BEST Homemade Biscuits
The BEST biscuit recipe! These homemade biscuits are buttery, soft and fluffy with lots of flaky layers and delicious crispy edges.
We just can’t get enough of these biscuits! I first shared this biscuit recipe years ago, and since then it has become a reader favorite. With this easy recipe and a few baking tips that I’ve included below, you’ll be making the best biscuits you’ve ever eaten.
These homemade biscuits are buttery, soft and flaky. The tops brown beautifully in the oven, and the bottoms become crisp and golden. They are delicious as is, and even better when you serve them with jam or honey. I’ve made these biscuits so many times that this is likely the recipe on Kristine’s Kitchen that I’ve made most often in my own kitchen!
We’ve been enjoying these biscuits as a side dish at dinner. They complement almost any meal. Try them with Baked Chicken Thighs, Slow Cooker Beef Stew or Butternut Squash Soup. They’re also great for breakfast, alongside some eggs and bacon.
This really is the best biscuit recipe! Just like Grandma used to make ‘em 🙂 I will be making these again very soon.
Lauren
Does Milk or Buttermilk Make the Best Homemade Biscuits?
You can make these biscuits with milk or buttermilk, or a combination of the two. I’ve tested the recipe all three ways, and the biscuits are delicious no matter which you choose.
When you make this recipe with buttermilk, the flavorful tang of the buttermilk comes through in the buttermilk biscuits. If you use milk, the biscuits turn out especially tender. My favorite is to use half buttermilk and half milk for the best balance of flavor and texture.
Whole milk is best in this biscuit recipe, but you can use 2% if that is what you have on hand. I don’t recommend using skim milk, since you need some fat to make the biscuits flavorful and tender. You can also use this homemade buttermilk substitute.
How to Make Biscuits
This biscuit recipe is so quick and easy and you’ll need only 6 simple ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen right now:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Sugar
- Salt
- Butter
- Milk or Buttermilk
Here’s an overview of the recipe steps, including my tips for success. You’ll find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts below.
Freeze the butter: At least 20 minutes before you plan to make the biscuits, put the stick of butter in the freezer. Freezing makes sure that the butter is really cold, which is important for flaky biscuits. Frozen butter is also easier to shred using a box grater (more on that below).
Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Be sure to use baking powder (not baking soda), and use the full tablespoon (not teaspoon) called for in the recipe. You can adjust the amount of sugar to your taste preferences. We prefer less sweet biscuits, so I usually use just 1 or 2 teaspoons.
Grate the butter and stir it in: This is my favorite biscuit making trick! Once the butter has gotten really cold in the freezer, you’ll grate it on a box grater. This is really quick and easy to do. Then you can quickly mix the grated butter into the dry ingredients with a fork. If you’re like me and don’t enjoy the process of cutting butter into dry ingredients, you are going to love this trick! The grated butter also gives you perfectly sized pieces of butter throughout your biscuits, which makes them tender and flaky.
Mix in milk or buttermilk: Pour the milk or buttermilk into the bowl with the other ingredients. Use a fork to mix until a dough forms. It’s ok if a little bit of the dry ingredients aren’t incorporated at this point. If the dough seems very dry and you are having a hard time getting it to come together, you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons more milk or buttermilk.
Fold the dough: Turn the dough (and any flour bits) out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat the dough down into a rectangle that is about 1 1/2 inches thick. Fold the dough in half on top of itself and press it down into a 1 1/2-inch thick rectangle again. Repeat this step, folding and pressing the dough 4 to 6 times total. This is called laminating the dough and it creates those flaky layers that we all love in biscuits.
Cut the biscuits: After you fold the dough the last time, press it out until it is about 1-inch thick. Press a round biscuit cutter straight down into the dough to cut the biscuits. Do not twist the biscuit cutter as you cut. Place the biscuits on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Brush the tops and bake: Before baking the biscuits, brush the tops with milk, buttermilk, heavy cream or melted butter. This helps the tops of the biscuits to brown as they bake. Bake the biscuits until they are lightly golden on top, 13 to 16 minutes.
Biscuit Recipe Tips
- Use cold butter. When baking biscuits, it is important to keep the butter and milk or buttermilk as cold as possible. Keep the butter in the freezer and the milk in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. Avoid letting the dough sit at room temperature before baking the biscuits.
- Freeze and grate the butter using a box grater. The small pieces of shredded butter will create little steam pockets in the biscuits as they bake, giving you great rise and flaky layers.
