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In our home, making southern buttermilk biscuits from scratch has been a longtime favorite this recipe comes together fast. These homemade southern buttermilk biscuits use traditional ingredients and techniques that bake up tall, flaky, and buttery every time, to create that classic southern texture and flavor we all know and love. These biscuits aren’t just great for breakfast with butter and homemade blueberry preserves. This recipe is a convenient replacement for traditional pie crust for pot pies and chicken casserole.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Perfectly Flaky and Tender Every Time – These buttermilk biscuits bake up tall, golden, and full of buttery layers. With simple techniques and cold ingredients, you’ll get bakery-style results right at home.
Made with Simple Pantry Ingredients – You only need basic ingredients like flour, butter, buttermilk, and baking powder. No fancy tools or hard-to-find items required.
Quick and Easy from Scratch– This homemade biscuit recipe comes together in about 30 minutes from start to finish. It’s simple enough for beginners but delicious enough to impress guests.
Why This Is a Staple in Our Home
Making Buttermilk biscuits from scratch is a healthier alternative to buying biscuits from takeout, my family LOVES biscuits so this always a add on in my meal rotation because it’s so incredibly delicious and comforting. They bake up within 15-20 minutes which helps me put dinner on the table quickly.
Buttermilk Biscuits Ingredients
All Purpose Flour – You can also use This All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour instead for a celiac friendly version.
Unsalted Butter– You can use salted butter just use less or no salt.
Buttermilk – If you don’t buttermilk you can curdle whole milk by adding Vinegar, lemon or lime juice and waiting 5 minutes.
Baking Powder– Make sure it’s not old and is aluminum free
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below
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Tools You May Need
Biscuit Cutter or Wide Mouth Mason Jar
How to Make Buttermilk Biscuits from Scratch
Step 1
Preheat your oven to: 425°F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, whisk until evenly combined.
Step 2
Cube cold butter and add to flour mix with hands til it resembles course crumbles
Add milk gradually, mix gently with your hands until the dough is soft but not sticky.
Step 3
Roll dough to about ¾- inch thickness fold over itself inti a square and roll out again to build layers and more flakiness. Roll out to a ¾ thickness and cut out biscuits. Placed biscuits on lined baking sheet.
Place biscuits in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes. Once done, biscuits should be tall and golden brown. Remove biscuits from the oven and brush with butter if desired
Tips for Making Buttermilk Biscuits
- Use very cold butter. Cube it and place it in the freezer for 10–15 minutes before mixing. Cold butter creates steam in the oven, which makes flaky layers.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Stir just until the ingredients come together. Overworking the dough develops gluten and makes biscuits tough instead of tender.
- Measure flour correctly. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour and cause dry biscuits.
- Keep everything cold. Cold buttermilk, cold butter, and even a chilled mixing bowl help create tall, flaky biscuits.
- Fold the dough for layers. Gently fold the dough over itself 3–4 times before cutting. This simple step creates beautiful, bakery-style layers.
- Don’t twist the biscuit cutter. Press straight down and lift straight up. Twisting seals the edges and prevents biscuits from rising properly.
- Place biscuits close together on the baking sheet. This helps them rise upward instead of spreading outward, creating taller biscuits.
- Brush the tops with buttermilk or melted butter. This gives them a golden brown finish and extra flavor.
- Bake in a fully preheated oven. A hot oven (usually 425°F–450°F) ensures a strong rise and flaky texture.
- Use fresh baking powder. Old leavening agents won’t give biscuits the lift they need.
How to Store Buttermilk Biscuits
Properly storing your homemade buttermilk biscuits helps keep them soft, flaky, and fresh.
Storing Biscuits at Room Temperature
If you plan to enjoy your biscuits within 1–2 days, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Line the container with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture and prevent sogginess. Keep the container sealed tightly.
Storing Biscuits in the Fridge
For slightly longer storage (up to 5 days), place biscuits in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that refrigeration can dry them out, so reheating properly is important for restoring softness.
How to freeze Buttermilk biscuits
Buttermilk biscuits freeze beautifully.
To freeze baked biscuits:
- Let them cool completely.
- Wrap each biscuit individually in plastic wrap.
- Place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
To freeze unbaked biscuits:
- Cut out the biscuits.
- Place them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid.
- Transfer to a freezer bag.
