Des

Hey! I'm Des!

Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

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Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

Flaky, buttery homemade buttermilk biscuits are a classic for a reason! Serve them at breakfast with gravy, butter and jam or a drizzle of honey. 

Want to know a little secret? Buttermilk biscuits are a new favorite of mine. We didn’t eat them a lot growing up. I was really more familiar with the song than I was with actual buttermilk biscuits. 

Hand holding buttermilk biscuit.

But now that I’ve been making them more and more, I am going to say they are quickly becoming one of my favorite quick breads to make.  And after several rounds of testing, I’ve perfected the recipe and I’m going to share it with you today! Along with some tips to ensure you get perfectly flakey homemade buttermilk biscuits. 

Two buttermilk biscuits staked on top of each other.

What you need: 

FLOUR: No need for fancy flours, all purpose flour works great. 

BAKING POWDER: This is the leavener that will help give the biscuits giving the height you want. 

SALT: For flavor 

BUTTER: You want the butter to be cold! This is essential. I also prefer to grate the butter but you can simply dice it into small pieces too. 

BUTTERMILK: The buttermilk also needs to be cold. 

Step by Step Photos and Instructions: 

Step by step photos for homemade buttermilk biscuits.

STEP #1: Whisk together the dry ingredients. 

STEP#2: Add in the grated (or diced) cold butter. Use a pastry cutter or a fork to cut the butter into the flour. Continue working until the mixture is coarse. 

STEP #3: Pour in the buttermilk. Use your hands to mix just until combined. 

STEP #4: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until it comes together. Press into a rectangle. Fold once more. 

biscuit dough in rectangle.

STEP #5: Use a 3 inch biscuit cutter to cut into 8 biscuits. You may need to roll the scrapes of the dough one additional time to get 8 biscuits. 

Biscuit dough cut into biscuits.

STEP #6: Place the biscuits in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or other baking dish (make sure they are touching!). Brush them lightly with a little more buttermilk.

Brushing buttermilk on top of biscuits.

STEP #7: Bake at 425 for 12 – 15 minutes or until browned on top. Brush with melted butter, if desired. 

Buttermilk biscuits in a cast iron skillet.

Tips for making perfect homemade buttermilk biscuits: 

Tip #1: Use COLD butter. As the biscuits cook, the butter will steam and help create the flaky layers. 

Tip #2: Grating the butter makes it easier to work into the flour. 

Grated butter

Tip #3: Don’t over work the dough or the biscuits will be too tough. I recommend using your hands to form the dough into a rectangle. Fold it twice and then roll it out. You should be able to get 6 – 7 biscuits out of one roll. If you need to, roll the dough out once more to get the 8th biscuit. Don’t roll it much more than that! 

Tip #4: Don’t skip folding the dough! It really helps with the layers. 

Up close photo of biscuit with honey drizzle.

Tip #5: To help the biscuits gain even more height, make sure they are touching when you bake them. A 10-inch cast iron skillet works great! 

Overhead photo of biscuits.

These homemade buttermilk biscuits will be the perfect addition to your breakfasts, holiday dinners or Sunday suppers. Serve them with gravy, strawberry jalapeño jam or whipped garlic butter. Either way, you and your family will love them!

Looking for more recipes to serve alongside these biscuits? Here are some of my favorites: 

Brined Fried Chicken

Instant Pot Chili 

Scrambled Eggs with Bacon

For more southern classic recipes, check out these: 

Southern Style Green Beans 

Fried Green Tomatoes 

Fried Okra

Pimento Cheese

Buttermilk biscuit with a honey drizzle on white plate.

Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

Flaky, buttery homemade buttermilk biscuits are a classic for a reason! Serve them at breakfast with gravy, butter and jam or a drizzle of honey. 
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 12 mins
Total Time 22 mins
Course Easy Appetizer Recipes, Main Dishes
Cuisine Southern
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 201 kcal

Ingredients
  

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons cold butter diced into cubes or grated
  • 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
  • 1 - 2 tablespoons melted butter optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat to oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
  • Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is coarse.
  • Pour in the buttermilk and use your hands to mix just until combined.
  • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and kneed just until it comes together. Press into a rectangle. Fold one side in and then the other. Press and gently flatten. Then repeat one more time. Roll until the dough is about 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick.
  • Use a 3 inch biscuit cutter to cut the biscuits. Re-roll until you get 8 biscuits. Brush with melted butter if desired.
  • Place the biscuits in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Cook in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until browned on top.

Notes

Nutrition information is for estimation purposes only.

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcalCarbohydrates: 25.8gProtein: 4.1gFat: 9.2gSaturated Fat: 5.7gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 378mgFiber: 0.9gSugar: 1.2g
Tried this recipe?Mention @lifesambrosia or tag #lifesambrosia!

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Des

Hey! I'm Des!

Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

Read more »

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