- Use fresh baking powder. According to the USDA, once opened baking powder should be used within 3 months for best results. If your biscuits don’t rise, old baking powder could be the problem.
- Fold the dough. Don’t skip the step of folding the biscuit dough in half and pressing it out 4 to 6 times before cutting your biscuits. The folds help to create flaky layers, much like when making croissants.
- Don’t twist the biscuit cutter. Press straight down with your biscuit cutter and do not twist or turn it. Twisting the cutter seals off the edges of the biscuits and keeps them from rising as much. If you do not have a biscuit cutter, you can use a small glass to cut the biscuits. Or, make my Drop Biscuits recipe, where you scoop the dough instead of cutting out the biscuits.
The BEST Biscuits Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup whole milk, or buttermilk (or ½ cup of each)
- milk, buttermilk, cream or melted butter, optional, for brushing on biscuit tops
Instructions
- Place butter in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425° F with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Whisk together until well combined.
- Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add the butter to the bowl and use a fork to mix it into the dry ingredients.
- Pour the 1 cup milk or buttermilk into the bowl and use a fork to stir until the dough comes together. It is ok if there are a few bits of flour not yet incorporated, but if the dough seems very dry and is not coming together add 1 to 2 tablespoons more milk or buttermilk.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat the dough into a 1½-inch thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half on top of itself and pat it down into another 1½-inch thick rectangle. Repeat the folding process 4 to 6 times. Then press the dough down into a 1-inch thick rectangle.
- Use a biscuit cutter (mine measures 2 ¼-inches) to cut out the biscuits, pressing it straight down into the dough without twisting. Once you've cut out as many biscuits as you can, gather the scraps and pat the dough out to 1-inch thickness a second and third time to finish cutting out all of the biscuits. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- If desired, brush the biscuit tops with milk, buttermilk, cream or melted butter. Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden brown.
Notes
- Store biscuits at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Biscuits are best right after baking. Leftover biscuits can be reheated in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.
- Recipe updated 4/25/23 to increase salt from 1/2 teaspoon to 3/4 teaspoon for even more flavor. If using salted butter, use only 1/2 teaspoon of added salt.
Can I ask what size biscuit cutter you usually use? Thank you!
As noted in step 7 of the recipe, I use my 2 1/4-inch biscuit cutter. I hope you enjoy the biscuits!
These biscuits were so easy to make and so delicious. I didn’t grate my butter or freeze it I just chopped it up well. It worked just the same. I will use this recipe forever.
Do you happen to know of any tips or adjustments for high altitude baking? I haven’t tried your recipe yet so it may well turn out great as is, but I’ve had some issues baking here in Colorado at 7500 ft.
Hi Lawrence, I don’t have experience with high altitude baking. I would suggest doing a web search to read about high altitude baking. Good luck!
Just made these in Park City Utah 7000 ft with powdered buttermilk ( & water) mixed with milk, reduced the recipe in half to make six biscuits (reduction tool is super helpful), and baked in a little greased iron skillet. I will be making these for the rest of my life, they are delightful, fabulous, definitely going in my rotation. Follow ALL tips- freeze butter, don’t overmix ( dough will be shaggy), and DON’T twist cutter.
They reheat beautifully too ( no, don’t microwave). I was compelled to write a review after eating a couple more the next day. YUM. So worth making.
These were the best biscuits I have ever made. Great recipe!
I agree! I have always struggled missing a good baking powder biscuit. These are absolutely wonderful. One biscuit cut from the 1 inch thick fold is equal to two normal biscuits, LOL. They were delicious. Especially with fresh blackberry jelly and real butter.
Just made them and they were delicious! They layered up perfectly. I love always made “buttermilk” biscuits but I don’t always have it on hand and making my own buttermilk w milk/vinegar gives me too much vinegar flavor. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
This was totally awesome ? The biscuits tasted great ? Thank you
Made these this morning. Great recipe!
Amazing!! First time making homemade biscuits. I thought it would be really hard. Can’t believe how pretty and perfect they turned out on the first try! So easy to just throw together. Thank you!!
I’m only making breakfast for two. Can I freeze the dough for later and just pop out 2 at a time? Thanks!
Hi Nora,
I would make all the biscuits and then freeze the extra biscuits instead of freezing the dough.
These biscuits were delicious and the instructions were easy to follow. Thank you!
Hi! Do you think it would be okay to prepare the dough the night before and refrigerate until morning?
