Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients

The Dough

• 240g (2 cups) all-purpose flour (White Lily preferred)
• 12g (1 tablespoon) baking powder
• 5g (1 teaspoon) kosher salt
• 1g (1/4 teaspoon) baking soda
• 113g (8 tablespoons (1 stick)) unsalted butter, frozen
• 180g (3/4 cup) cold buttermilk

Finishing

• 15g (1 tablespoon) buttermilk, for brushing tops
• 28g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, for finishing

Total flour: 240g

Hydration: 75%

Pro tip: White Lily flour is made from soft winter wheat and produces a more tender biscuit. If you can find it, use it. If not, regular all-purpose works great.

Equipment

Method

Freeze and Grate the Butter

Cold butter is the secret to flaky biscuits. The frozen grated butter creates tiny pockets throughout the dough that steam open in the oven, building those pull-apart layers.

1. Freeze the butter. Place the stick of butter in the freezer at least 30 minutes before you start. You want it rock solid. While you're at it, put your buttermilk in the freezer for 10 minutes too. Cold everything is the rule here.
2. Grate the butter. Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the frozen butter directly into the dry ingredients bowl or onto a plate. Work fast. The goal is to keep the butter from warming up. If it starts to feel soft, stick the whole thing back in the freezer for 5 minutes.

Mix the Dough

Biscuit dough comes together fast. The moment everything is hydrated, you stop. Overworking the dough develops gluten and gives you tough, dense biscuits instead of tender, flaky ones.

1. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until combined.
2. Toss in the grated butter. Add the grated frozen butter to the dry ingredients. Use your fingers to quickly toss and separate any clumps. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs with some flat butter flakes. Takes about 30 seconds.
3. Add the buttermilk. Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until the dough comes together into a shaggy mass. It will look rough and uneven. That's correct. Stop stirring the moment you don't see dry flour.

Tip: If the dough looks too dry and won't come together, add 1 tablespoon of buttermilk at a time. If it's sticky and wet, lightly flour your hands before the next step. Don't add more flour to the bowl.

Fold and Turn for Layers

This is the technique that builds those tall, pull-apart layers. You're going to fold and pat the dough 8 times. Each fold creates a new layer. Don't rush it and don't overwork it.

1. Turn out the dough. Lightly flour a clean work surface. Turn the dough out and use your hands to gently bring it together into a rough rectangle about 1 inch thick. Don't knead. Just press and pat.
2. Fold and turn 8 times. Pat the dough into a rough rectangle. Fold it in half from top to bottom, then pat it back down to 1 inch thick. Rotate the dough a quarter turn. Repeat this fold, pat, and turn process for a total of 8 folds. You're building layers, not developing gluten. Light hands the whole way.
3. Pat to final thickness. After 8 folds, pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick round or rectangle. Don't roll it with a rolling pin. Pressing straight down keeps the layers intact.

Cut the Biscuits

How you cut matters as much as how you mix. One wrong move seals the edges and kills the rise.

1. Cut straight down, no twisting. Flour a 2.5-inch round cutter or use a sharp knife to cut squares. Press straight down through the dough and lift straight up. Do not twist the cutter. Twisting seals the cut edges together and prevents the biscuits from rising. Flour the cutter between cuts.
2. Place biscuits touching. Arrange the biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet so they are just touching each other. When biscuits touch, they support each other and rise up instead of spreading out. This is how you get tall biscuits.
3. Reshape and cut scraps once. Gather the dough scraps, press them together gently, and cut one more round of biscuits. Don't overwork the scraps. The biscuits from the second cut will be slightly less tender, but still good.
4. Brush with buttermilk. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining buttermilk. This helps them brown evenly.

Tip: For extra tall biscuits, place a second biscuit on top of the first before baking. Stack-baked biscuits come out dramatic and impressive.

Bake and Finish

High heat is what makes biscuits work. The oven needs to be fully preheated before the biscuits go in.

1. Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Don't rush this. Let the oven sit at temperature for at least 10 minutes before baking.
2. Bake until golden. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Watch for color, not just time. Every oven is different. You want a deep golden brown, not pale yellow.
3. Butter immediately. Pull the biscuits from the oven and immediately brush the tops with melted butter. This is not optional. That final butter pass is what gives them that glossy, rich finish.

Bake

High heat is the key to biscuits that rise fast and develop a golden crust before the butter melts out.

Oven: 230°C / 450°F. Internal temperature when done: 93°C / 200°F.

Baking Sheet (recommended)

Parchment-lined sheet pan gives you flaky edges on every side.

Equipment: Parchment-lined baking sheet

1. Preheat. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) with rack in the center position.
2. Arrange biscuits touching. Place biscuits on the lined sheet so they just touch each other.
3. Bake 13 to 15 minutes. Bake until tops are deep golden brown. Brush with melted butter immediately after pulling from the oven.

Cast Iron Skillet

Cast iron gives you extra-tall biscuits with a slightly crispier bottom crust.

Equipment: 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillet

1. Preheat oven and skillet. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Place the cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats.
2. Carefully add biscuits. Remove the hot skillet, add a small amount of butter to coat the bottom, then arrange biscuits touching. Work quickly.
3. Bake 12 to 14 minutes. Bake until golden on top. The preheated skillet gives the bottoms a great crust.

Note: Don't open the oven for the first 10 minutes. You'll release the steam that's building those layers.

Storage

• Room temperature: 2 days in an airtight container. Biscuits are best the day they're baked.
• Frozen: Up to 3 months. Freeze unbaked biscuits on a sheet pan, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen.
• Refresh: Warm at 350°F (175°C) for 5 to 8 minutes or split and toast cut-side down in a skillet with butter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my biscuits come out flat?

Three most likely reasons: your baking powder is old (test it by dropping a pinch in hot water, it should bubble aggressively), your butter got too warm before baking, or you overworked the dough. Check your leavener first. That's the most common culprit.

Can I use salted butter?

Yes. Reduce the kosher salt in the recipe to 1/2 teaspoon. Salted butter varies in saltiness by brand, so taste the finished biscuit and adjust next time if needed.

I don't have buttermilk. Can I substitute?

Yes. Add 3/4 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 3/4 cup of regular whole milk. Stir it and let it sit for 5 minutes. It won't be identical to real buttermilk but it works. Real buttermilk is worth buying if you can find it.

Can I make these ahead?

Yes. Cut the biscuits and freeze them unbaked on a sheet pan for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen at 450°F (230°C) for 18 to 22 minutes. Fresh biscuits in the morning with zero morning prep.

What is White Lily flour and do I need it?

White Lily is made from soft winter wheat, which has less protein than regular all-purpose flour. Less protein means less gluten development, which means a more tender biscuit. You don't need it, but if you're in the South and can find it, it makes a noticeable difference.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 biscuit): 220 calories, 24g carbohydrates, 4g protein, 12g fat, 1g fiber, 310mg sodium. Makes 9 servings.