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5.0 from 3 votes

Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

All you need are a few simple ingredients to make this easy homemade buttermilk biscuit recipe for tender, buttery biscuits with tons of flaky layers.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 9
Calories: 431 kcal
Course: Breakfast , Brunch
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface , (406.25 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 8 ounces unsalted butter , very cold (I recommend using a higher-fat, European-style butter, such as Kerrygold or Plugra-
  • 1 ¼ cups full-fat buttermilk , chilled and shaken well (300 grams)
  • 1 egg , optional (for egg wash)
  • Flaky sea salt , optional (for baking)
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk , (for egg wash)
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter , melted, for brushing the biscuits after baking

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and stir with a fork or a whisk to combine. Grate your butter (it should be VERY cold) on the large holes of a box grater. I like to do this over a sheet of wax or parchment paper so you can spread it out and avoid it clumping together. Add the cold, grated butter to the flour mixture. You may find you need to place the grated butter in the freezer for 5 minutes after grating to get it nice and cold again. Toss the cold, grated butter so it's evenly coated with flour. Sift through the mixture with your fingers to be sure you don’t have any large pieces of butter. If some of the butter pieces are in larger clumps, use a pastry blender to blend them up in the dry mixture (the pieces should be no larger than a pea).
  3. Drizzle the flour mixture with half of the buttermilk, using a fork to incorporate. Add the rest of the buttermilk, continuing to mix with a fork. Adding the buttermilk in two stages helps ensure the dough mixture is evenly hydrated. Once the mixture begins to form clumps, use your fingers to toss the mixture and run along the sides and bottom of the bowl to scrape up any dough bits that may be stuck. Gently and briefly knead the mixture in the bowl until the dough begins to come together. Some pieces will hold together when you squeeze the dough, but there will also be some dry, floury bits.
  4. Lightly sprinkle your work surface with a few shakes of flour as needed. Don't add too much or the biscuits will be dry and crumbly. Turn the shaggy mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface or countertop. The goal is to bring the mixture together into a shapable dough roughly 6 X 6-inch square and 1 ½ inches thick. Alternate between using the bench scraper to fold, pile, and press the dough on the top and along all four sides, and the rolling pin to apply pressure when pushing down and rolling. Use the bench scraper to square it off and shape.
  5. Use the bench scraper to cut the dough in half. Stack half of the dough on top of the other then press down on the stack. Roll it out into a square and use the bench scraper to shape it. Repeat this process 3 more times or until the dough is mostly smooth, taking care not to overwork it.
  6. Roll the dough into a 6 x 6-inch square. Use the bench scraper to cut it into 9 even-sized squares. For larger biscuits roll the dough into a 6 x 9-inch rectangle, cut in half lengthwise, and cut each half into 6 even-sized squares. To get neater, sharper edges on your corner pieces, use your bench scraper or knife to cut off a little from the sides.
  7. Place the biscuits on a plate or sheet pan lined with parchment paper then freeze them for 15 minutes so the butter gets cold and firm.
  8. When ready to bake, make your egg wash. Whisk the egg and 2 tablespoons of buttermilk together in a small bowl. Brush the biscuit tops and sides with your egg wash. Top with a sprinkling of flaky salt if desired. Bake the biscuits for 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway through (the tops should be nicely golden brown). Brush with melted salted butter after baking and serve warm or at room temperature. While best eaten the day they're baked, you can store the biscuits in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • To get neater, sharper edges on your corner pieces, use your bench scraper or knife to cut off a little from the sides.
  • If you do not have kosher salt, you will only need half the amount of salt the recipe calls for.
  • I like to use a European-style butter with a higher fat content (such as Plugra or Kerrygold)—the butter is such a central ingredient in this recipe and the richer butter makes such a difference in the flavor of these biscuits.
  • To get neater, sharper edges on your corner pieces, use your bench scraper or knife to cut off a little from the sides.
  • These biscuits will keep in the freezer (unbaked) for 3-4 months. You can store leftover baked biscuits in an airtight container for about 2 days.
  • To reheat biscuits, wrap them in foil or place on a sheet pan covered with foil and heat in a 300°F oven for about 15 minutes (or until warm). Remove the foil and broil on low for just a minute to help revive them even further.

Nutrition Information

Calories 431kcal (22%) Carbohydrates 40g (13%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 28g (43%) Saturated Fat 17g (85%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 7g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 90mg (30%) Sodium 797mg (33%) Potassium 247mg (7%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 873IU (17%) Calcium 117mg (12%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 9Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 431

% Daily Value*

Calories 431kcal 22%
Carbohydrates 40g 13%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 28g 43%
Saturated Fat 17g 85%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 7g 35%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 90mg 30%
Sodium 797mg 33%
Potassium 247mg 5%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 873IU 17%
Calcium 117mg 12%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.