I just tested making and refrigerating the biscuits overnight and the biscuits were not nearly as good. They did not rise nearly as much after refrigerating and were less flavorful. My thought is that the baking powder reacts right away when mixed with the wet ingredients so it isn’t able to create the same lift when you bake later on. I recommend baking the biscuits right after making them. Luckily, they are really quick to mix up!
Bake all your biscuits first, then you can refrigerate any unused biscuits after they cool. You can keep them for up to a week or two in the fridge. To reheat (just what you need) set the oven or convection oven to 350 and cook them for an additional 5 minutes (or until hot). They retain all the rise and flavor of the fresh baked bread…
Hi Kristine! I was wondering if this recipe would still have the same results if I used whole wheat flour and and cane sugar.
I don’t think the cane sugar will make much difference. I have tried this recipe with white whole wheat flour and the biscuits have a denser, heartier texture.
This biscuit recipe turned out the best I have made! I ended up using 1% milk and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, because that is what I had on hand. I think the frozen butter, grated and the folding/laminating the dough is what makes this top notch.
Omg the best! Even better than my mom’s and that says alot
Have you tried this with a dairy free alternative?
I haven’t. If you decide to give it a try, let me know how it turns out.
I made these today with unsweetened almond milk, they rose beautifully and turned out great! The grated frozen butter and folding is really the key 🙂
Hi i want make for 10 people can you tell me how many flour, butter, sugar,salt,milk and baking powder needed…?! Its my first time i try to make biscuits…
I would suggest doubling the recipe if you want to serve 10 people. Use twice the amount of each ingredient. (In the recipe card, you can change the number of servings from 12 to 24 biscuits and it will double each ingredient for you.)
We loved these biscuits. Thank you.
Thank you! This is my first time making biscuits, and they came out looking and tasting delicious!
I made these tonight. First time attempting biscuits. Followed the recipe exactly & they looked amazing! The taste was not awesome. Everyone asked what the tart after taste was. I wasn’t sure if I used too much baking powder, but I used exactly 1 tbsp. Thoughts?
Hi Anje,
Maybe one of your ingredients was past the expiration date? I am not sure what might cause that issue for you.
Sounds like perhaps she’s used baking soda instead of baking powder.
I know it’s been awhile since you posted this, but I wanted to respond. I used some older baking powder I had on hand once and it gave them a bad flavor. If you have baking powder on hand and haven’t used it in awhile, you may need to buy fresh.
Also, I sift my flour and baking powder and when I do, there are little “rocks” of baking powder in the sifter. I make sure to dump these and not push them through. They taste horribly bitter!
The biscuits were DELICIOUS!!!!⭐️
These where excellent I doubled the recipe and it turned out great. Grating the butter really makes a difference in the flakyness of the biscuts.
These biscuits were delicious! I added grated cheese to mine for extra flavour. About a 1/4 cup of grated Balderson Mild cheddar cheese, and used a about 1 tablespoon more for the milk to keep the dough together.
Thanks for the tip on the grated butter, saves so much time.
Monika
I make slot of biscuits but decided to try a new recipe! Grating the butter makes the difference! My new favourite! Thanks!!
Can I make these a day or 2 ahead and then leave the dough in the fridge until I am ready to bake?
I don’t recommend making these ahead and storing them in the refrigerator because the baking powder may lose some of its rising power. You can make the biscuits ahead and freeze them. First freeze the unbaked biscuits in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet or dish and then transfer them to a zip-top bag or other storage container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can bake from frozen, but may need to add a few minutes to the baking time.
I have never had luck when making biscuits before, BUT this was a game changer! Everyone enjoyed them. Easy and quick! Thank you so much for sharing.
This has become my go-to biscuit recipe. It is critical to grate the butter and to follow the instructions for rolling out the dough. The result is a very flaky and tasty biscuit.
I made these on Christmas morning and they turned out amazing. Light, flaky, and super tender. Thank you for the recipe
My biscuits turned out perfect! Nice rise and lots of flaky layers! This is a super easy biscuit recipe and grating the butter is a great tip!
Make sure to not accidentally use baking soda instead of baking powder LOL oops
Quick, easy and delicious!!! I love this recipe. Thanks for sharing ♡
Thanks so much for the recipe!! This is the best biscuit recipe!! My family enjoyed them so much for the holidays!!!
These were delicious! My 7 year old daughter and I made them today (first time making biscuits!) and they were amazing. We will definitely be making these again 🙂
These were so easy, so good and EVERYONE loved them. Thanks for this keeper of a recipe!
