Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits From Scratch Recipe
Deliciously flaky buttermilk biscuits made from scratch using simple pantry ingredients. These tender, golden-brown biscuits come together quickly with cold butter or shortening and tangy buttermilk, baked to perfection for a comforting treat that pairs well with breakfast or any meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 8 biscuits 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) sifted all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (2g) granulated sugar
Fat
- ⅓ cup (37g) vegetable shortening or unsalted butter, cold
Liquid
- 1 cup (240mL) buttermilk
For Brushing
- Additional melted butter for brushing
- Freshly ground black pepper (optional, for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400ºF (204ºC) to ensure it’s hot and ready for baking the biscuits.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and sugar into a large bowl to evenly combine and aerate the mixture for light biscuits.
- Cut in Fat: Add cold vegetable shortening or unsalted butter to the dry mix, then blend using a fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This ensures flaky texture.
- Add Buttermilk: Pour the buttermilk all at once into the flour and fat mixture, stirring just until the dry ingredients are moistened and a shaggy dough forms. Avoid over-mixing for tender biscuits.
- Shape Dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently knead about 4 to 5 times. Pat or roll it into a ½-inch thick disc for even thickness.
- Cut Biscuits: Using a floured biscuit cutter, press straight down to cut out biscuits without twisting. Place them on a large baking sheet, spaced slightly apart.
- Brush and Season: Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter and optionally sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper for extra flavor.
- Bake Biscuits: Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits have risen nicely.
- Finish and Serve: Remove from oven and immediately brush again with melted butter for a shiny, rich finish. Serve warm for best texture and flavor. Store leftovers at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Flour: You can use either all-purpose or bread flour; be sure to sift before measuring for accurate quantity.
- Shortening/Butter: Keep your fat cold and refrigerated before adding to maintain flakiness in the biscuits.
- Brushing with Butter: For a vegan option, avoid using dairy butter for brushing; use a plant-based butter alternative instead.
- Mixing Dough: Stir just until ingredients come together to prevent tough biscuits.
- Kneading: Over-kneading can make biscuits tough; knead gently and minimally.
Keywords: buttermilk biscuits, flaky biscuits, homemade biscuits, breakfast bread, classic biscuits, easy biscuit recipe
