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5 from 37 votes

Easy Homemade Biscuits

These Easy Homemade Biscuits with all-purpose flour are flaky, fluffy, and most importantly super buttery. These are made completely from scratch in only about 30 minutes! Perfect for brunch or breakfast.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Total Time33 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 8 biscuits
Author: Brianna May

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups (325 g) all purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar*
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt*
  • 10 Tablespoons (142 g) unsalted european butter, cubed & frozen for 10-15 minutes
  • ¾ cup + 1 Tablespoon cold buttermilk plus more for brushing*
  • flaky salt optional for sprinkling

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  • Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients. The butter pieces should be pea-sized and not overly incorporated. You can also use a cheese coarse grater to grate the butter or a large food processor. Pour the flour and butter in the bowl and pulse a few times.
  • Stir the flour and butter with a spoon after cutting it to make sure it is evenly dispersed. Make a well in the center.
  • Pour the buttermilk in the well and gently fold until the dough comes together. Do not over mix.
  • Dump onto a clean cold lightly floured surface.
  • Form into a rough rectangle.
  • Roll or press gently in a rectangle that is about ¼ of an inch thick. Cut into 5-6 pieces. When cutting, do not press down too hard
  • Stack the pieces and flatten again into a rectangle that is about 1.25 inches thick.
  • Cut into 8 biscuits that are roughly the same size. (These are supposed to be rustic!)
  • Place onto a plate or small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 10-15 minutes.
  • Remove from the cold plate or sheet and place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with buttermilk and sprinkle with flaky salt if desired.
  • Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

  • Granulated Sugar: Substitute for brown sugar. 
  • Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
  • Buttermilk: Substitute with the same amount of whole milk and 1 Tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. The acid is crucial for activating the baking soda and flavor.
  • Use cold ingredients. Stick the butter in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Be sure to keep the buttermilk in the fridge until right before you pour it into the dry ingredients.
  • Flour the surface and hands. This will help the dough not to stick. 
  • Cut the dough into pieces & stack. This process is called laminating. It helps the biscuits to be extra flaky. 
  • Be gentle while shaping & cutting. You can use a rolling pin with a light hand or simply just press the dough with your hands to flatten it if you do not have one. Use little pressure when cutting the dough. This will help the edges to not seal and allow the biscuits to rise better. 
  • Do not overwork the dough. The heat from your hands will begin to melt the butter, combining it into the flour. This will prevent the biscuits from rising as much. It is important to work quickly and not worry too much about the size or shape. If the dough begins to get warm or the butter starts to melt. Pop it in the freezer for 5 minutes and then continue shaping. 
  • Cut into squares. I prefer to just cut the whole slab of dough into equal squares so that you do not have any scraps from a round biscuit cutter that have to be wasted or reworked.