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Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

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This recipe for Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits delivers tender, buttery layers that puff up beautifully when baked. Made with all-purpose flour, cold butter, and tangy buttermilk, these biscuits are perfect for breakfast or as a savory side. The folding technique creates multiple flaky layers, making each biscuit light and airy. Easy to customize with honey for a touch of sweetness, the biscuits come together quickly and bake to golden perfection in under 20 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk (for brushing)
  • 1 Tbsp honey or sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to get it ready for baking the biscuits.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium-large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning.
  3. Cut in Butter: Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut the cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, creating the base for flaky layers.
  4. Add Buttermilk and Sweetener: Whisk the honey or sugar into 3/4 cup of buttermilk. Drizzle half of this mixture into the flour and gently mix until absorbed. Add the remaining buttermilk and combine until the dough comes together.
  5. Knead Dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 3-4 times until it just forms a cohesive dough. Add flour by tablespoons if sticky.
  6. Shape Dough: Flatten the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle preparing it for layering.
  7. First Fold: Fold the left side of the dough over to the center, then fold the right side on top to create layers.
  8. Rotate and Repeat Folding: Rotate the dough 90 degrees, flatten gently back into a rectangle, and fold again. Repeat folding once more after rotating to build flaky layers.
  9. Final Flattening: Flatten the dough into about 1-inch thickness for cutting.
  10. Cut Biscuits: Use a 2-inch circular biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits; expect 3-4 on the first pass.
  11. Re-roll Dough Scraps: Gently gather and reshape scraps into a rectangle and cut additional biscuits until dough is used.
  12. Optional Square Cut: Alternatively, use a knife to cut dough into equal-sized squares if preferred.
  13. Prepare for Baking: Arrange biscuits on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet spaced evenly, or place them together in a cast iron skillet for pull-apart biscuits.
  14. Brush with Buttermilk: Brush the tops of the biscuits with the reserved 1/4 cup of buttermilk for a golden crust.
  15. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until risen and golden brown on top.

Notes

  • Using cold butter is crucial for flaky biscuits; do not overwork the dough.
  • If you use salted butter, omit the added salt to avoid oversalting.
  • Substitute regular milk or half & half for buttermilk if needed, but the tangy flavor will be less pronounced.
  • Folding the dough multiple times builds layers for a flaky texture.
  • You can freeze unbaked biscuits for later baking by wrapping them tightly.

Keywords: buttermilk biscuits, flaky biscuits, breakfast biscuits, buttery biscuits, homemade biscuits

Find it online: https://nataliereeve.com/flaky-buttermilk-biscuits-recipe/