Feb 18, 2017

Buttermilk Biscuits

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
These southern-style biscuits are big, fluffy and buttery just as biscuits should be.
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I like biscuits big enough to turn into breakfast sandwiches, piled with bacon egg and cheese or fried chicken. While they are great as sandwiches, they are also delicious standing on their own served as a side slathered with butter and honey.

While everyone has their tips and tricks when making biscuits, if you want ones with lots of layers, then the key is to not overwork the dough. In fact, you want to have your hands on the dough as little as possible.

Buttermilk Biscuits

About Buttermilk Biscuits

If the butter melts into the dough before baking then it won’t melt in the oven and create those flakey layers. And, make sure that the butter is cold, so that it will not melt into the dough before baking. As you are cutting the biscuits with the cutter be sure not to twist as you cut the dough, as this will crimp the sides down and prevent layers from forming.

Chef Anne Willan once told me that I have hot hands, not a great feature for making pastries. So, when making biscuits, I have to be extra careful to not overwork the dough so that I don’t melt the butter with my “hot hands”!

Buttermilk Biscuits with honey and butter

Tips for Making The Best Buttermilk Biscuits:

  • Make sure you butter is very cold! This way as the butter melts in the oven you get those flakey layers.
  • Don’t overwork the dough. The more you work the dough, the more likely it is to melt. Pat the dough out into the rectangle before cutting the biscuits rather than using a rolling pin.
  • Use high quality butter and dairy. European butter has a higher fat content than American butter. Since there are only a few ingredients, the quality will make a difference. 
  • Don’t twist the biscuit cutter. When you cut out the biscuits, press directly down on the cutter to make clean layers. Twisting the biscuit cutter will seal the layers together.
Buttermilk Biscuits with butter and honey drizzle

How to Make Buttermilk Biscuits

  1. Heat oven. Preheat oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
  2. Cut the butter into the flour. Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter to the bowl and use a pastry cutter or a fork to cut the butter into the flour. Do this until the mixture resembles rough crumbs and the butter is still in pieces.
  3. Add buttermilk. Add the buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon until a loose, sticky dough forms.
  4. Shape the dough. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Use your hands to shape the dough into a rectangle. Fold the dough over and reshape again into a rectangle about 1½-inches thick.
  5. Cut biscuits. Cut the dough into biscuits by pressing straight down, using a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Reshape the dough as needed to continue cutting biscuits.
  6. Bake. Place the biscuits on a greased cookie sheet and bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Ideas for Serving Biscuits: 

Biscuits can be used as a side instead of a dinner roll, paired with fried chicken, as a breakfast sandwich or smothered with gravy. Check out my recipe ideas below.

Buttermilk Biscuits

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Serves 10 (3-inch) biscuits

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 cup (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into ½-inch chunks (or lard)
  • 2 cups chilled low-fat buttermilk

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
  • Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter to the bowl and use a pastry cutter or a fork to cut the butter into the flour. Do this until the mixture resembles rough crumbs and the butter is still in pieces.
  • Add the buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon until a loose, sticky dough forms.
  • Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Use your hands to shape the dough into a rectangle. Fold the dough over and reshape again into a rectangle about 1½-inches thick.
  • Cut the dough into biscuits by pressing straight down, using a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Reshape the dough as needed to continue cutting biscuits.
  • Place the biscuits on a greased cookie sheet and bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

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