A pan of warm biscuits can turn an ordinary morning into something worth slowing down for. I did not grow up making them, and for years I was a little afraid of biscuits, sure they were trickier than they looked.

Then I learned the whole secret is cold butter and a light hand. Now they are my go-to for a slow weekend breakfast, split open and steaming, with butter melting down into all the flaky layers.

Sometimes I make a batch just to have with soup for dinner. They come together faster than a trip to the store, and the smell alone pulls everyone into the kitchen.

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Why You’ll Love This Buttermilk Biscuits

Tall, flaky layers with a golden top.
Only a handful of pantry ingredients.
Great for breakfast, alongside soup, or split for a sandwich.
Faster than a trip to the store.

Ingredients for Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cup cold buttermilk, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more if needed
1 tablespoon butter, melted, for brushing (optional)

How to Make Buttermilk Biscuits

Heat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the cold butter cubes. Cut them into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the pieces are about the size of peas. Those butter bits are what make the layers.
Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir just until the dough comes together in a shaggy mass. Add the extra buttermilk only if there are dry bits at the bottom. Do not overmix.
Turn the dough onto a floured counter and pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold it into thirds, then pat it out again. Repeat this two or three times to build flaky layers.
Pat the dough to about 3/4 inch thick. Cut straight down with a floured biscuit cutter or a glass. Press straight down and do not twist, or the edges seal and the biscuits rise unevenly.
Place the biscuits on the sheet with their sides touching so they help each other rise.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden and the biscuits have risen tall. Brush with melted butter while warm.

Tips

Keep everything cold, especially the butter. Warm butter melts into the dough and you lose the flaky layers.
No buttermilk? Stir 2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice into 3/4 cup milk and let it sit 5 minutes.
A sharp, straight-down cut helps the biscuits rise. Twisting the cutter pinches the edges shut.
Freeze cut, unbaked biscuits on a tray, then bag them. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my biscuits flat and tough? Usually the dough was overworked or the butter got warm. Handle it as little as possible and start cold.

Can I make the dough ahead? Cut the biscuits and freeze them raw. They bake well straight from the freezer.

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