These homemade biscuits are soft and buttery with dozens of flaky layers. This biscuit recipe requires just 7 ingredients and they’re ready in about 35 minutes.
I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more helpful success tips.
One reader, Marcia, commented: “Finally, a biscuit recipe that worked for me. I especially appreciated the notes which, in fact, had me change some things I had been doing. The detail at all levels, both visual and written, is very helpful. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Maggie, commented: “One of my favorite biscuit recipes! They are so consistently flaky and delicious, every single time! ★★★★★“
It’s quite serendipitous that this “side dish” may taste even more remarkable than the main event. No, no… it WILL taste more remarkable. Just look at the big buttery layers! Nothing can compete.
What Are Biscuits?
The term “biscuits” has different meanings depending on where you live in the world. In the U.S., biscuits are similar to a dinner roll, but are denser and flakier because they aren’t (typically) made with yeast. Since there’s usually no yeast and the rising agent is either baking soda, baking powder, or both, biscuits are considered a quick bread, like banana bread and no-yeast bread. In other parts of the world, people may consider these American-style biscuits to be more similar to scones, and what they call “biscuits” are more like what we call cookies.
7 Key Ingredients in Homemade Biscuits
You need just 7 basic ingredients for my homemade biscuits recipe:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Cold Butter
- Cold Buttermilk
- Honey
With so few ingredients, it’s important to reach for quality ingredients and avoid any substitutions.
Baking Powder AND Baking Soda
Until recently, this biscuits recipe called for just baking powder as the leavening agent. In recent years, I’ve found that the texture, color, and flavor excels when using a combination of both baking powder AND baking soda. If you’ve always made this recipe using 2 Tablespoons of baking powder, you can certainly continue to do so! However, by reducing the baking powder to 1 Tablespoon and adding 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, the biscuits brown more, have a flakier texture, crispier edges, and you don’t risk a bitter chemical aftertaste.
Success Tips for the Best Homemade Biscuits
After perfecting this recipe over the past 8 years and developing other biscuit recipes, let me share what I’ve learned along the way. I’ve made plenty of mistakes so you don’t have to. These tried-and-true tricks will turn your flat, dry biscuits into the best biscuits ever. And that’s a guarantee.
- Cold Fat: For flaky layers, use cold butter. When little pieces of butter melt as the biscuits bake, they release steam and create little pockets of air—this makes the biscuits airy and flaky on the inside while remaining crisp on the outside. It’s the same thing that happens when making these ham & cheese scones.
- Buttermilk & Honey for Flavor: Buttermilk and a teeny drizzle of honey balance out the salt. Buttermilk creates the most tender biscuit! I have plenty more on this topic in my Baking With Buttermilk post (including a buttermilk substitute recipe).
- Don’t Over-Mix: Never overwork biscuit dough. Overworking and over-handling biscuit dough will result in tough, hard, and flat biscuits. Mix the ingredients together *just* until combined. Dough will be crumbly; that’s normal.
- Flatten & Fold Method: The most important step of all is folding the dough together. Turn the scrappy dough out onto a work surface and flatten it with your hands. Fold, flatten, turn, and repeat.
- Don’t Twist the Biscuit Cutter: When cutting the dough with a biscuit cutter, do not twist the cutter. Press the cutter down into the dough firmly. Twisting it will seal off the biscuit edges, preventing the biscuits from rising.
- Bake Close Together: Biscuits rise up nice and tall when they are touching, pressed snuggly against one another in the oven.
How to Make Your Homemade Biscuits
Whisk the dry ingredients together, then add the cubed butter. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter, like when making pie crust or this savory quick bread, or pulse in a food processor. Cut/blend in the butter until you have coarse crumbles, like this:
Add the buttermilk and honey. Mix everything together until you have a shaggy dough, like this:
Pour it out onto a work surface and bring the dough together with your hands. It will be dry and shaggy with some moist spots. That’s all perfectly normal:
Fold & Flatten the Dough
Flattening and folding biscuit dough creates multiple flaky layers, just as it does when we make homemade croissants, rough puff pastry, homemade cruffins, mille-feuille, and croissant bread. This step will take you no more than 2 minutes and you’ll be rewarded with the flakiest biscuits in the world. First, shape dough into a rectangle, about 3/4-inch thick:
Then fold one side into the center:
Then the other side:
Turn the folded dough 90 degrees so it’s now horizontal, gently flatten, and repeat that folding process 2 more times.
