Buttermilk Biscuits Easy
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Biscuits crisp on the outside, layers flaking open inside. Flour measured by spoon, butter cut to pea-size or grated frozen. Buttermilk moistens dough into thick mashed potato texture; tweak flour or buttermilk to balance stickiness. Dough folded like a letter thrice, builds flakiness. Cut without twisting to keep edges neat. Bake golden, aroma fills kitchen; brushing tops with melted butter adds final shine and flavor. Classic Southern staple reborn with subtle almond milk swap for buttermilk, slight oven temp bump, and speed tweaks. Between 10 and 12 tender, flaky rounds come out. Listen for golden crust, touch for firm not dry. Adapt for fridge dough rest if time permits. Pragmatic, sensory-driven approach to biscuit-making that rewards patience, technique, and a good eye for texture.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
14 min
Total:
39 min
Servings:
10 servings
#Southern American
#baking
#biscuits
#dairy-free
#quick biscuits
Starting hot oven 460°F. Flour scooped and leveled always; never dumped. Why? Weight and volume chaos wrecks biscuits. Butter cold, either cut small chunks or frozen and grated; both methods yield flakiness, grated gives my personal edge. Binding with buttermilk or almond milk soured with lemon juice — swap for tang or dairy-free tweak without losing rise. Dough texture key — thick mashed potatoes, not gluey. Folding like a letter folds layers straight into dough: essential for flakiness. Gentle hands, no overworking. Cut with sharp cutter straight down, no twisting. Bake until tops bubble golden. Smell butter, see layers puffing, hear crust form. Chill scraps to keep integrity if needed. Yield 10 to 12 biscuits. A biscuit worth the bend in the elbow and patience at the loaf.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into pea-size pieces or frozen and grated
- 1 cup buttermilk or unsweetened almond milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice (rested 5 minutes)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing
About the ingredients
Measuring flour by spoon and level ensures consistency—too packed or dumped flour ruins biscuit structure. Swapping almond milk plus lemon juice for buttermilk is practical, dairy-free, but acidity is necessary for rise and tender crumb. Butter cold is non-negotiable; grated frozen butter shortcuts traditional cutting and aids flake contrast. Sugar optional but adds subtle caramel note as crust browns. Baking powder, soda combo balances rise and prevents metallic tastes. Use unsalted butter and adjust salt carefully. Melting butter for brush finish caramelizes surface sugars, boosts aroma, and shields from drying out. Keep dough cool and flour plenty when folding or re-rolling scraps to preserve layers and prevent gumminess.
Method
- Preheat oven to 460°F for an extra quick rise; line pan with parchment or silicone mat.
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda in large bowl. No sifting unless lumpy flour.
- Cut butter into flour till pea-size bits remain; frozen butter grated saves time and creates texture variation for flakiness.
- Pour almond milk mixture in, stir gently just till dough holds together; should feel like thick mashed potatoes, tacky but not sticky. If too wet, dust flour in small pinches; too dry, splash extra milk.
- Turn dough to floured surface. Knead very briefly if crumbly. Press dough into rectangle roughly 10x6 inches.
- Fold dough into thirds (like a business letter). Flour surface and dough lightly to avoid sticking.
- Press out again to 10x6 rectangle. Repeat tri-fold twice more — three times total — builds layers. Handle gently, don’t overwork or layers toughen.
- Final flattening to approx 3/4 inch thickness. Flour 2 1/2 inch sharp cutter, cut straight down. Avoid twisting cutter—twist seals edges shut, no rise.
- Place biscuits close together on pan for tender edges; spaced apart for crunch. No gaps greater than 1 inch.
- Gather scraps, reroll cautiously; fewer layers but worth it for more biscuits.
- Brush tops with melted butter to encourage browning and add rich aroma during baking.
- Bake 13 to 15 minutes. Look for golden tan, puffed tops, sides slightly firm but yielding to touch.