- Bake straight from frozen, adding 2–4 extra minutes to the baking time.
How to reheat Biscuits
To keep biscuits from drying out:
- Wrap in foil and warm in a 300°F oven for 8–10 minutes.
- Or microwave with a damp paper towel for 15–20 seconds.
What to Serve With This?
This recipe pairs beautifully with:
• Southern Brown Gravy
• Homemade Blueberry Preserves
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes buttermilk biscuits fluffy?
Buttermilk biscuits turn out fluffy because of cold butter and the reaction between buttermilk and baking powder. The cold butter creates steam as it melts in the oven, forming light, airy layers. Using fresh leavening agents and avoiding overmixing also helps keep biscuits soft and fluffy.
Why are my buttermilk biscuits dry or crumbly?
Dry or crumbly biscuits usually happen when too much flour is added or the dough is overmixed. Measuring flour correctly (spoon and level method) and mixing just until combined helps prevent dryness. Overbaking can also make biscuits dry.
Can I make buttermilk biscuits without buttermilk?
Yes! If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes before using. The acidity helps create tender, fluffy biscuits.
What is the secret to flaky buttermilk biscuits?
The secret to flaky buttermilk biscuits is using very cold butter and folding the dough several times before cutting. This creates visible layers that bake into flaky, tender biscuits. Avoid twisting the biscuit cutter, which can seal the edges and prevent rising.
Should butter be cold when making biscuits?
Yes, butter should be very cold — even slightly frozen. Cold butter creates steam pockets in the oven, which help biscuits rise and develop flaky layers.
Can you freeze buttermilk biscuits?
Absolutely. You can freeze unbaked biscuit dough or baked biscuits. For best results, freeze unbaked biscuits on a tray first, then store them in a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
How do you reheat biscuits without drying them out?
To reheat biscuits without drying them out, wrap them in foil and warm in a 300°F oven for 8–10 minutes. You can also microwave them with a damp paper towel for 15–20 seconds to keep them soft.
Can you use self-rising flour for buttermilk biscuits?
Yes, self-rising flour works well for buttermilk biscuits. Simply omit the baking powder and salt from the recipe since self-rising flour already contains leavening and salt.
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! ⭐ Tag me on Instagram @ourlovedhomeliving.
Southern Homestyle Biscuits
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Pastry Brush optional
- Biscuit cutter Wide mouth Jar
- Meauring spoons
- Measuring cups
Ingredients
- 7½ cups all-purpose flour
- 5 tbsp baking powder
- 2½ tbsp Himalayan Pink Salt don't use if you're butter is salted
- 5 sticks Unsalted Butter 2½ cups
- 3½ cups Whole Milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to: 425°F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, whisk until evenly combined.
- Cube cold butter and add to flour mix with hands til it resembles course crumbles
- Add milk gradually, mix gently with your hands until the dough is soft but not sticky.
- Roll dough to about ¾- inch thickness fold over itself inti a square and roll out agin to build layers and more flakyness.
- Roll out to a ¾ thickness and cut out biscuits. Placed biscuits on lined baking sheet.
- Place biscuits in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes. Once done, biscuits should be tall and golden brown. Remove biscuits from the oven and brush with butter if desired
Notes
- Put the dough in the fridge for 5 minutes if you see the butter starting to soften while handling.
- Freeze butter for 10–15 minutes before grating into flour
- Avoid overmixing the dough or biscuits may become tough
- Dough should feel soft and slightly sticky, not dry
- If dough is too dry, add buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time
- If dough is too wet, lightly dust with flour while shaping
- Do not twist the biscuit cutter when cutting dough
- Press straight down firmly for the best rise
- Use fresh baking powder for tall fluffy biscuits
- Bake biscuits in a fully preheated oven
- Cold dough creates taller biscuits and better layers
- Chill cut biscuits before baking if your kitchen is warm
- Fold the dough several times to create flaky layers
- Space biscuits close together for softer sides
- Space biscuits apart for crispier edges
- Brush tops with melted butter after baking for extra flavor
- Rotate baking tray halfway through baking for even browning
- Avoid adding too much flour while rolling out dough
- Measure flour properly by spooning into measuring cups
- Do not overbake or biscuits may become dry
- Let biscuits rest a few minutes before serving for the best texture
- Reheat leftover biscuits in the oven instead of the microwave for better texture