After you’ve folded and flattened 3 times, flatten into a 3/4-inch rectangle once again, then use a biscuit cutter to shape into rounds. If you don’t have a biscuit cutter, you can cut into 8 to 10 squares.
Arrange close together in a cast iron skillet (no need to preheat it), or on a lined baking sheet. Again, make sure the biscuits are touching so they will rise nice and tall.
Before baking, brush the biscuits with buttermilk to help the tops brown evenly.
Honey Butter Topping
The honey butter topping is optional, but will set your biscuits apart from the rest. When the biscuits come out of the oven, brush with melted butter + honey. You use both ingredients in the biscuit dough, keeping the count at 7 ingredients total.
Serve your homemade biscuits with jam or homemade raspberry sauce, cinnamon butter, or biscuits and gravy—I love this particular recipe. Or a swipe of homemade honey butter really kicks it up a notch! You could also create delicious breakfast sandwiches with these breakfast sausages.
So Many Variations
I bake biscuits often, and use the same process and success tips when making all of my favorite variations including cheddar biscuits, everything bagel biscuits, and zucchini biscuits. I also make biscuit-topped vegetable pot pie and biscuit breakfast casserole. And you can absolutely turn these into dessert with my recipes for biscuit-topped berry cobbler and homemade strawberry shortcake.
I make these biscuits on almost a weekly basis, and what makes them a hit every single time is the combination of very cold butter and buttermilk. Additionally, the careful folding and flattening method helps produce dozens and dozens of flaky layers. Follow the recipe below closely.
Bake the biscuits in a cast iron skillet, which helps the edges crisp up beautifully. Additionally, use a pastry brush to coat the tops of the biscuits with a little buttermilk before baking.
You can use a food processor to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients, but if you do not own one, you can use a pastry cutter instead. A pastry cutter is an extremely helpful baking tool.
Homemade Biscuits (Popular Recipe!)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8-11 biscuits
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These homemade biscuits are soft and buttery with hundreds of flaky layers! This biscuit recipe only requires 7 simple ingredients and they’re ready in about 35 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed for hands and work surface
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder (see Note)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (see Note)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, cubed and very cold
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons (270ml/g) cold buttermilk, divided
- 2 teaspoons (14g) honey
Optional Topping
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon (21g) honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Make the biscuits: Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl or in a large food processor. Whisk or pulse until combined. Add the cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or by pulsing several times in the processor. Cut/pulse until coarse crumbs form.
- If you used a food processor, pour the mixture into a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour 1 cup (240ml/g) buttermilk into the well and drizzle honey on top. Using a large spoon or spatula, fold until it begins to come together. Do not overwork the dough. The dough will be shaggy and crumbly with some wet spots.
- Pour the dough and any dough crumbles onto a floured work surface and gently bring together with generously floured hands. The dough will become sticky as you bring it together. Have extra flour nearby and use it often to flour your hands and work surface as needed in this step. Using floured hands, flatten into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle as best you can. Fold one side into the center, then the other side on top. Turn the dough 90 degrees, so it’s now horizontal. Gently flatten into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle again. Repeat the folding again. Turn the dough horizontally one more time. Gently flatten into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Repeat the folding one last time. Flatten into the final 3/4-inch-thick rectangle.
- Cut into 2.5- or 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. (Tip: Do not twist the biscuit cutter when pressing down into the dough because this seals off the edges of the biscuit which prevents them from fully rising.) Re-roll scraps until all the dough is used. You should have about 8–11 biscuits. Arrange in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (see Note) or close together on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Make sure the biscuits are touching.
- Brush the tops with remaining buttermilk. Bake for 18–20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven. If adding the optional topping, whisk the melted butter and honey together. Using a pastry brush, brush the warm biscuits with honey butter topping. Serve warm.