These turned out great. My first time to make biscuits and they turn out. My family loved them! Thanks for the recipe!!
I decided to try a new recipe after using my grandma’s recipe for almost 50 years. All I can say is WOW, I have a new biscuit recipe. Thank-you for all the extra tips, they really make a difference! I have always used room temp shortening, just mixed until blended, not folded over several times and I always twisted the biscuit cutter. Thank-you for sharing this recipe!
Im confused. These had the perfect texture and they looked beautiful but they just seemed to have zero flavor. It was bizarre. I’m gonna try them again in the future and add more salt to the mix and maybe try a more high end butter.
I’m wondering if you forgot to add the salt? I’ve made that mistake before when baking bread and ended up with a flavorless bread.
so easy and so delicious!
I followed the recipe exactly using whole milk. They looked great with nice layering. Everything was great except the biscuits were very dry. Any suggestions? I will definitely try them again but will try it with buttermilk.
These shouldn’t be dry. I’ve made them many times with whole milk, and many times with buttermilk and they work great with either. Was the dough dry? If so, I’d try adding a little more milk or buttermilk next time. When measuring the flour, always be sure to lightly spoon it into the measuring cup and then level it off. Otherwise you could end up with too much flour.
Do you think that I could use salted butter if I omit the salt, or would they potentially still be too salty? Thanks for letting me know!
I would reduce the salt to 1/4 teaspoon if using salted butter. I don’t think they will be too salty that way, and having enough salt is important for the flavor. Enjoy! 🙂
This was my first time making biscuits in years. I made them for my sister and they turned out beautiful and were flaky and were so good. I will be making them again!
I made these to top a chicken pot pie. They worked great but honestly grating the butter (yes it was frozen & never defrosted) was really difficult! It was slippery, I dropped it 2 x (and cut my finger on the grater the 2nd time), butter was caught inside of the grater and difficult to remove. I worked up a sweat! I think next time I will go back to “Grandma’s method” – butter cut with a knife in very small slices & then cut the slices in half. What did I do wrong? I use a box grater that I use for cheese.
I find grating the butter to be quick and easy and don’t have those issues. You can try keeping the wrapper on one end of the stick until you get down to the end. I usually don’t grate the very last bit – I just toss that small piece into the flour mixture (or you can cut it up if it’s too big). I also use a box grater that I use for cheese and the shredded butter comes right out when I tap it over the bowl of flour or grab it gently with my fingers. If this method isn’t easy for you, then definitely do what works for you. 🙂
I made these exactly as described tonight and they were delicious..easy to make, moist, flaky and fluffy at the same..they were perfect. Thanks so much!
Biscuits …… Made them tonight. Buttery, flaky and delicious!! Will be my go to! Thank you.
This was the first time ever my home made biscuits turned out great!! The biscuits were fluffy and the taste was delicious!! I only made enough for 2 just to try. I can’t wait to make them for my family. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
❤️❤️❤️ I’ve always just used the recipe on the back of the baking powder container, and it’s fine. But I am SO happy that I found yours! Your instructions are well written and very clear. I did substitute in 1 cup of whole wheat flour and they came out fabulous! Thank you so much. ??
I tried your recipe and I totally loved them, yikes they were way better than I remember my mom’s biscuits, and I never thought I would say that, I did however use my food processer to mix everything, so much easier than doing it by hand, and truthfully yours were way prettier than mine lol
Great recipe, I have never had success making biscuits, they were excellent, they were flaky and very tasty. Thank you for the recipe.
Look forward to trying them after reading all the positive reviews.
These biscuits are outstanding!! I followed the directions exactly, so easy to do. I was so thankful this recipe could use either buttermilk or whole milk – I had just enough buttermilk left to do a half-and-half ratio so it was perfect. This is replacing my old biscuit recipe, thanks so much. I look forward to trying out more of your recipes!
I do not have a biscuit cutter what else can I use?
You can use an upside down glass or cup, or a cookie cutter. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
This recipe looks terrific, however, I have a question. I always thought that the use of buttermilk required baking soda to activate. Just wondering why it’s not listed as an ingredient. All the 5 star ratings must mean it isn’t needed. I’m just curious about the reason. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes you have so kindly shared.
Hi Cynthia,
It is not needed here and we don’t want to neutralize the tang of the buttermilk.
OMG! I tried these today…. I’m so pleased with the result! Thank you very much. I’m definitely going to use this recipe over and over again.
