Description
Classic homemade butter buttermilk biscuits that are flaky, tender, and golden brown. Perfect for breakfast or as a side dish, these biscuits combine cold butter and tangy buttermilk for a rich yet light texture with delicious layers.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients & Fats
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Cut in Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces visible.
- Add Buttermilk: Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk slowly.
- Form Dough: Gently stir the buttermilk into the flour using a fork or wooden spoon until just combined. The dough should be shaggy and slightly sticky, avoiding overmixing to keep it tender.
- Shape Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle.
- Layer Dough: Fold the dough in half and gently pat it down to 1/2-inch thickness again. Repeat this folding and patting 2 to 3 times to develop flaky layers within the biscuits.
- Cut Biscuits: Using a floured biscuit cutter or sharp knife, cut out biscuits from the dough. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart to allow spreading during baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the biscuits have risen and are golden brown on top.
- Cool & Serve: Remove the biscuits from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool briefly. Serve warm for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is very cold to create flaky layers in the biscuits.
- Avoid overmixing the dough to keep biscuits tender and light.
- Buttermilk adds acidity which reacts with baking powder to help the biscuits rise.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute with milk mixed with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice.
- For softer biscuit edges, place biscuits close together on the baking sheet; for crisper edges, place them spaced apart.
