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 chilled 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 94 Comments

Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, served with a rich sausage gravy or topped with eggs, bacon, country ham or jam are a staple in the South. The smell of them 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.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Biscuits to me are sort of a heritage bread, bridging 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.

Helpful Tips for Making Biscuits

Start with quality ingredients. Biscuits require so few ingredients to make it’s worth making sure everything is fresh.
Don’t overwork the dough or the biscuits could be tough.
Use fresh baking powder.
Use a sharp cutter. When cutting the dough into rounds, dip the cutter in flour, press down, then lift, never twist to make the cut.
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

The most common biscuit served is savory with occasional add-ins such as cheese, chives or bacon. Buttermilk biscuits can also be served as a sweeter version with sugar and cinnamon, or dried fruit and 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 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 enjoy and one that will never go out of style. See also Cinnamon Biscuits with Honey Butter and Blueberry Cream Biscuits.

Baked Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits in a skillet

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