Buttermilk Biscuits
These biscuits prepared with buttermilk are light and flaky, and they have a sweet honey butter topping. They take just 35 minutes to make with just 6 ingredients!
Intro and Tips
I am not typically a successful baker, and I have yet to mess these biscuits up. It hasn’t ever happened once. So I promise you that you can do the same thing.
Just follow a few simple rules and it will be easy. Be sure to read my PRO TIPS. (BONUS: You can even make these without buttermilk, check out my substitution options below!)
- Prep Time: 20minutes minutes
- Time to cook: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35minutes minutes
5 out of 257 ratings
8 biscuits per serving
These buttermilk biscuits are soft and flaky, and they have a sweet honey butter topping. You only need six things to create them, and they only take 35 minutes!
Things You Need for This Recipe
- Pastry Cutter
- Biscuit Cutter
- Brush for Pastry
- Silicone Spatula
- 10-inch cast iron frying pan
Things you need
- ◯ 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
- ◯ 2 tablespoons aluminum free baking powder, not baking soda
- ◯ 1 teaspoon of salt
- ◯ 2 teaspoons of honey
- ◯ 1/2 cup of very cold butter, which is the same as 1 stick.
- ◯ 1 cup + 3 Tablespoons cold Buttermilk
Topping
- ◯ 2 Tablespoons of honey
- ◯ 1 Tablespoon of butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Stir until well-combined.
- Cut the cold butter into cubes and add it to the bowl. Use a pastry cutter (or the back of a fork) to work it in until coarse crumbs form.
- Make a hole in the middle of the dry mix and pour in the chilled buttermilk and honey. Use a silicone spatula to gently stir until just combined. Don’t mix too much.It will be crumbly.
- Add the dough to a floured surface and create a rectangle with your hands about 9 inches long.
- Fold the left side into the middle, then the right side. (See process shots.)
- Rotate the dough so that it’s horizontal. Gently flatten into a rectangle again, and repeat the same folding process 2 more times.
- Form into a 10 x 7 inch rectangle about 1-inch thick.
- Use a 3-inch cookie cutter to cut 6 circles. Do not twist the cutter, it will seal the edges and prevent airflow which will hinder them from rising. Lightly flour the inside of the cutter in between. I like to store them in the fridge as I cut them to prevent them from getting too warm.
- Roll the dough back out until it’s 1 inch thick again and cut 2 more biscuits. You should end up with about 8 biscuits total.
- Butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet and place the biscuits inside so that they are almost touching. The close proximity makes them rise better. You could also place them close together on parchment paper on top of a baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- Combine the honey and melted butter and brush the warm biscuits with it. For more browning on top, bake for up to 5 more minutes at 450°.
- Store in an airtight container or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze leftover biscuits.
Pro Tips
To get an accurate measurement of the flour, use a spoon to scoop it into the measuring cup instead of dipping the measuring cup into the flour. Use the knife to level off the top. It’s important to get the right measurement.
You could also weigh the flour. 300 grams is the same as 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour.Make sure to take the weight of the measuring cup away.
Ensure the baking powder is labeled “aluminum free”, this is an extra precaution to avoid a chemical aftertaste, (although I don’t taste one with regular baking soda, some are more sensitive to this aftertaste than others). 1 Tablespoon baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon baking soda may also be used.
Don’t twist the biscuit cutter; it will seal the edges and stop air from getting in, which will keep them from rising.
Salt: For baking, use salt that doesn’t have iodine in it. I use Redmond Real Salt for all of my baking and cooking recipes. (Table salt usually has iodine added to it, which can make baked goods taste bitter.)Type in the code “COZY” to get 15% off!
Butter: I use salted butter for this recipe but feel free to use unsalted. Land O’ Lakes or Cabot Butter are my preferred brands. If you have frozen butter, you can shred it and incorporate it into the dough instead of refrigerated butter. Be sure the butter is really cold.When the butter melts in the oven, it creates steam which forms air pockets, which makes the layers light and fluffy.
If you don’t have honey, an equal amount of sugar can be used in the biscuits and you can brush the tops with just butter. (But honey truly makes it taste great!)
Don’t overmix the dough or it will become too dense and won’t be as flakey and soft.
Fold the dough as shown and told above. This is very important because it makes the layers in the biscuit.
A large fork can be used if you don’t have a pastry cutter.
What Does Buttermilk Do to Biscuits?
- Tang: Buttermilk gives baked items a wonderful tangy taste.
- Acidity: The buttermilk’s acidity interacts with the baking powder to make the biscuits rise.
- Liquid: This is what makes the dough and makes steam in the oven, which makes the layers in the cookies rise.
- Low Fat Content: Buttermilk is usually low in fat content, which works as a nice offset since butter is dispersed throughout the dough and is high in fat.
Buttermilk Substitutes (Yields 1 cup):
- ◯ 4 tablespoons milk + 3/4 cup sour cream.
- ◯ 2 tablespoons milk + enough plain yogurt to make a cup.
- ◯ 1 tablespoon white vinegar + enough milk to make a cup. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- ◯ 1 tablespoon lemon juice + enough milk to make a cup. Let sit for 10 minutes. It’ll look curdled. Stir to combine.
Make-Ahead Method
Method #1: Prepare the dough and cut the biscuits. Refrigerate for up to 2 days prior to baking. Alternatively, you can prepare the dough and complete the folding steps, cover the dough with plastic wrap and cut the biscuits prior to baking.
Method #2: Make dough and cut biscuits as outlined. Flash freeze on a baking sheet for 2 hours, then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them defrost in the fridge overnight, then bake as outlined.
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Refrigerated biscuits retain more moisture and therefore taste better when reheated (vs. storing at room temperature).
Nutrition
Calories: 299kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 440mg, Potassium: 393mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 448IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 175mg, Iron: 2mg