a bench scraper. It worked! The biscuits weren’t quite as luscious as the standard method produces, but they were still fabulous.
How many biscuits can you get from the recipe? One of your pictures shows 9 biscuits but your video shows 16 biscuits. Thanks.
It really depends on the size of the biscuit – if you want smaller biscuits, you can make 16 (4 rows of 4). If you like larger biscuits, make 9 (3 rows of 3).
I’m so excited to try this recipe as I’m historically known by family as the WORST biscuit maker! LOL
Question: How do I adjust the recipe for high altitude baking?
For high altitude baking, you can try increasing the temperature to 450° and decrease the timing by abut 5 minutes. Set the timer for 20 minutes and cook longer as needed.
Can these biscuits be made with wheat flour? My family does not eat white flour.
This recipe has not been tested with wheat flour. If you give it a try, it is probably best to use whole wheat pastry flour.
Why the sugar? I left that out of mine and they were delicious. The nearest biscuit to the ones my mother use to make. But she used lard instead of butter.
The sugar adds a little sweetness to the biscuits. In addition to enhancing the flavor, it also helps to develop the texture of the biscuit and makes is more tender.
Can I use Truvia in place of sugar?
Hi Nikki,
I’m afraid I don’t bake with Truvia. You could look at the instructions on the package to see what the brand recommends with respect to substituting for sugar. Or, you could reduce the amount of sugar or just leave the sugar out. It does add a little sweet note to the biscuit and since it is hygroscopic, it does help keep the biscuits moist, but you could give it a try.
Hi Merideth
I have been thinking about using the grater/cold butter method for making pie dough.
What do you think?? I usually just use my antique wired cutter to incorporate the butter into the flour. Your way seems pretty cut and dried (a little pun there!!) Love your recipes so much. You are my favorite down-to-earth kitchen diva!!
Thanks, Sue! Yes – you can absolutely use the grate/cold butter method for pie dough. It will work well. 🙂
ML
Made this biscuits recipes many times, just love it. Thank u
I recently purchased one of your products on qvc. We tried out this recipe tonight. (I make biscuits every other day). These obviously different than mine. But we liked them. Thanks
Thank you, Jean.
First time making biscuits and they turned out wonderful! So excited!