Flaky buttermilk biscuits are the tall, buttery, golden-topped bread basket stars that melt in your mouth. Each biscuit pulls apart into soft, tender layers with a slightly tangy flavor from buttermilk and a crisp edge from the hot oven.
This easy flaky buttermilk biscuits recipe needs only seven ingredients and about 10 minutes of hands-on time. The secrets are very cold butter, a quick fold of the dough for layers, and a hot oven, all of which give you biscuits that rise tall and bake up flaky every time.
They are perfect for Thanksgiving dinner, weekend breakfasts with jam or gravy, and chicken dinners. Serve them warm with butter and honey, split them for breakfast sandwiches, or soak up soup with them. Homemade biscuits are far better than anything from a can.
Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 biscuits
Category: Bread / Side Dish
Why You’ll Love These Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
- Tall, tender, and buttery with flaky layers
- Only 7 simple ingredients
- Ready in 30 minutes with no yeast
- Perfect for breakfast, dinner, and holidays
- Better than canned biscuits every time
Ingredients You’ll Need for Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing
- Flaky salt or honey, optional
How to Make Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.
- Cut the cold butter into the flour using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the pieces are pea-sized.
- Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and pat it into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick.
- Fold the dough in thirds like a letter, turn, pat out again, and repeat the fold two more times to build layers.
- Pat the dough to 1 inch thick and cut straight down with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, without twisting.
- Arrange the biscuits on the baking sheet with their sides just touching, and brush the tops with buttermilk or melted butter.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until tall and golden brown, then brush with melted butter and serve warm.
Tips for the Best Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
- Keep everything cold. Cold butter and buttermilk create steam in the oven, which gives the biscuits their flaky layers and lift.
- Don’t twist the cutter. Twisting seals the edges and stops the biscuits from rising tall, so press straight down and lift.
- Don’t overmix. A shaggy, slightly dry-looking dough is correct, and overworking makes biscuits tough.
- Bake the biscuits touching each other. They support each other as they rise, so they bake up taller.
- Use a hot oven. The high heat makes the butter steam quickly for maximum rise.
Variations to Try
- Cheddar and chive biscuits: fold in 1 cup of shredded cheddar and chives
- Garlic butter biscuits: brush with garlic parsley butter
- Honey butter biscuits: glaze with warm honey butter
- Cinnamon sugar biscuits: add sugar and cinnamon on top
- Drop biscuits: skip the folding and scoop the dough
How to Store It
Store the biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Warm them in a 300°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes before serving.
To freeze, place cut, unbaked biscuits on a tray, freeze solid, and store in a bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 3 to 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn’t my biscuits rise?
Warm butter, old baking powder, twisting the cutter, or overmixing are the usual causes. Keep everything cold and press the cutter straight down.
Can I use milk instead of buttermilk?
Yes. Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes to make a quick substitute.
Should I use grated or cubed butter?
Both work. Grating frozen butter on a box grater makes it even faster to mix into the flour while keeping it very cold.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. Cut the biscuits, refrigerate them on a tray for up to 8 hours, and bake when ready, or freeze them for later.
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and whisk the dry ingredients.
- Cut in the cold butter until pea-sized and stir in the buttermilk.
- Tip: Keep everything cold for the flakiest layers.
- Pat out the dough, fold in thirds three times, and pat to 1 inch thick.
- Cut straight down with a round cutter without twisting.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden and brush with melted butter.
Notes
Don't twist the cutter or the biscuits won't rise tall.