These homemade buttermilk biscuits are soft and buttery with hundreds of flaky layers. This biscuit recipe only requires 6 simple ingredients and they’re ready in about 35 minutes. I originally published this recipe in 2017, and it’s been a consistent reader (& personal!) favorite since.
One reader, Marcia, commented: “Finally, a biscuit recipe that worked for me. I especially appreciated the notes which, in fact, had me change some things I had been doing. The detail at all levels, both visual and written, is very helpful. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Maggie, commented: “One of my favorite biscuit recipes! They are so consistently flaky and delicious, every single time! ★★★★★“
Biscuits. Let’s do it BIG. Big as in mega flaky, mega fluffy, mega layers, mega golden brown, and mega buttery. It’s quite serendipitous that this “side dish” may taste even more remarkable than the main event. No, no… it WILL taste more remarkable. Just look at these buttery layers! Nothing can compete.
What are Biscuits?
The term “biscuits” has different meanings depending where you live in the world. In the U.S., biscuits are similar to a dinner roll, but are denser and flakier because they aren’t (typically) made with yeast. Since there’s usually no yeast involved and the rising agent is either baking soda, baking powder, or both—biscuits are considered a quick bread, like banana bread and no yeast bread. In other parts of the world, “biscuits” are more like cookies or scones.
6 Key Ingredients in Buttermilk Biscuits
You need just 6 basic ingredients for my homemade biscuits recipe:
- All-purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Cold Butter
- Cold Buttermilk
- Honey
With so few ingredients, it’s important to reach for quality ingredients and avoid any substitutions. Notice the emphasis on cold? See tip #1 below.
Success Tips for the Best Homemade Biscuits
Let me share what I’ve learned in the world of homemade buttermilk biscuit recipes. I’ve made plenty of mistakes so you don’t have to. These tried-and-true tricks will turn your flat, dry biscuits into the best biscuits ever. And that’s a guarantee.
- Cold Fat: For flaky layers and pockets, use cold butter. When little pieces of butter melt as the biscuits bake, they release steam and create little pockets of air–this makes the biscuits airy and flaky on the inside while remaining crisp on the outside. It’s the same thing that happens when making these ham & cheese scones.
- Buttermilk & Honey for Flavor: Real buttermilk and teeny drizzle of honey balance out the salt. Buttermilk creates the most tender biscuit!
- Don’t Over Mix: Never overwork biscuit dough. Overworking and over-handling biscuit dough will result in tough, hard, and flat biscuits. Mix the ingredients together *just* until combined. Dough will be crumbly; that’s normal.
- Flatten & Fold Method: The most important step of all is folding the dough together. Turn the scrappy dough out onto a work surface and flatten it with your hands. Form into a rectangle. More below.
- Don’t Twist the Biscuit Cutter: When cutting the dough with a biscuit cutter, do not twist the cutter. Press the cutter down into the dough firmly. Twisting it will seal off the biscuit edges, preventing the biscuits from rising.
- Bake Close Together: Biscuits rise up nice and tall when they are touching, pressed snuggly against one another in the oven.
How to Fold Biscuit Dough
Flattening and folding biscuit dough creates multiple flaky layers, just as it does when we make homemade croissants, rough puff pastry, mille-feuille, and croissant bread. This step will take you no more than 2 minutes and you’ll be rewarded with the flakiest biscuits in the world. First, shape dough into a rectangle:
Then fold one side into the center:
Then the other side:
Turn the folded dough horizontal, gently flatten, and begin that folding process 2 more times.
The dough should be about 3/4 inch thick and the biscuits will rise as they bake.
Honey Butter Topping
The honey butter topping is optional, but it will set your biscuits apart from the rest. When the biscuits come out of the oven, brush with a mix of melted butter + honey. You use both ingredients in the biscuit dough, keeping the count at 6 ingredients total.
Serve your homemade biscuits with jam or homemade raspberry sauce, or biscuits and gravy—I love this particular recipe!
Biscuit Variations
I bake biscuits often, and use the same process and success tips when making all of my favorite variations including cheddar biscuits and everything bagel biscuits. I also make biscuit-topped vegetable pot pie and biscuit breakfast casserole. And you can absolutely turn these into dessert with my recipes for biscuit-topped berry cobbler and homemade strawberry shortcake!
I make these biscuits on almost a weekly basis, and what makes them a hit every single time, is the combination of very cold butter and buttermilk. Also, be sure to use the amount of baking powder in the recipe below, or try the baking powder and baking soda combination I explain in the recipe Note.
Bake the biscuits in a cast iron skillet, which helps the edges crisp up beautifully. Additionally, use a pastry brush to coat the tops of the biscuits with a little buttermilk before baking.
You can use a food processor to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients, but if you do not own one, you can use a pastry cutter instead. A pastry cutter is an extremely helpful baking tool!
If you enjoy biscuits, try homemade ham & cheese scones and/or my easy no yeast cinnamon rolls.
