Golden, buttery, and packed with melt-in-your-mouth flaky layers, these homemade buttermilk biscuits are pure magic! With just a handful of simple ingredients and a few easy tricks, you’ll be whipping up biscuit perfection every time—no dense, doughy disasters in sight!
These classic buttermilk biscuits are the ultimate sidekick—light, tender, and rocking a perfectly golden crust. The secret to their sky-high flakiness? Cold butter, chilly buttermilk, and a little folding magic to build those dreamy layers.
Slather them with jam, smother them in sausage gravy, or keep it simple with a pat of butter—no matter how you enjoy them, these biscuits make every meal a whole lot better!e any meal better.
Unlike some recipes that require self-rising flour or special techniques, this one keeps it easy with purpose flour and a few simple ingredients. The baking powder and a touch of white vinegar (to make your own buttermilk) ensure a tender rise. If you’ve ever struggled with dry or dense biscuits, this easy buttermilk biscuits recipe will be a game-changer.
Love biscuits and beyond? Try my Delicious Drop Biscuits with Cheese, Garlic Cheese Pull Apart Bread, Frozen Biscuits in Air Fryer, Artisan Bread, and Frozen Texas Toast in Air Fryer for more irresistible baked sides!
Or for just a super simple biscuit recipe try my canned biscuits in Air Fryer.
Ingredients Needed for Easy Buttermilk Biscuits
- Flour. Regular purpose flour works great, but for ultra-light biscuits, try White Lily flour.
- Baking Powder. This helps the biscuit dough rise and stay fluffy.
- Cream of Tartar. Adds extra lift and helps create a softer texture.
- Sugar. Just a touch enhances flavor without making the biscuits sweet.
- Butter. Using frozen butter creates those signature flaky biscuits—grating it with a cheese grater makes it easy to incorporate.
- Buttermilk. Essential for from-scratch buttermilk biscuits. If you don’t have any, mix regular milk with white vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Salt. Brings out the flavors and balances the sweetness of the butter.
How to Make Easy Buttermilk Biscuits
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour mixture, baking powder, cream of tartar, sugar, and salt. These dry ingredients form the base of the biscuits, so make sure they’re well combined for an even texture.
- Use a pastry cutter, pastry blender, or even a cheese grater to incorporate the cold, unsalted butter into the dry ingredients. The goal is to create coarse crumbs, which will give the biscuits their tender, flaky texture. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, a fork or your hands work too—but don’t overmix! You want small bits of butter throughout the flour mixture.
- Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the cold buttermilk. Use a large spoon or fork to stir, just until everything is combined. The dough will be shaggy and slightly sticky—that’s perfect! Overworking the dough can lead to tough biscuits, so mix gently.
- Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Gently press or roll it into a thick rectangle, about an inch thick. For the best flaky layers, fold the dough over itself a few times before rolling it out again.
- Use a round biscuit cutter or a cookie cutter to cut out the biscuits. Press straight down without twisting to help them rise evenly. If you don’t have a biscuit cutter, a pizza cutter can be used to make square biscuits—no wasted dough!
- Place the unbaked biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet or a cookie sheet, making sure the edges of the biscuits are touching slightly—this helps them rise taller. Brush the tops with melted butter for extra richness.
- Bake biscuits at 450°F for 9-12 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Once out of the oven, brush them with another layer of butter and let them cool slightly before serving.
FAQs
Yes, but you’ll need to add some acidity to mimic the tangy flavor of buttermilk. Mix regular milk with white vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for about 10 minutes before using it in the recipe.
There are a few culprits! Your baking powder may be expired, your butter may not have been cold enough, or you might have overworked the dough. For the best rise, always use fresh baking powder, frozen butter, and a light hand when mixing.
Yes! You can prepare the biscuit dough, cut out the biscuits, and refrigerate them on a baking sheet for up to 24 hours before baking. This is perfect for making fresh biscuits in the morning without the extra prep time.
Both! Brushing with melted butter before baking adds flavor and helps the tops turn golden brown. Brushing again after baking gives them that perfect glossy, buttery finish.
Make sure your butter is very cold, and avoid handling the dough too much. Also, place the biscuits close together on the baking sheet so they support each other as they rise.
Storage & Freezing
Storage. Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. If you want to keep them fresh a little longer, refrigerate them for up to a week. Just be sure they’re fully cooled before storing to prevent condensation from making them soggy.
Freezing. To freeze unbaked biscuits, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container, separating layers with plastic wrap. When ready to bake, place the frozen biscuits on a baking sheet and bake as directed, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
For baked biscuits, let them cool completely before wrapping each one individually in plastic wrap or placing them in a freezer-safe bag. They’ll keep well for up to three months.