Second time I’ve made these, both times they are amazing! I’ve made biscuits all my cooking life and these are the ones that my husband has said ” I don’t like biscuits, but these are pretty good!” That’s a good hard compliment coming from a Vermont redneck man.
Thank you!
Amazing biscuits love to bake and just want simple easy recipes that still have that amazing flavor this was an amazing recipe??????
These came out beautiful, the only thing I did different , i cut the butter in cubes, then put them in freezer. when it was time to make the biscuits, I put the frozen butter and dry mix in a food processor and pulse a few times. Then followed your instructions. I really love the flavor and texture.
Made this recipe today for buscuits and cane out delicious! My 8 year old enjoyed them.
The best biscuit I’ve ever made… Thank you very much for the wonderful recipe …simple but delicious!!
Wow!!! Made these this morning and making again tonight.These are my new go to…. only thing I did different was sifted the the dry ingredients. Lol my granny always sifted her flour. Thanks for this recipe.
Yum! I just made these and followed the recipe exactly and they came out perfectly! Folding the dough over and over helped create the flakey layers effect, which resulted in biscuits that pulled apart nicely (no knife needed, and no crumbs!). I’ve made homemade biscuits before and they were just “okay” but this recipe is definitely a keeper. They tasted great and the dough came together just as the oven was done preheating. Thanks for sharing!
I followed this recipe but mine did not turn out fluffy at all and didn’t have much of a flavor.
I don’t know what I did wrong.
I’m sorry your biscuits didn’t turn out as you had hoped. These always turn out tall and flaky for me, and it’s hard to say what might have gone wrong without being with you in the kitchen. On occasion, I’ve forgotten to add salt to a bread recipe and the result was flavorless – maybe that was the problem?
It’s really important not to overwork the dough, if you mix too much, the gluten develops and biscuits turn into hard tack
These are awesome biscuits. Thank you Kristine!
Great Biscuit recipe!! Thank you. I am not a baker, and have tried so many biscuit recipes. This is by far the best, can’t thank you enough. I made them today.
The biscuits are great!! I just want to confirm that I can make the biscuit dough, cut the biscuits out, and freeze the unbaked cut out biscuits for up to three months. Correct? I have a busy life but I love homemade biscuits.❤️
Hi Monique, I haven’t tried freezing the unbaked biscuits. I am not sure that they will turn out as good if frozen before baking, because baking powder activates right away when wet and dry ingredients are combined. So, if you don’t bake the biscuits right away, you don’t get as much lift while baking and the texture doesn’t turn out as good. I’ve tried refrigerating this recipe overnight before baking and the biscuits didn’t turn out nearly as delicious, unfortunately.
Hi! I just watched a gentleman make biscuits with the same ingredients and he said after cutting them out, you can put them in the freezer and bake them whenever you want. I have not tried it myself, but he stated they would be delicious. Maybe the baking powder stays inactive while it is freezing, and activates appropriately when they’re baking.
Easy, simple recipe! I love making these. Shredding butter is fun. Thank you for taking the time to share Kristine!
Absolutely AMAZING biscuits! I’ve been on the search all year for a great biscuit recipe and none have come close to this one. Thank you so much for posting this.
GREAT BISCUIT RECIPE!! Frozen butter and not overworking the dough are key to deliciousness! Thanks for the recipe and the great tips. Brushed the tops with whole milk too. Golden brown tops!
So happy I came across this recipe! My late aunt taught me almost everything I know about cooking/baking. She was the family cook, so every family reunion or holiday was spent at her house when I was growing up. When I was a teenager, she moved in with us and, basically, took over all the household cooking and cleaning. She grew up with 11 siblings and it became her responsibility, at a very young age, to take care of the house and her younger siblings (my grandparents were farmers, so everyone helped out in their own way). I say all this to help explain what a wonder in the kitchen this woman was. As I grew older and started my own family, I used the knowledge and recipes she taught me. One of my family’s favorite meals was my biscuits and sausage gravy.
My kids are all grown now and because of my health, I don’t really cook anymore, but I was blessed today to have all my kids at home, so I decided to make one of their favorites. The only problem was, it’s been so long since I’ve made biscuits, I’d forgotten the recipe. Then, I came across this one, which was one of the only ones I could find that didn’t require buttermilk or a substitution with milk and vinegar. I didn’t feel comfortable with any of those, so I decided to give this one a try. The instructions were so easy for me to understand and follow. My kids all remarked that these biscuits were even better than the ones I used to make when they were younger. I can’t even express how good that made me feel. This is definitely my new, go to biscuit recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it! I’ll be checking out and trying some other recipes on this site, as well. Cooking, and watching as my family enjoyed it, always brought me joy. I’ve missed that alot over the past few years, but didn’t even realize it until today. Thanks again for helping bring the joy and happiness of cooking back to me.
