Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
Yield: 14 2 1/2-inch biscuits
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Tips: Photo shows biscuits made with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Biscuits may be made with milk rather than buttermilk.
Suggestion: Serve with butter and jam or preserves or for breakfast using the Biscuits & Sausage Gravy recipe.
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits are very easy to make and cook very quickly in a hot oven. They are light and flaky, and are delicious for breakfast with butter and/or jams, jellies and preserves or any other topping you favor. They are also great as a side bread for a main course, or for a warm and satisfying snack any time of day. They also heat up
in just a few seconds in the microwave. To serve with with sausage gravy as an easy and delicious breakfast, see Biscuits with Sausage Gravy.
These warm and irresistible biscuits form what appear to be layers while cooking, giving them an interesting appearance and texture that makes them easy to pull apart and apply butter and/or other toppings.
If you do not have any buttermilk handy, you can also make these biscuits with milk (though buttermilk has a distinct flavor that adds to the deliciousness of these biscuits). This recipe was introduced to me by my neighbor, Stacey, who is a fabulous baker and cook. She made a batch of these biscuits one morning, and kindly shared a hot plateful with my family. After we all quickly devoured the entire plateful that morning, I knew this would be the next recipe to add to my website. Thank you, Stacey
These warm and irresistible biscuits form what appear to be layers while cooking, giving them an interesting appearance and texture that makes them easy to pull apart and apply butter and/or other toppings.
If you do not have any buttermilk handy, you can also make these biscuits with milk (though buttermilk has a distinct flavor that adds to the deliciousness of these biscuits). This recipe was introduced to me by my neighbor, Stacey, who is a fabulous baker and cook. She made a batch of these biscuits one morning, and kindly shared a hot plateful with my family. After we all quickly devoured the entire plateful that morning, I knew this would be the next recipe to add to my website. Thank you, Stacey
Recipe▼
Ingredients
- 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), chilled
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk (or milk)
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar and sugar into a medium mixing bowl. Cut the butter into cubes (cut the 1 stick of butter into about 4 pieces and the 1/2 stick into 2 pieces) and add to the flour mixture. With a pastry blender or two knives (pastry blenders are easier), cut up butter to mix in with flour mixture until mixture forms coarse crumbs.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add buttermilk to well. Stir quickly with a fork just until dough follows the fork around the bowl and dough is able to be formed into a ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.
Knead the dough gently by repeatedly folding into itself and pressing down (about 4-6 strokes), sprinkling flour over dough and on work surface as necessary to help prevent sticking. Roll or pat the dough to a thickness of 3/4 inch.
Without twisting, cut biscuits by pressing a biscuit cutter into the dough (2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter is recommended). Cut biscuits close together to minimize the need for re-rolling the dough scraps. To prevent the cutter from sticking to the dough, dip it in flour before each cut. After each cutting, lift cutter and gently and remove the biscuit from the cutter by gently shaking into your hand (avoid touching tops and sides of biscuits to help prevent dents). Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until biscuits turn golden brown on top.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar and sugar into a medium mixing bowl. Cut the butter into cubes (cut the 1 stick of butter into about 4 pieces and the 1/2 stick into 2 pieces) and add to the flour mixture. With a pastry blender or two knives (pastry blenders are easier), cut up butter to mix in with flour mixture until mixture forms coarse crumbs.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add buttermilk to well. Stir quickly with a fork just until dough follows the fork around the bowl and dough is able to be formed into a ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.
Knead the dough gently by repeatedly folding into itself and pressing down (about 4-6 strokes), sprinkling flour over dough and on work surface as necessary to help prevent sticking. Roll or pat the dough to a thickness of 3/4 inch.
Without twisting, cut biscuits by pressing a biscuit cutter into the dough (2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter is recommended). Cut biscuits close together to minimize the need for re-rolling the dough scraps. To prevent the cutter from sticking to the dough, dip it in flour before each cut. After each cutting, lift cutter and gently and remove the biscuit from the cutter by gently shaking into your hand (avoid touching tops and sides of biscuits to help prevent dents). Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until biscuits turn golden brown on top.