- Cover leftovers tightly and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Baked biscuits freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator, then warm up to your liking before serving. You can also freeze the biscuit dough. Prepare the dough in steps 2 through 4. Wrap up tightly in plastic wrap (plastic wrap is best for freshness) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then continue with step 5. Also, after step 4, you can wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days before continuing with step 5.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Pastry Cutter or Food Processor | 2.5- or 3-inch Biscuit Cutter | 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet (or Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper) | Pastry Brush
- Baking Powder: In 2025, I updated this recipe to use both baking powder and baking soda. I’ve found that the texture, color, and flavor excels when using a combination of both. If you’ve always made this recipe using 2 Tablespoons of baking powder, you can certainly continue to do so! However, by reducing the baking powder to 1 Tablespoon and adding 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, the biscuits brown more, have a flakier texture, crispier edges, and you don’t risk a bitter chemical aftertaste.
- Butter: Cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Keep butter as cold as possible until you need it. I recommend placing the cubed butter in the freezer for about 15 minutes before you begin.
- Buttermilk: You can substitute whole milk for buttermilk if desired. However if you’d like the tangy flavor, which I highly recommend, you can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute. Add 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1 cup. (You need 1 cup in the recipe, plus 2 Tbsp for brushing—you can use regular milk to brush on top.) Whisk together, then let sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe. Whole milk is best for the DIY sour milk substitute, though lower-fat or nondairy milks work in a pinch. (In my testing, the biscuits don’t taste as rich or rise quite as tall using lower-fat or nondairy milks.)
- Cast Iron Skillet: If your cast iron skillet isn’t well seasoned, I recommend greasing it with a little vegetable oil or melted butter. Brush a thin layer of either on the bottom and around the sides. No need to heat the cast iron skillet before using, though you certainly can. Place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes before arranging the shaped biscuits in it.
- Flavors: Try my flavorful biscuit variations: cheddar biscuits, zucchini biscuits, and everything bagel biscuits.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 biscuit
- Calories: 212
- Sugar: 2.4 g
- Sodium: 283.5 mg
- Fat: 9.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.5 g
- Protein: 4.1 g
- Cholesterol: 25.4 mg
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally, I am looking forward to making your delicious looking buttermilk biscuits! I was just wondering if you have tried it with self rising flour? If so what changes were made to the recipe?
Hi Lorna! I don’t recommend self rising flour for this particular biscuit recipe. Stick with all-purpose and the added baking powder.
Perfect fluffy flakey biscuits. Great recipe, Sally. Thanks for sharing it. Will use this one from now on.
I’ve baked so many recipes off Sally’s baking addiction and all of them usually turn out great. I’ve never made buttermilk biscuits until today. These were actually very good but they did not rise as much as the picture showed. Not sure what went wrong. They did have a little layer of flaky , they were moist and not dried out. Just wish they would’ve risen like the picture on your website. Maybe my baking powder wasn’t as fresh? rolled dough to thin? Used a pastry cutter to cut flour and butter. I will these again though.
Hi Kira! It’s likely that the biscuits were rolled too flat. That’s an easy fix for next time– keep the rolled out/shaped dough thicker and your biscuits will be much thicker. Also, replacing your baking powder should help too. I replace mine every 3 months. Though 6 months is recommended, I find it loses strength after 3.
Really lovely biscuits, crispy and tender. They were quick and easy to make with lovely results. The biscuits were tall and flavorful. Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe. Made for What’s on the tag game. (BK)
I have found several recipes for fluffy biscuits and have failed me every time. I found yours and followed recipe and still not as fluffy as yours look in the picture. I am a cook and baker cooking is one of my loves.
Not sure what I’m doing wrong UGH!!!!!
Hi Sue, How was the taste and texture? Be sure you are using a sharp biscuit cutter and not twisting it at all, and be sure they are touching each other in the pan when baking!
Super delicious and easy to make. Will make again soon!
Loved this so much that it’s a permanent part of my homemade repertoire. I will NEVER buy the canned biscuits ever again. Tip I learned from King Arthur Flour’s website—use a parchment paper to fold the though. It minimizes the mess by wrangling the dough more efficiently and you don’t have to deal with the sticky dough on your fingers.