The biscuits turned out fantastic! I followed your instructions with grating the frozen butter. I used 3 inch biscuit cutter and got 10 biscuits. I was so delighted how they turned out that I immediately baked up a second batch! I baked the night before and reheated the next day at 350 5 minutes for Christmas dinner. I was so happy when I successfully cut my biscuit apart and could make a ham biscuit sandwich.
My second time making this recipe and I am even more impressed. My husband and I couldn’t get over how FLUFFY these biscuits are. I baked in a 9 inch insulated cake pan (parchment on bottom) and brushed a bit of buttermilk on top. I checked the internal temp to be 201 of baked biscuits. Mine were big (3 inches) and I got 6. I think these are going to impress my Southern guest when she wakes up this morning!
Made these with Christmas Dinner. My Husband raved about these. I will be making them again instead of buying refrigerated biscuits. I love these and how easy it is to make. I have been wanting to make more homeade foods that are easy. I will tell You I have looked everywhere for “easy foods” to make. This is so easy. Thank-You for helping make things easy to make!!
They needed more salt, but otherwise, they were very good.
This is the BEST biscuit recipe I have found!
These turned out so well! Thank you for the simplicity of this recipe. The tops didn’t brown too much. I would maybe add butter rather than milk on top in the last few minutes. I’m curious, have you used more butter in the recipe? They were excellent warm with butter added but when I tried them again at room temperature I didn’t get a butter flavor. Could it be my butter was lacking flavor, maybe? I used basic salted butter. A richer, creamier butter would be better possibly or more butter in general.? Thanks again.
Hi Bee, I’m glad you enjoyed these biscuits! I have not tried this recipe with more butter, and I often make these with store brand butter. They are definitely better warm from the oven, and not as good the next day.
Hi Kristine. Your biscuits sound just like the ones my Mother used to make, which were wonderful. But my question is : Can I use whole wheat flower in place of white flour? Thanks. Beverly
Hi Beverly, You can, but the biscuits will have a denser texture and a much heartier flavor. They won’t be as light, fluffy and buttery tasting.
FINALLY, after 10 different recipes that resulted in complete failures I was able to make these with success. I’m so excited because I was ready to give up. Thank you for sharing. Jeff W. Wrightsville Beach NC
I just had to try a biscuit recipe that had five stars and I was not disappointed. The flavor, texture and tenderness of the biscuits was so scrumptious that I ate 3 of them almost immediately. I had only intended to taste one to see if the recipe was as good as they looked.
Wish I had taken a picture before my friends came over and scoffed them all up. But I will be baking more of these as they were so easy and delicious. They are five star for sure.
This recipe has become our go-to whenever we want biscuits b/c they turn out amazing every single time.
Today we decided to substitute the fresh ingredients w/ shelf stable ingredients to see how the recipe would turn out in a grid down scenario. We used ghee in place of butter and made buttermilk out of instant milk, curdled with white vinegar. We did not freeze the ghee, just cut it into the flour and followed all other instructions as stated. The biscuits turned out excellent!
I wanted to share this b/c as we all know, the world is in chaos and there’s no telling when we may need to make these w/o fresh milk & butter.
Thanks a million, this is truly THE best biscuit recipe ever :).
Hi Kristine,
I must personally thank you for posting this recipe. I followed your ingredient quantities and tips and the biscuits turned out to be super crispy and crunchy. Thanks a bunch, my friend !!.
These biscuits came out perfect! Crispy on the bottom but tender inside and the flavor is also perfect! ??
These are my my new go-to biscuit recipe now. Easy to make. I used salted butter and heavy cream for liquid. They were so light and tasty!
Our one and only biscuit recipe from now on! My husband used to LOVE the Pillsbury Grands biscuits, but we will never buy them again! These turn out perfectly – EVERY TIME! And so wuivk and easy!
These biscuits are wonderful! I was a little leery about 1 tablespoon of baking powder, thinking it might be a type-o. Tried it anyway and they turned out great! Awesome for biscuits and gravy.
I made this recipe twice with butter milk. The first time it turned into soup with 1 cup of butter mil. The second time I was able to make dough but it didn’t rise after baking, it turned into a flat bread. I am not sure what I did wrong.
