Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

These soft and buttery buttermilk biscuits will bring the entire family to the breakfast table. Cold butter and minimal handling are the keys to getting the large rise that everyone loves. This quick and easy recipe is sure to be a hit the next time you serve these. 

For me buttermilk biscuits practically scream weekend breakfast or brunch. They are a great workhorse for breakfast. Breakfast sandwich, spread with gravy, drenched in butter and honey, or just a smidge of your favorite spread, it doesn’t matter how you eat them. These biscuits are perfect for making buttermilk biscuits and gravy.

In this recipe

I don’t know how many different recipes and little baking hacks I tried to get these biscuits just right. Some were too dense, others didn’t rise enough, my favorite blunder was one that turned into a massive blob. I still don’t know how that one happened. However what I ended up with will be something that will put a smile on everyone at the table. 

Ingredients for buttermilk biscuits on a wooden cutting board
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Keep it cold

The most important thing about this recipe is making sure the butter and buttermilk are very cold.  The reason for this is when the butter and buttermilk warm up they blend with the flour. Once this happens the flour absorbs the water from the butter. This will make the biscuits lose their fluffy layers. The larger pieces of butter are responsible for creating those layers. Also if you finish rolling the dough and cutting the biscuits then place them covered in the refrigerator until the oven is hot.  

Flattened ball of dough
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Biscuits cut out the dough
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Uncooked biscuits on a lined baking sheet
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Cooked biscuits on a lined baking sheet
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Rolling and cutting

It is important to handle the dough as little as possible. You don’t want the gluten to build up giving you tougher and chewy biscuits. I have done that a couple of times thinking that everything was perfectly mixed by doing so. Consequently, I wound up with an interesting version of a hockey puck. You do not want to use a lot of pressure with the rolling pin. Unless you are using a very heavy rolling pin just a light pressure will be good. I roll the dough out so I can cut 3 biscuits in a row. This allows for seen biscuits in the first roll. 

A mound of buttermilk biscuits on a cooling rack
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Getting a nice rise

It is good to measure the height of the dough. You want it to be about an inch thick. If the height of the dough is the same as the cutter then you will get a nice sized biscuit. Also you want to set them so close they are almost touching. As they expand they will barely touch but this will force the dough to go up instead of out. By having the dough cold before baking will also keep the dough from spreading out too far as well. 

A stack of 3 buttermilk biscuits
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Looking for other brunch ideas?

A stack of buttermilk biscuits on a cooling rack
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Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

Sean
The classic buttermilk biscuit
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 9 biscuits
Calories 279 kcal

Equipment

  • Pastry blender
  • Large bowl
  • Biscuit cutter
  • Large bowl
  • Parchment paper/Silicone mat

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1½ tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 9 tbsp unsalted butter cold
  • 1¼ cup buttermilk possibly more in a dry area

Instructions
 

  • With a rack in the center of the oven preheat to 425°F
  • In a large bowl whisk the dry ingredients together.
  • Drop the butter and with the pasty blender cut the butter into flour until the mixture looks pebbly. You can also use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour. If you choose this method make sure to work quickly. The mixture will have varying sizes of butter pieces and that is a good thing.
  • Pour the buttermilk over the flour mixture and with a fork until everything is just combined. If you are in a dryer climate like me you might need some additional butter milk. Add extra a tablespoon at a time. Knead a couple of times to form a loose ball
  • Sprinkle some flour on the counter and roll the dough to 1 inch thickness. Cut as many biscuits as you can then combine the remains and roll out to the same thickness an additional time. Transfer the biscuits to a sheet and place in the oven.
  • Bake for 15-18 min or until the tops are golden brown.
  • Transfer them to a basket reserving one for yourself before everyone else gets the rest.

Nutrition

Serving: 1biscuitCalories: 279kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 443mgPotassium: 93mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 405IUCalcium: 166mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition Disclaimer*
Keyword Biscuits, Butter, Buttermilk, Flour
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buttermilk biscuits pinterest pin
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