Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

Bread · 8 Biscuits · 30 Minutes

Great biscuits come from three principles: keep everything cold, handle the dough as little as possible, and don't twist the cutter. Cold butter creates steam pockets as it melts in the hot oven — that's where the flaky layers come from. The buttermilk reacts with baking soda for extra lift and adds a subtle tang. Grating frozen butter is the fastest way to get those pea-sized pieces evenly distributed without overworking anything.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, frozen solid
• 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
• 2 tbsp melted butter (for brushing after baking)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
3. Grate the butter: Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the frozen butter directly into the flour mixture. Toss gently with your fingers to coat every shred of butter in flour. Work quickly so the butter stays cold.
4. Add buttermilk: Make a well in the center and pour in cold buttermilk. Stir with a fork until the dough just barely comes together. It should look shaggy and slightly sticky — that's correct. Do not overmix.
5. Fold for layers: Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold it in thirds like a business letter. Rotate 90 degrees, pat out again, and fold once more. These folds create those visible flaky layers.
6. Cut: Pat the dough to 1-inch thickness. Cut with a 2.5-inch round cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Twisting seals the edges and prevents the biscuit from rising properly. Re-pat scraps and cut remaining biscuits.
7. Arrange: Place biscuits on the baking sheet with their sides touching. This forces them to rise upward instead of spreading outward.
8. Bake 12-14 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits have risen tall.
9. Brush with melted butter immediately out of the oven. Serve warm.

Variations

• Cheddar biscuits: Fold in 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar and 1/2 tsp garlic powder with the dry ingredients.
• Herb biscuits: Add 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives, 1 tbsp fresh thyme, and 1 tbsp fresh rosemary to the flour mixture.
• Drop biscuits: Skip the folding and cutting. Increase buttermilk to 1 cup and drop spoonfuls onto the baking sheet. Faster, slightly less flaky, still delicious.
• Sweet biscuits: Increase sugar to 3 tbsp and serve with butter and jam, or use as shortcakes with strawberries and whipped cream.

Nutrition

Per biscuit: