These simple homemade Southern Buttermilk Biscuits are flaky and tender. Slather them in butter and see just how deliciously light and tender these biscuits are.
Flaky Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
If you’ve been only eating those biscuits out of a can because you’re too scared to try to make your own fluffy biscuits from scratch recipe, let me tell you, you’re missing out! Making biscuits from scratch is actually pretty simple and making them from scratch makes a world of difference.
These Southern Buttermilk Biscuits are my favorite, and the best ever. They’re made with simple ingredients, and are flaky, fluffy, and buttery.
The thing that sets these biscuits apart from the pack is buttermilk, which gives them a little extra moisture and an extra pretty color.
Tips for the Best Flaky Biscuits
These biscuits will turn out flaky, but here are some extra tips to make sure they’re your flakiest biscuits ever.
- Cold fat. Cold butter will create more layers and pockets as it melts in the oven.
- Don’t over mix. Mixing activates the gluten, which leads to tough biscuits. Mix only until ingredients are combined.
- Bake close together. When the biscuits touch each other while baking, they help each other rise higher.
- Make sure your baking powder is good. To check, pour 1 cup hot water over 1 teaspoon baking powder. If it bubbles up, it’s still good to use. If it doesn’t, toss it.
How to Make Ahead Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
Southern buttermilk biscuits are best served warm right out of the oven slathered in butter.
To make ahead, prepare and cut out biscuits according to recipe instructions. Place on a lined baking sheet in the freezer. Freeze for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer bag until ready to use or up to 3 months.
To bake, place on a lined baking sheet, still frozen, and bake at 425°F for an additional 5 minutes, 18-25 minutes total.
How to Make Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt (photos 1 and 2). Add butter (photo 3) and cut in with a pastry blender until pea-size clumps form (photo 4).
Create a well in the center of the mixture by pushing the mixture toward the sides of the bowl. Pour buttermilk into the well (photo 5). Mix gently with a fork until JUST combined (photo 6). Over mixing will make tough biscuits!
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and create a rectangle using your hands (photo 7).
Fold the dough into thirds (like folding a letter). (Fold left side over center (photo 8), then right side (photo 9), so it’s still in a rectangular shape.) Then roll back out to 1-inch thick. Repeat the folding and rolling process twice more, Rolling the dough out to 1/2″ thick on the final time.
Cut out about 12 biscuits with a 2 1/2″-3″ cutter (photo 10). Re-roll any scraps until there’s about 10-12 biscuits. Transfer biscuits to a baking sheet so that the biscuits are touching each other and the edge (photo 11).
Bake at 425°F for about 13-15 minutes until cooked through and golden brown on top.
Pro Tips
- Don’t have buttermilk on hand? Try this super useful 2 ingredient buttermilk substitute.
- Make sure baking powder is fresh for the fluffiest biscuits.
- For crispy biscuit edges, brush unbaked tops with 2 tablespoons buttermilk, and cook in a cast iron skillet.
- To prepare in a food processor: Combine dry ingredients in step 2 in your food processor. Pulse to combine. Then add butter. Pulse again until pea-sized crumbs form (you do not want it to turn into a dough yet!). Then transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and continue with recipe instructions.
- Storage: Cover leftovers tightly, and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Recommended equipment: pastry blender | biscuit cutters
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Cheddar Bay Biscuits – cheesy garlic drop biscuits smothered in garlic butter.
- Southern Skillet Cornbread – classic southern cornbread in a cast iron skillet with crispy edges.
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole – use your biscuits in this amazing casserole based off a breakfast favorite!
- Brie and Chive Biscuits – the brie in these biscuits makes them even more flaky!
Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold butter thinly sliced
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender until pea-size clumps form.
- Create a well in the center of the mixture by pushing the mixture toward the sides of the bowl. Pour buttermilk into the well. Mix gently with a fork until JUST combined. (Over mixing will make tough biscuits!)
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and create a rectangle using your hands.
- Fold the dough into thirds (like folding a letter). (Fold left side over center, then right side, so it's still in a rectangular shape.) Then roll back out to 1-inch thick. Repeat the folding and rolling process twice more, Rolling the dough out to 1/2" thick on the final time.
- Cut out about 12 biscuits with a 2 1/2"-3" cutter. Re-roll any scraps until there's about 10-12 biscuits.
- Transfer biscuits to a baking sheet so that the biscuits are touching each other and the edge.
- Bake at 425° for about 13-15 minutes until cooked through and golden brown on top.
Video
Notes
- Don’t have buttermilk on hand? Try this super useful 2 ingredient buttermilk substitute.
- Make sure baking powder is fresh for the fluffiest biscuits.
- For crispy biscuit edges, brush unbaked tops with 2 tablespoons buttermilk, and cook in a cast iron skillet.
- To prepare in a food processor: Combine dry ingredients in step 2 in your food processor. Pulse to combine. Then add butter. Pulse again until pea-sized crumbs form (you do not want it to turn into a dough yet!). Then transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and continue with recipe instructions.
- Storage: Cover leftovers tightly, and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Recommended equipment: pastry blender | biscuit cutters
Nutrition
UPDATE INFO: This recipe was originally published in October 2016. It has been republished with new pictures, detailed instructions and tips, and a video in November 2019.
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Looks so yummy. I haven’t made homemade in so long. Thanks for sharing at the #InspirationSpotlight party. Shared
Oh the memories your biscuits bring. My grandmother made light, fluffly biscuits. I do love real homemade biscuits.
Oh, these looks amazing! I could eat these with jam all day long!!
Absolutely love biscuits and more when flaky. Yours look so good. I will try your recipe as I am in a baking mode right now looking for homemade biscuits like this!
We made this the oGoing to make it again for a family gathering this weeI made this recipe last weekend and it was incredible! Thanks so much for sharing.
Look at those flaky layers. These biscuits look wonderful. Love all your process photos.
A perfect buttery dinner roll, great with our dinner last night! Love this.
They look so light and fluffy. I definitely need to try these.
Whenever I think of Southern cooking, I think of fluffy biscuits like these! Thanks for the tip about working with cold butter and baking the biscuits close together. I didn’t know this before.
These biscuits look so fluffy and yummy!! Making these tomorrow for the big day! 🙂
These look so fluffy, I can’t wait to try them!
These are so light, fluffy and flakey! Can’t wait to slather these in butter and jam. 🙂
My search for amazing biscuits like my Grandma made is over. These are amazing, light and fluffy. Taste I remember. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you found what you were looking for! They’re our favorites too 🙂
I am curious about the reasoning behind the rolling in a rectangle, folding in thirds, and rolling out again? Can you tell me why this is done? I have never heard of that 😊
Yes! This is how you make SUPER flaky pastries, such as croissants. It creates extra layers, which makes them super fluffy and flaky.
Hi are you sure is 2 tbsp baking powder not 2 tesp baking powder Thank you
Yes, I’m sure. 2 TABLESPOONS.
Is the 2 tablespoons of baking soda right? It made the whole biscuit taste like baking soda. It was really gross.
It’s baking powder, not soda, which I’m guessing was the problem. Yes, it’s 2 tablespoons. We make these all the time with the 2 tablespoons baking powder, and there’s no weird flavor.
Hi, is that unsalted butter?
Yes! Unsalted is always best for baking
So if u use salts butter don’t add salt to the recipe
When using salted butter, you can’t control the salt content. Also, unsalted butter is usually fresher. That’s why it’s usually recommended to use unsalted butter for best results.