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Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Name: Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 cups all purpose flour; 5 tsp baking powder; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/2 cup cold butter ( or vegetable shortening); 1 - 1 1/4 cup cold buttermilk; melted butter or heavy cream to brush the tops

March 20, 2019 by Melissa 234 Comments

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These homemade Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, served with a rich sausage gravy or topped with eggs, bacon, country ham or jam are a Southern staple. You can also enjoy them with a drizzle of honey or a dollop of preserves at any meal.

Fluffy Tender Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

The aroma of homemade biscuits baking is only eclipsed by the first heavenly bite. If you gathered any number of Southern cooks together, none of them would make their biscuits exactly the same way. Each cook would have their own favorite techniques and tricks to give their biscuits the edge that sets them apart. Serve these fluffy biscuits at any meal and enjoy a taste of the South at your own kitchen table.

Easy Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

Homemade biscuits are heritage bread of sorts. They've been served in the South for eons and are made using simple pantry ingredients. They bridge the gap between modern day cooks and those who came before us. When I bite into a biscuit, I'm instantly transported back to my Mothers and Grandmothers tables, on any day of the week. Biscuits are widely considered to be the house bread of choice in the South tying only with cornbread for first place. Savory or sweet, recipes are handed down for generations by the cooks who came before us, each one claiming that they knew the closely guarded "secret" to the perfect biscuit. The truth of the matter is; that perfecting the art of biscuit making takes practice. Rest assured, you can master biscuit making.

Step-by-Step pictures of preparation of Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Helpful Tips for Making the BEST Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

The ingredients needed to make biscuits are so basic, it's important to use the very best for making tender fluffy biscuits.

Kitchen tools you'll need: A large bowl for mixing, measuring cups and spoons, a pastry blender, a non stick surface for rolling or a pastry mat. You'll also need a food processor, a pastry blender or two forks to cut the cold butter into the flour. A biscuit cutter and a baking pan. A pastry brush for brushing the tops.
Ingredients you'll need to make biscuits from scratch: All purpose flour, cold butter, baking powder, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. Also, melted butter or heavy cream for brushing the tops and a drizzle of honey, jam or butter for serving.
Start with quality ingredients. Biscuits require so few ingredients to make it's worth making sure everything is fresh and top quality.
Don't overwork the biscuit dough or the biscuits could be tough.
Use fresh baking powder.
Use a sharp biscuit cutter. When cutting the biscuit dough into rounds, dip the cutter in flour, press down, then lift, never twist to make the cut. This ensures the biscuits will have flaky layers.
Use cold butter. The butter will melt and create steam while baking resulting in a fluffier biscuit.
Be gentle when mixing the dough and knead as little as possible to avoid developing the gluten in the flour.
If preferred, the biscuits can be baked closer together, to encourage them to rise upwards while baking.

Unbaked Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits on a pan

Variations Of Classic Buttermilk Biscuits to Add to the Menu

The most common kind of Southern biscuit served is savory with occasional add-ins such as cheese, chives or bacon.
Buttermilk biscuits can also be served as a sweeter version such as incorporating sweet potatoes with sugar and cinnamon.
Just like a scone, at times they feature fresh or dried fruit and they're topped with a sweet glaze.
Then, there are the beloved "Angel Biscuits" which are a cross between a buttermilk biscuit and a yeast roll. Whatever your preference, a classic Southern buttermilk biscuit and a few simple technique tips will put you on the path for biscuit making success.
Biscuits come in many flavors, but this basic buttermilk biscuit recipe is probably the one that people most often make and clearly one that will never go out of style.
You may also like to try this recipe for Cinnamon Biscuits with Honey Butter from Butter with a Side of Bread.

Baked Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits in a skillet

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How To Make Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

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