Hi Jenine, I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve made this recipe dozens of times and the biscuits always turn out tall and flaky. If the dough was like soup, it sounds like there was an error in measuring the flour or buttermilk.
A few things that could cause the biscuits not to rise: (1) Using baking soda instead of baking powder. (2) Not using the full tablespoon of baking powder. (3) The baking powder being too old/expired. (4) The ingredients not being cold (the butter and milk or buttermilk should be very cold when added to the dough and then the biscuits should be baked immediately. If they are not baked right away, they do not rise as much. I hope that helps!
This was my first time making biscuits and I’ll never use another biscuit recipe. These came out PERFECT! Thank you so much for a great recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂
Is it possible to make this recipe with no salt? My dad has congestive heart failure and I am trying to cut all salt from his diet.
When you make a bread or biscuit without salt, it usually turns out flavorless, unfortunately. Some salt is needed for flavor, but you could try reducing the amount.
How many grams is the 2.5 cups? Thanks!
One cup of all-purpose flour weighs 125 grams, so 2.5 cups weighs 312 grams.
The best biscuit recipe ever, did things a little different baked at 400 degrees for 16 minutes and added all the milk/ buttermilk at once to dry for my liking afraid of another failure.
And forgot to brush milk on top of biscuit I have an old gas oven also burned them. Googled opinion on temperature and followed recipes using all ingredients made a double batch for 24 biscuits I got 14 biscuits but I’m very happy with the results.
Also added extra flour to table because dough was sticky and folded more for it to fully come together. this recipe will be my official hands down recipe for biscuits. GLAD I CHOSE THIS RECIPE ❤
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS RECIPE😊
These were the best biscuits! The only thing I did differently was add and extra teaspoon of baking powder, because I was contemplating using another recipe and they used more. I ended up adding an extra tablespoon of milk because the dough looked a little dry at first. But they ended up being fabulous! I accidently rolled biscuits out too thin, like 1/2 inch, so I got like 15-16 biscuits but they still rose tremendously. I baked for 14 minutes because I like my biscuits pretty white, but they were perfect. They had lots of layers and lots of little holes inside, like a croissant. So good! I wanted to post a photo, but didn’t see that option.
First time ever making biscuits and they turned out great! I’m so proud of myself!!! Definitely doing this from now on. I plan on freezing them for dinner and for breakfast with homemade gravy! Thank you for sharing your recipe!!
Delicious biscuit recipe. Simple ingredients and quick.
I added a cup of frozen grated cheddar cheese and my trick for those that don’t have a cookie cutter.. I use a coffee cup which makes a perfect sized biscuit for sandwiches. Make sure to flour the cutter before cutting.
So good, thank you 🙂
I’ve searched and searched and searched for the perfect biscuit recipe, could not find it until now! I just made a batch and Omgs they are so good!!!! I cut mine out with a cup so there like mini ones but Omgs there so good! Definitely putting this in the cookbooks in the kitchen to make again!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!
Taste great. I’m Gluten Free and had to use GF one to one flour blend. So disappointed that they didn’t rise. Followed the recipe to the latter. Perhaps I’ll add baking soda next time?
Gluten free flours can be heavier and denser than all-purpose flour, so perhaps that is why they did not rise. If you used gluten free flour you did not follow the recipe to the letter. I have only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour and the biscuits rise very well according to the recipe as written. I’d suggest searching for a gluten free biscuit recipe. Good luck!
These were delicious, and came out beautifully. I would just add more salt for my personal taste. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Very easy, very yummy, great results, lots of layers (I got more than she did in the pictures)
Can you make them a day ahead?
These are best freshly baked, but can be reheated the next day. The texture isn’t quite as good on day 2.
I don’t recommend making the dough a day ahead and refrigerating because baking powder activates right away when the milk is added to the dry ingredients, so the biscuits won’t rise as well.
You can try making the biscuits ahead and freezing them. First freeze the unbaked biscuits in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and then transfer to a zip-top bag or other container and store in the freezer. You can bake from frozen, but may need to add a few minutes to the baking time. Or you can freeze and then thaw & reheat baked biscuits.
These are so quick to make, though, that they are definitely doable in the morning, too. 🙂
Hello can u use delf rising flour?
Yes, I think that will work. You should omit the baking powder and salt in this recipe, since self-rising flour already has those two ingredients added to it.
