Easy Buttermilk Biscuits
This soft and fluffy recipe results in the perfect biscuits, ideal for lazy day breakfasts either smeared with butter and drizzled with honey or topped with gravy or as the base for strawberry shortcake. With their fluffy texture, rich buttery taste, and versatility, they are sure to become a family favorite.
Servings 9 large biscuits
Calories 279kcal
Ingredients
- 340 grams / 3 cups plain flour sifted
- 14 grams / 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 grams / ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
- 160 grams / 5.6 ounces butter chilled and cubed
- 250 grams / 1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 14 grams / 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 230C/450F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Place the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl and stir to combine.
- Add in the cubed butter and begin cutting it into the flour with a pastry blender or knife until the pieces of butter are no larger than a pea and the mixture resembles course breadcrumbs.
- Make a well in the center and add in the buttermilk.
- Stir the buttermilk through the flour mixture until no dry patches remain and the dough looks shaggy.
- Press the shaggy dough into the edges of your bowl to form the dough and upturn onto a floured work surface.
- Press firmly together and shape into a rough square with your hands.
- Cut the dough in half with a bench scraper and lay one half on top of the other.
- Press down firmly and lightly flour the bench scraper, press the edges of the dough to shape into a square.
- Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll out into a rectangle that is 1 ½ inches thick.
- Cut into 9 equal squares and place biscuits onto your baking tray.
- Brush the milk over the top of the biscuits.
- Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until really golden on top and the edges.
- Remove and allow to cool.
- Serve warm, with butter, peach jam or a drizzle of honey.
Video
Notes
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is acidic which reacts with the baking powder and activates the baking soda in the biscuits as well giving our biscuits moisture to create a soft and flaky texture. It's best not to create your own buttermilk substitute here to ensure you get the best biscuits.
- The great lard/butter debate: Traditional recipes for biscuits call for lard which is not as frequent an ingredient found in homes nowadays. Additionally, some bakers who have made traditional biscuits with either ingredient cannot tell a large difference in the final result which means that if you have lard on hand, simply sub the butter in this recipe in equal measure.
- Keep your ingredients chilled: When preparing the butter, it’s best to measure out and cube into equal portions and return to the fridge until required, this helps in the final result of fluffy and layered biscuits.
- Serving your buttermilk biscuits with gravy: If you want to make more traditional biscuits and gravy, Sawmill Gravy is a great and traditional place to start as this is often the way they are served in the South and this recipe is a great one to top your biscuits with.
- Best served: Biscuits are best served the day they are made, but will keep covered for up to 3 days, however, will be better served toasted at this time.
Nutrition
Calories: 279kcal