Reheating. To reheat biscuits, warm them in a 350°F oven for about 5-7 minutes until heated through. For a quicker option, microwave them for 15-20 seconds, but this may slightly soften the texture.
Make Ahead. Biscuit dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. You can also cut out the biscuits and freeze them unbaked, so you can enjoy fresh, homemade biscuits anytime without the prep work.
Substitutions & Variations
- Flour Swap. If you have self-rising flour on hand, you can use it instead of all-purpose flour, but skip the baking powder and salt. White Lily flour is a great choice for extra light and fluffy biscuits.
- Buttermilk Alternative. No buttermilk? No problem! Mix regular milk with white vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Butter Options. Unsalted butter is the best choice, but if you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt in the recipe. For an extra buttery flavor, brush biscuits with melted butter before and after baking.
- Drop Biscuits. If you don’t feel like rolling and cutting, make easy drop biscuits instead! Just scoop spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet for a more rustic (but just as delicious) biscuit.
- Savory Add-Ins. Fold in shredded cheese, fresh herbs, or cooked bacon for a flavorful twist. These variations make great biscuits for breakfast sandwiches or a side for soups and stews.
- Sweet Biscuits. Want a biscuit perfect for strawberry shortcake? Add an extra tablespoon of sugar and top with fresh berries and whipped cream.
Pro Tips
- Keep Your Butter Cold. Cold butter is the key to creating flaky layers. Use frozen butter and a cheese grater for easy incorporation, or cut it into small pieces and work it in with a pastry cutter. If the butter starts to soften while mixing, pop the bowl into the fridge for a few minutes before continuing.
- Don’t Overwork the Dough. The less you handle biscuit dough, the better. Mix just until combined, and when rolling, use a gentle touch. Over-kneading leads to tough, dense biscuits instead of light, tender ones.
- Stack for Extra Layers. For sky-high biscuits, use the folding process! Roll the dough into a rectangle, fold it in half, turn it, and repeat a couple of times. This helps create those irresistible flaky layers.
- Use the Right Cutting Technique. When using a biscuit cutter, press straight down without twisting. Twisting seals the edges and prevents the biscuits from rising properly. If you don’t have a round cutter, a sharp knife or pizza cutter works great for making square biscuits.
- What to Serve with Buttermilk Biscuits. Buttermilk biscuits are a classic side dish that pairs with just about anything! Smother them in sausage gravy for a Southern-style breakfast, use them as a base for a breakfast sandwich with eggs and cheese, or enjoy them with a spread of strawberry jam and honey. They’re also perfect alongside soups, stews, and roasted meats for a cozy meal.
Have you tried this Easy Buttermilk Biscuits recipe?
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Easy Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- ½ cup Butter
- ⅔ cup Buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until well combined. 2 cups Flour, 1 tbsp Baking Powder, ½ tsp Cream of Tartar, 1 tbsp Sugar
- Cut in the butter. The easiest way is to use a cheese grater to grate cold butter directly into the flour mixture. If using a pastry cutter or fork, work the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. ½ cup Butter
- Stir the ingredients together with a fork or pastry cutter until evenly combined. The mixture should be crumbly, with small pieces of butter evenly distributed throughout.
- Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Stir gently with a large spoon until the dough just comes together. ⅔ cup Buttermilk
- Use your hands to incorporate the flour, but be careful not to overmix or knead the dough too much—this keeps the biscuits light and tender.
- Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the dough.
- Cut into circles using a biscuit cutter or a large drinking glass.
- Place the biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 9-12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
- Let them cool completely before storing. Keep them covered or in a sealed bag for up to a week.
Notes
Pro Tips
Butter: Use a cheese grater to cut butter into small pieces. Best if butter is very cold. Then using a fork or a pastry cutter mix the butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is a crumb texture. Buttermilk: Recipe calls for Buttermilk. Make your own buttermilk by combining ⅔ cup milk with 2 teaspoons cider vinegar and allow mixture to sit for 10 minutes.Serve
Enjoy hot buttermilk biscuits right out of the oven or serve with Sausage and Gravy, Add Air Fryer sausage patty for a breakfast sandwich, or use a mini sandwiches for a snack.Storage & Make Ahead
- Store: Keep leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. For longer freshness, store them in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze: Freeze baked biscuits in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to three months. If freezing unbaked biscuits, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag.
- Reheat: Warm biscuits in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes to bring back their crispy edges. You can also microwave them for 15-20 seconds, but they’ll be softer.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the dough in advance and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. You can also cut out the biscuits and freeze them unbaked, so you can bake fresh biscuits anytime with zero extra prep.
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutrition values are approximate and calculated by a plugin and are provided as a courtesy. Adding or subtracting ingredients will change the nutritional value.
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