Even More Biscuits
Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits (Popular Recipe!)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 biscuits
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These homemade buttermilk biscuits are soft and buttery with hundreds of flaky layers! This biscuit recipe only requires 6 simple ingredients and they’re ready in about 35 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed for hands and work surface
- 2 Tablespoons aluminum free baking powder (yes, Tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, cubed and very cold (see note)
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons (270ml) cold buttermilk, divided
- 2 teaspoons (14g) honey
- optional honey butter topping: 2 Tablespoons melted butter mixed with 1 Tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Make the biscuits: Place the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl or in a large food processor. Whisk or pulse until combined. Add the cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or by pulsing several times in the processor. Cut/pulse until coarse crumbs form. See photo above for a visual. If you used a food processor, pour the mixture into a large bowl.
- Make a well in the center of the mixture. Pour 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk and drizzle honey on top. Fold everything together with a large spoon or spatula until it begins to come together. Do not overwork the dough. The dough will be shaggy and crumbly with some wet spots. See photo above for a visual.
- Pour the dough and any dough crumbles onto a floured work surface and gently bring together with generously floured hands. The dough will become sticky as you bring it together. Have extra flour nearby and use it often to flour your hands and work surface in this step. Using floured hands, flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle as best you can. Fold one side into the center, then the other side on top. Turn the dough horizontally. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle again. Repeat the folding again. Turn the dough horizontally one more time. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle. Repeat the folding one last time. Flatten into the final 3/4 inch thick rectangle.
- Cut into 2.5 or 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. (Tip: Do not twist the biscuit cutter when pressing down into the dough because this seals off the edges of the biscuit which prevents them from fully rising.) Re-roll scraps until all the dough is used. You should have about 8-10 biscuits. Arrange in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (see note) or close together on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Make sure the biscuits are touching.
- Brush the tops with remaining buttermilk. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, and then brush warm tops with optional honey butter, and serve warm.
- Cover leftovers tightly and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Baked biscuits freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator, then warm up to your liking before serving. You can also freeze the biscuit dough. Prepare the dough in steps 2 through 4. Wrap up tightly in plastic wrap (plastic wrap is best for freshness) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then continue with step 5. Also, after step 4, you can wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days before continuing with step 5.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Pastry Cutter or Food Processor | 2.5- or 3-inch Biscuit Cutter | 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet (or Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper) | Pastry Brush
- Baking Powder: To avoid a chemical aftertaste, make sure your baking powder is labeled aluminum free. I usually use Clabber Girl brand and though the ingredients state aluminum, I’ve never noticed an aluminum aftertaste. Alternatively, you can reduce the baking powder down to 1 Tablespoon and add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
- Butter: Cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Keep butter as cold as possible until you need it. I recommend placing the cubed butter in the freezer for about 15 minutes before you begin.
- Buttermilk: You can substitute whole milk for buttermilk if desired. However if you’d like the tangy flavor, which I highly recommend, you can make your own sour milk substitute. Add 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1 cup. (You need 1 cup in the recipe, plus 2 Tbsp for brushing–you can use regular milk to brush on top.) Whisk together, then let sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe. Whole milk is best for the DIY sour milk substitute, though lower fat or nondairy milks work in a pinch. (In my testing, the biscuits don’t taste as rich or rise quite as tall using lower fat or nondairy milks.)
- Cast Iron Skillet: If your cast iron skillet isn’t well seasoned, I recommend greasing it with a little vegetable oil or melted butter. Brush a thin layer of either on the bottom and around the sides. No need to heat the cast iron skillet before using, though you certainly can. Place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes before arranging the shaped biscuits in it.
- Flavors: Try my flavorful biscuit variations: cheddar biscuits and everything bagel biscuits.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 biscuit
- Calories: 212
- Sugar: 2.4 g
- Sodium: 283.5 mg
- Fat: 9.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.5 g
- Protein: 4.1 g
- Cholesterol: 25.4 mg
Made these this AM. Terrific!! Just like my Mother used to make. In my oven (on convection) they took about 10 minutes longer to brown. I used bread flour and had to add a couple of tablespoons more buttermilk. Thanks for sharing this recipe. will make it again and again.
I have struggled making biscuits until this recipe. The was easy and they turned out amazing!
I’ve made these twice so far and the second time they were even more delicious than the first. Very simple and so good. Highly recommend!
Delicious!!! Absolutely love the honey. After 15 min mine were still not done and to my horror I found my oven was running 25 degrees cold!! (My oven always runs 25 degrees cold… ugh) Adjusted the temp, baked for 5 more minutes and they came out perfect anyway.
I have struggled for years to make the perfect biscuits. This recipe was awesome. They turned out perfect! The flaky, buttery layers were delicious. The family loved them.
I wonder if some people are just more sensitive to the taste. EVERY time I bake something with baking powder I can taste it a little. My husband and kids never do.
I’d also say to be sure that you’re scooping into your tbl spoon and leveling (like you’d do flour) vs scooping straight out of the can into the tablespoon.