Oh, my gosh!!!! I have searched literally for years to try to duplicate my Tennessee grandmother’s biscuits. At last, my quest is over! These are, in one word, “wonderful”! Many thanks!
Protio: Using European butter (or any 82% butterfat butter) made these EVEN BETTER!
Such a simple recipe, but such amazing results.
I have made these several times….always are perfect
I am going to be making these for dinner this evening. Making biscuits has always been scary for me but family wants buttermilk biscuits so here we go. My question is, can I make these early in the day but bake them closer to dinner time?
Hi Joy, the biscuits are best baked right away, however you can make the dough and shape ahead of time. Cover and keep in the refrigerator or freezer before baking.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have tried several biscuit recipes. I made yours tonight. They were delicious and perfect. Your instructions answered every question I had. My husband said they were the best biscuits he ever had!
This recipe is off the charts. I served them with italian sausage gravy!
This is my go to biscuit recipe! The ate amazing every time 🙂
Sally,
I’m becoming addicted to your blog. Love your recipes, tips, notes. Your Christmas Sugar Cookies were the best I’ve ever made and the idea to roll out the dough on parchment and stack and chill, brilliant, cut down so much time and frustration rolling out cold cookie dough. I also made the peppermint bark cookies and with raves from friends. Thanks for your wonderful recipes.
I just made these today for the first time, for a Christmas morning breakfast of biscuits and gravy for my husbands family.
They turned out PERFECT. They rose to fluffy heights, like delicious clouds. Everyone is raving about these. I’ve made a few biscuits recipes before and this one is the best I’ve tried.
My only changes were that I doubled the recipe, used a buttermilk substitute (milk+apple cider vinegar), and I only cooked them for 12 minutes as they were already a toasty light brown on the tops. We will absolutely make these again. I wish I could post a picture of these perfect cloud biscuits!
Yum! Just made these – delicious and tempting! They came out perfectly – flaky and delicious.
Sorry to be a hide-bound traditionalist, biscuit dough should Never Ever Never be mixed in a food processor – only by hand, you can cheat with a pastry knife but only half-way, finish off by hand!!! No need fr a rolling pin either, the dough can be hand patted into size and shape. The texture of the baked biscuit is totally different in favor of the handmade product!
Can a Dutch oven (uncovered) be used in place of the cast iron skillet?
Absolutely!
Sally, your recipes NEVER disappoint! This is my new go-to recipe…perfect every time!
These were so good! I love the honey instead of sugar!
Do you preheat your cast iron skillet before you bake your biscuits?Gary
That’s completely up to you– you can to obtain a crispier crust on the bottoms/sides of the biscuits.
Would it be okay if I made these a few hours before serving? How would you suggest I reheat them so that they’re warm when we’re ready to eat? Planning for a potluck requires some serious strategic skill lol!
Hi Caroline! I’m happy to help. You can definitely make these a few hours before serving (I usually do!). I just stick them back in a 300F oven (covered with foil) for about 10 minutes to reheat.
First time making biscuits from scratch, and these were a huge hit with my family! Will definitely be making them on a regular basis and now I have to figure out something else to do with my Pillsbury biscuits in the can. Maybe monkey bread? I don’t think I can bring myself to make those again. Will have to keep these in the freezer so we can have them in a hurry on busy mornings. I would like to work on making them more flaky. I think maybe I rolled the dough too much, which you cautioned against. Thanks for sharing this delightful recipe with us!
I have a bad history with biscuits but I just made these and they turned out delicious!!
I am not a biscuit maker. Just took these out of the oven and like what I see, although they aren’t quite as perfect as yours, great for a first time! I was worried I had done something wrong when your directions said they would make 9-12 biscuits. I got 7 plus a little one, but then I watched your video and you got 8. Score!
These biscuits plus lemon curd are over the top amazing. Perfect for breakfast!
Can I use almond milk instead of buttermilk?
Hi Carol– the biscuits are truly the best with buttermilk, however you can try almond milk with a splash of lemon juice for a bit of tang.
Absolutely the most delicious biscuits – ever! Thank you
Fabulous recipe- exactly what I was craving this morning. I may have lost count and folded a couple of extra times. 😉
Thank you so much for another hit. 🙂