These homemade buttermilk biscuits are a true Southern comfort classic, ready in just 30 minutes from start to finish. Light, flaky, and irresistibly buttery, each golden-brown biscuit delivers the perfect balance of crispy exterior and tender, pillowy center.
With only 172 calories per serving, these versatile biscuits work beautifully for breakfast sandwiches, alongside soups, or simply slathered with honey butter. The magic of buttermilk creates an incredibly tender crumb that will have everyone reaching for seconds.
Ingredients for Perfect Buttermilk Biscuits
- All-purpose flour (2 cups): Room temperature, properly measured for best results
- Baking powder (2½ tsp): Essential leavening agent for fluffy biscuits
- Salt (½ tsp): Enhances overall flavor profile
- Frozen butter (5 Tbsp): Keep extra cold for flakier layers
- Buttermilk (¾ cup): Creates tender, tangy biscuits
- Honey (3 Tbsp): Adds subtle sweetness and helps with browning
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep Work: Preheat oven to 400°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in large bowl
- Butter Integration: Grate frozen butter into flour mixture, blend until crumbly
- Chill Mixture: Rest in refrigerator for 10 minutes for extra flakiness
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Stir honey into buttermilk until well combined
- Form Dough: Mix wet and dry ingredients just until moist, shape into ball
- Create Layers: Roll, fold into thirds twice for perfect flaky layers
- Cut Biscuits: Roll to ¾-inch thickness, cut into 10-12 rounds
- Bake: Place 1 inch apart, bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown
- Storage: Cool completely, store at room temperature or freeze for later
Kitchen Tips for Perfect Biscuits
The magic of these biscuits comes from keeping everything super cold! Pop your butter in the freezer for about 30 minutes before starting – this creates those lovely, flaky layers we all love. When you’re working with the dough, use light, quick touches. The warmth from your hands can melt the butter, so the less you handle it, the better your biscuits will be.
Simple Swaps
No buttermilk? Mix 3/4 cup regular milk with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes. For a different sweetness, maple syrup works beautifully instead of honey. Want whole grain goodness? Replace 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour – just know your biscuits might be a bit denser.
Serve It Up
These honey-kissed biscuits shine at breakfast split and buttered, but they’re also amazing with jam or a drizzle of extra honey. Make them part of dinner by serving them alongside soups or stews. For an extra-special touch, brush the tops with melted butter right when they come out of the oven!
Smart Storage
Fresh biscuits are best eaten within two days when kept in a sealed container on your counter. The freezer is your friend here – pop cooled biscuits in a freezer bag, and they’ll stay yummy for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, warm them in a 350° oven for about 5 minutes.
Buttermilk Biscuits
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pastry Blender
- Grater
- Biscuit Cutter
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 Tablespoons butter frozen
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3 Tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter into the flour mixture and then use a pastry blender or fork to incorporate it until mixture resembles coarse meal. Chill in refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- Stir honey into buttermilk until well blended. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir just until moist.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form gently into a ball. Roll or pat the dough into a rectangle ½ inch thick.
- Fold the dough into thirds (as if folding a piece of paper to fit into an envelope). Gently re-roll dough into a rectangle, ½ inch thick. Fold dough into thirds one more time. Gently roll to a 3/4-inch thickness.
- Cut dough with a biscuit or cookie cutter to form 10-12 biscuits. Place them 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Remove from pan and cool on wire racks.
- Store biscuits at room temperature for 1-2 days, or for best results, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze leftover biscuits in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