My biscuits have NO color 🙁 Suggestions? It was my first time trying to make them from scratch
I love how easy this was!! I do have a question though, I rolled the dough to 1 inch and after I cut the biscuits I only was able to make 5.. did I do anything wrong?
This is the first time I have been successful at making biscuits. Thanks for the tips and the recipe.
If you want to freeze for later is there any reason why you couldn’t freeze after step 4 instead of step 3? I was thinking of making a triple batch and thought it might work nicely to flash freeze the the extra biscuits so I can pull them out, thaw them, and then bake them – much like Rhodes rolls.
Hi Teresa, you can definitely freeze the shaped biscuits. For best taste and texture, I recommend making separate batches instead of tripling.
Really straight forward recipe. I got it right on the first try. Perfect biscuits!
Thank you for this! Did it twice already and i didn’t know it was this easy! Never gonna buy ready-made again.
Just made these for dinner… delish!! The whole family like them… should have made a double batch. Thanks for the recipe.
I don’t have a cast iron skillet, but I do have a dutch oven with an enamel coating inside. Can I bake the biscuits in that?
That should be just fine.
I’m keeping a lb of quartered butter in my freezer now in order to make these in the spur of the moment. I don’t own a food processor so my old school box cheese grater is perfect for shredding the butter in the right size. My biscuits are beautifully layered & require no butter post-baking they’re so rich-excellent recipe!
Absolutely stellar tender biscuits. I brushed the top with a little butter right before they were done cooking to give them a crunchy golden top.
Very good. This is the second buttermilk biscuit recipe I’ve tried and I like it a ton better! We also brushed it with the honey butter at the end. Yum!
These are literally the best biscuits I have ever tasted and by far the best I have ever made. Only my 3rd time in 40 years making biscuits from scratch! Go for it. I shared the recipe to my daughters and best friends, and my extra biscuits to my mom who LOVED them as well. thank you!
Just baked these this morning! Super simple to make and the absolute best homemade biscuits I’ve had. Far better than the “drop biscuits” I grew up. Highly recommend!
Really easy recipe and they taste great. I will enjoy strawberry shortcake tonight for dessert!
Just…wow. These biscuits are absolutely fabulous! For years, I’ve been told how hard good biscuits are to make, so I’ve never tried. I decided to risk these, and…wow! Utterly divine! Thank you, Sally! (I’m going to try your recipe for biscuits and gravy next!)
These are amazing biscuits light & fluffy perfection! Sally you helped me realize what I’ve been doing wrong with other biscuits I’ve made in the past OVER PROCESSING them! This is my new go to biscuit recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Yesterday (with the help of this recipe) I made the PERFECT BISCUITS.
My partner and I enjoyed half the buttery batch for breakfast. My dog, Tucker, helped himself to the leftovers off our counter while we were out.
This recipe is easy to follow with helpful tips and pictures. I cut the butter in with knives, which took some time but was worth it. Been expanding my baking skills during quarantine. Next time I will try a food processor and freezing the flour. I’ll also try storing any leftovers out of reach of hungry paws!
I just tried this recipe- first time making biscuits… like ever- and the dough was SUPER sticky and looked a little softer or wet than the pictures. I keep running through the recipe and trying to figure out where i could have possibly went wrong (if sticky dough means i did). I should probably mention i didn’t pop any of the ingredients in the freezer and i used a dough cutter.. Taste great though lol. Please advise?
I just found your website and made your buttermilk biscuits this morning! Outstanding! I felt like I was a contestant on The Great British Baking Show and Paul Hollywood shook my hand for the “delicious buttery layers!”
These biscuits are phenomenal! I’ve always failed at making biscuits, ending up with a baking powder taste, but not with these! Used my cast iron skillet and substituted agave for honey (gotta use what you have). Made eight beautiful biscuits and one ugly little dough ball. It took all of my will power not to eat them all warm from the oven! Thank you for all of the wonderful tips, Sally!
These were probably the BEST buttermilk biscuits I have ever made. And I did not even use buttermilk (there being none in the store due to COVID 19). I was fortunate to have non-fat yoghurt in the house, and used that instead. I would say the folding is key. To the person who said these were horrible and tasted like baking powder, might I suggest you try again and make sure to mix your dry ingredients VERY well? Because I had no problem with that at all.
My kids devoured these biscuits and wanted more! Thank you for a recipe that made for easy bonding time with my daughter and great food with the family.
Made them for breakfast as I had just the right amount of buttermilk. Followed to a tee even freezing flour. They were great! Any recipe I’ve made of yours is always a winner. I’m big on the scones.
Hi Sally! Your recipes are always perfection! I was wondering what you think would happen if I used cake flour instead of all purpose? Because of the quarantine, I won’t have regular flour for a while and biscuits sound so good right now.
I was excited to see see that you are expecting too! I think I am due a month after you. I’m curious if I want the biscuits or if the baby wants them. 😉 Have you had any baked cravings recently?
Hi Melissa! Congratulations to you! I don’t recommend cake flour in this biscuit recipe– it’s simply too light. Here are all of my recipes using cake flour if you’re interested!