- Remove and cool 5 minutes on rack. Serve warm with honey, jam, or savory butter.
Cooking tips
Oven set to a bit hotter (460°F vs 450°F) accelerates steam production—critical for lift. Folding dough multiple times traps air creating layered flakiness; avoid over-kneading or muscle fatigue will yield tough biscuits. Dough should be pliable but still stiff enough to hold shape; adjusting moisture shyly by feel preferred over precise volume tweaks. Cut with sharp biscuit cutter and press straight down—twisting ruins rise by sealing dough edges shut. Place biscuits touching for soft sides, spaced for crunch—personal preference affects final texture. Brush melted butter post-formation, pre-bake, arms baking crust with buttery sheen and deeper color. Watch the crumb listen to crackle, look for golden dome—green light to pull biscuits. Reuse scraps thoughtfully, but handle gently to keep integrity.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Flour measurement shapes crumb and rise. Spoon and level to avoid weight chaos. Dumping equals dense, flat biscuits. Cold butter key. Frozen and grated adds rugged texture and saves effort. Chunks work too but grated speeds process. Think layers trapped air; flap folds air pockets. Fold dough like letter—three times—keeps layers defined. Dust flour lightly on dough and surface; too much clogs; too little sticks like glue. Folding gentle. Overworking equals tough biscuits.
- 💡 Dough consistency matters. Like mashed potatoes that aren’t shiny or gluey. Too wet? Dust in flour in tiny bits not all at once. Too dry? Splash milk slowly. Almond milk with lemon juice works for dairy-free version but acidity must be there for chemical lift. Use buttermilk or soured plant milk. Feel over volume here. Sticky but not clingy is the sweet spot.
- 💡 Cutting technique will decide edge quality, rise, and final look. Sharp cutter pressed straight down. No twisting. Twisting seals edges shut—nix that if you want flaky edges. Floured cutter helps but not too thick of flour coating. Cutting straight down gives clean edges, crisp rise. Place biscuits tight for soft sides, spaced for crunch. Personal choice, texture opposite ends of biscuit spectrum.
- 💡 Oven temp and bake time combo controls rise and crust. Crank heat 460°F pushes steam fast, plumps layers, browns butter sugars in crust. Bake 13 to 15 minutes. Signal: tops bubble golden tan, sides feel firm but gentle give. Pull earlier, dough gummy inside; wait too long edges harden, crumb dries. Listen to crumb crackle, smell butter to time pull. Let rest 5 minutes to set texture.
- 💡 Scraps matter. Don’t toss; gather, reroll cautiously. Layers fewer but still good. Keep dough cool between steps or fold too hard layers merge, toughen. Brushing tops with melted butter before baking locks in moisture, adds shiny surface that smells nutty when hot. Skip brushing and biscuits dull, dry out sooner. For fridge rest, wrap tight, chill max 24 hours; bring just above fridge temp before baking or risk dense centers.
Common questions
Can I substitute milk for buttermilk?
Yes but acidity important. Use almond milk plus lemon juice rested 5 minutes or plain milk with vinegar. No acid equals less rise, denser crumb. Pasteurized milk lacks tang but still bakes. Chemical leavening needs acid to activate fully.
Why fold dough three times?
Folding traps air and folds layers of butter with dough. This has huge effect on flakiness. Skip or over-knead and biscuits toughen or shrink. Each fold builds layers. Patience here pays off. Layer count defines texture more than precise minutes.
Dough too sticky how fix?
Dust flour in slow, cautious pinches. If after flour addition still sticky, rest in fridge to firm. Too dry? Splash almond milk or buttermilk. Feel key, no measuring here. Stickiness varies by humidity, flour brand. Adjust on sight and touch.
How store leftovers?
Cool fully at room temp. Wrap tight in foil or airtight container. Refrigerate up to 3 days, reheat in oven to restore crispness. Freeze wrapped in plastic then foil for 1 month. Toast frozen biscuit halves straight from freezer or warm whole baked to revive.