Love these. My only problem is trying to figure out a good way to measure the dough to 1 inch thick when cutting the biscuits out. But that’s really a me problem.
These were the hardest biscuits I’ve ever made in my life 🥺 I wanted this recipe to be the one!
I’m sorry to hear that was your experience! I know that must have been disappointing. These should turn out tender and flaky. It sounds like the dough may have been overworked. When mixing and folding the dough, you want to be gentle with it, and not fold it and press it out too many times.
Jessica. The first time I made them them they were hard. I think I rolled them to flat. The next time I used buttermilk and did a lighter flaky texture and used spray butter on top while cooling. They were excellent!
I made this recipe using Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour, and the biscuits turned out beautifully. I live at 5000 ft and I did not make any adjustments for the altitude. Printing this recipe for my binder!
I am not a cook and this was my first attempt at making biscuits. I had a couple of minor mishaps, but the biscuits were delicious. My second batch looked better because I was able to better manage the batter. I will definitely make these again.
This is by far my favorite, easy biscuit recipe. I can mix them up quick and they rise beautifully. Light, fluffy and delicious every time!
I just baked biscuits using this recipe and it was perfect-this is
Just made these, fantastic! I put the milk in the freezer till almost frozen too.
Highest rising, flaskiest, as any I’ve made.
Safety tip: when you’re getting down to the last nubs of butter, just use a fork! I managed to grate off some skin on my thumb…2x tonight.
And I train professional pilots for a living. 😁
I didn’t grate my butter. I froze as suggested and cut thin slices and chopped up the thin slices, then cut in with a pastry cutter. Took only a few seconds. My biscuits were delicious! They were so tall and fluffy. I’ve tried several recipes, but this will now be my go to recipe for biscuits!
Pretty yummy. I used salted butter and left out salt instead of unsalted and salt. Kids seem to love them.
This recipe is perfect! I’ve used a combo of 1% and heavy cream for the milk, also have made with both salted and unsalted butter and still perfect either way!
Can I use whole wheat or buck wheat flour instead of white flour?
I’ve tried this recipe with whole wheat flour and the biscuits are quite a bit more dense, but still good.
My first time making biscuits and they turned out delicious. I used buttermilk and we all loved the flavor and texture. They were crispy on top, fluffy inside and didn’t feel heavy. I will make them again and again.
Hello! I am using these biscuits for an egg bake.. the egg bake calls for raw biscuits, adding gravy and eggs overtop and then baking. I froze your biscuits ahead of time… do you think it’ll turn out okay if I thaw the biscuits overnight and then bake them in the egg bake? Or should I just bake them in there from frozen? Thank you!
Hi Brandi,
I’d try baking them from frozen. You may need to increase the cook time just a bit. If you thaw them overnight, the biscuits may not rise as much because the baking powder may activate before the biscuits go in the oven.
These aren’t bad, but mine turned out VERY dense, not light and fluffy. What did I do wrong? I also ended up having to bake them around 20 minutes.
I’m sorry to hear that, I know it’s disappointing when a recipe doesn’t turn out how you had hoped. I’ve made this recipe dozens of times; based on that and the other reviews I’m confident that it works to produce light and fluffy biscuits.
It sounds like you might have overworked the dough. You want to mix just until the ingredients are combined and then be gentle when doing the folding process and not fold too many times. If the biscuits didn’t rise well, it could be that you twisted the biscuit cutter, rather than pressing it down straight to cut the biscuits. Have you tested that your oven is at proper temperature using an oven thermometer? These typically take 13-14 minutes in my oven.
This came out better than I thought.
These biscuits turned out amazing, I did as suggested in the comments double the amount of sugar and salt, and they where amazing my family really enjoyed them as well,
Just found this recipe, it’s easy and delicious!! I used homemade oat milk buttermilk and they tasted great!! The family loved them too!
Can I omit the sugar when making this? I’ve tried researching sugar-free options, and your recipe uses the LEAST amount of sugar of the ones I found, but I still would like to leave it out or replace with honey. Is this possible? What does the sugar add to the recipe?
Yes, you can leave out the sugar. It’s primary purpose is to add a little sweetness.
Would you suggest to double the recipe or make 2 separate batches of biscuits. I am needing quite a few biscuits for a brunch.
You can double the recipe. Enjoy!
Delicious! Nice flaky layers. The only problem I had was several of them ended up leaning and falling over. Not sure what caused that. Any ideas?
That happens to me sometimes, too. I find that patting out the dough a little thinner can help.