Buttermilk Biscuits
January 25, 2021
Flakey, buttery, and warm- these Buttermilk Biscuits are sure to be your new go-to breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert!
My Go-To Biscuit Recipe
This is one of my go-to recipes when it comes to showers of any kind. Whether celebrating a new baby or bride-to-be, the showers I throw usually occur in the late morning or early afternoon. These tender buttermilk biscuits are great on their own, and, with just a couple of additional ingredients, they can easily swing from super savory to sweet. Consider pairing these with your favorite seasonal fruit jam for a summery treat, or with a pepper jelly and soft cheese for something sophisticated and simple! Any way you dress them up, these biscuits are sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Perfect Biscuits Every Time
There are a few tricks to perfecting biscuits in your kitchen. Here are some of my tried and true tips!
- To ensure those iconic flakey layers, make sure you work with the coldest butter possible. Try freezing your sticks and grating with a cheese grater or cubing into small pieces to incorporate while still cold.
- Biscuits require some love to come out just right- so don’t reach for your stand or hand mixer! Mixing these by hand will help you keep a gentle touch.
- Your biscuits can toughen up quick if you man-handle them too much before baking. Don’t worry too much about making them smooth and uniform! Just mix the dough until incorporated, then hands off.
- Nothing beats a fresh baked biscuit, so consider making a large batch and freezing some unbaked cut-out biscuits. Simply freeze biscuits individually on a baking sheet and then wrap in aluminum foil and store in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. When you’re ready for your next biscuit fix, When ready to bake, no need to thaw, but simple double the baking time of fresh biscuits.
- Practice makes perfect! As you continue to hone your skills, your biscuits will turn out prettier and flakier every time.
Variations on a Classic
Biscuits work as a carb companion to several meals and desserts! One of our favorites is the classic American breakfast, biscuits and gravy. Some other variations could include adding some herbs and making bacon, cheddar, and chive biscuits as seen this recipe. These would pair really well with your classic Sunday Brunch, a creamy soup, or any old weeknight dinner.
Another way to dress up these biscuits could be to pair it with whipped cream and berries for a fresh and comforting dessert! Instructions for this variation can be found in the notes.
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Buttermilk Biscuits
- Total Time: 54 minute
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
Tender, flaky buttermilk biscuits that can swing sweet or savory depending on the occasion.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces or grated
- 1 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the chilled butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Be careful to not over-work –you really want to see those bits of butter scattered throughout the dough. Add the buttermilk and stir just until moistened. For each biscuit, scoop out about 1/3 cup of the dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the biscuits about 2-inches apart.
- Bake until the biscuits are golden brown on top and a tester comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
Bacon, Cheddar, and Chive Biscuits: After cutting in the butter, add 7 slices of cooked and chopped bacon, 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives to the dough. Bake as directed above and serve warm with melted butter or good quality fig jam.
Strawberry Shortcakes: Add an additional 2 tablespoons sugar to the dry ingredients. Before baking, brush the tops of the dropped biscuit dough with heavy cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake as directed above. Meanwhile slice 2 pounds of strawberries and toss with 3 tablespoons of sugar. Whip ½ cup of heavy cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Allow biscuits to cool slightly, then split in half. Spoon ¼ cup of the sweetened strawberries onto the bottom biscuits, add dollops of whipped cream, and finish with the biscuit tops.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes