These Perfect Buttermilk Biscuits are golden brown and fluffy. With soft, flaky insides, they are full of delicious buttery flavor and taste great with so many dishes.
For some ideas on how to enjoy these buttermilk biscuits, even more, try our AMAZING sausage gravy recipe for the perfect biscuits and gravy breakfast combination.
Perfect buttermilk biscuits
Flaky, soft, and buttery, these delicious buttermilk biscuits are so good. They’re also easy to make and so versatile. We love eating them with eggs or gravy, but you can also enjoy them with a dash of butter on the side of a bigger meal, or use them for your breakfast and lunch sandwiches. These buttermilk biscuits are really flavorful and go with both the savory and the sweet. Try these Easy Poached Eggs with Caramelized Onions on one of these perfect biscuits and you’ll be in heaven!
What is the secret to making the BEST biscuits?
The best tip I can give you for making the best biscuits is always using cold butter. The reason cold butter makes great biscuits is that as the chunks of butter melt in the oven, steam pockets are created. This is how you get the light, airy, and flaky goodness of perfect biscuits.
What will I need to make this recipe?
These homemade buttermilk biscuits need a few important ingredients. To make them, you’ll need dry ingredients like all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and cream of tartar, and wet ingredients, like unsalted butter, buttermilk, and an egg. Make sure your butter is cold before you start.
How to make the BEST biscuits from scratch
- Sift dry ingredients. Sift together the sugar, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar, and flour into a bowl.
- Slice and add the butter. Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add it into the flour, cutting it with a pastry cutter or by combining it with a food processor. Continue cutting until the butter is the size of a pea.
- Whisk in the egg and buttermilk. Add the buttermilk and egg to the flour mixture, whisking just enough to combine (don’t overmix).
- Refrigerate dough. Form the dough into a disk and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.
- Roll out the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 3/4-inch thickness on a floured surface.
- Cut the biscuits. Using a 3 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut as many biscuits as possible. Then roll out the remaining dough to 3/4-inch thickness again, and continue cutting until no more dough remains.
4. Baking the biscuits. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes at 370 degrees Fahrenheit, or until golden brown. Serve.
TIPS:
- Use cold butter– this is crucial for achieving those flakey layers. If your butter begins to soften, place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden it up again.
- Don’t overmix– If the biscuit dough is mixed too much, it will become tough and dense.
- Avoid using your hands too much– your hands are always going to be warm wich will melt the butter, and you definitely want to avoid that.
- Don’t twist the biscuit cutter– you want to gently press and pick up the ring mold in order to get the best shape out of the dough.
What goes well with buttermilk biscuits
Do I have to use buttermilk?
Yes, buttermilk is a must for these homemade biscuits. The acidity of buttermilk reacts with the other leavening agents in the recipe to make the biscuit dough rise. Regular milk or other liquids won’t be able to do this.
Can I make them in advance?
Yes, this is a great recipe to make ahead of time. When you place the dough in the refrigerator, it can stay overnight. In fact, the longer it sits in the fridge, the better. So you can easily make the dough the night before and bake the buttermilk biscuits in the morning. 
How long do homemade biscuits keep?
These buttermilk biscuits last for up to a week in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You can leave them out at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Can I freeze them?
Yes, these homemade buttermilk biscuits can be frozen. Place them in an airtight container or ziplock freezer bag and they can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Perfect Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- 1 1/3 cup buttermilk
Instructions
Sift the dry ingredients
- Sift the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and cream of tartar into a bowl.
Cut in the COLD butter
- Slice the butter into small cubes and cut it into the flour using a pastry cutter. Continue cutting until the butter is the size of a pea. If you have a large food processor this can be done in the food processor as well. 
Add buttermilk and eggs
- Whisk the egg and buttermilk together and mix it into the flour/butter mixture. Be careful not to over-mix.
Chill the dough in the fridge
- Form the dough into a disk and wrap it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. The longer it sits in the fridge, the better. So you can easily make the dough the night before and bake them buttermilk biscuits in the morning. 
Roll, cut, and bake
- Now place the dough onto a floured surface and roll it out to 3/4 inch thick.
- Using a biscuit cutter (3 1/4 inch in diameter), cut as many biscuits as you can. Gather the scraps together and roll it out to 3/4 inch thick again. Cut as many biscuits as possible once more.
- Place the biscuits onto a baking sheet and bake at 370 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with salted butter, jam, or with sausage gravy.
Notes
Nutrition
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