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Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

These homemade Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits can be served drizzled with rich sausage gravy or topped with eggs, bacon, country ham or jam. They’re a Southern staple that you can also enjoy simply with a drizzle of honey or a dollop of homemade preserves as a side dish at any meal.

Baked Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits in a skillet

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.

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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 and the are widely considered to be the house bread of choice in the South tying only with a skillet of homemade cornbread. 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 with my expert tips. How to make simple Buttermilk Biscuits:

  • Flour – All purpose flour not self rising for this recipe.
  • Leavening – Baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Buttermilk – Whole fat buttermilk not fat free.
  • Fat – Cold butter or butter flavored solid vegetable shortening. You can also use plain unflavored shortening or lard.
  • Tops – Brush the tops of the biscuits with additional melted butter.
Step-by-Step pictures of preparation of Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

How to Make the BEST Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

Follow these expert 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.
  • To make your own buttermilk: To every one cup of whole milk add one tablespoon of white distilled vinegar or lemon juice. Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir and proceed with the recipe.
  • Be gentle when mixing the dough and knead as little as possible to avoid developing the gluten in the flour.
  • I recommend baking the biscuits closer together. Doing so, they will rise upwards while baking.
  • You can bake these biscuits in a cast iron skillet (preferred) or in a similar oven safe skillet, baking dish or pan.
  • Southern Buttermilk Biscuits are best made and served immediately. That being said, you can keep them for 1-2 days then reheat in single servings in the microwave.
  • You can also freeze the biscuit rounds prior to baking. Place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment and freeze solid. Package and store frozen then pull them out to bake when you’re short on time.
  • Bake frozen buttermilk biscuits per the recipe brushing the tops with cream adding 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
Unbaked Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits on a pan

More Variations and Southern Biscuit Recipes to Make

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.

Baked Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits in a skillet

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: fluffy-southern-buttermilk-biscuits
Servings: 10
Calories: 254kcal
Author: Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 5 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter or vegetable shortening
  • 1 – 1 1/4 cup cold buttermilk
  • melted butter or heavy cream to brush the tops

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Sift together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  • Cube the butter or shortening then cut it into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or pulse in a food processor. Cut until it becomes crumbly and resembles peas.
  • Mix in 1 cup cold buttermilk, just until the crumbs are thoroughly moistened. Add up to 1/4 cup additional buttermilk, if needed. The dough shouldn’t be overly wet but, slightly sticky. 
  • Roll or pat out on a lightly floured surface about 3/4-1 inch thick. Cut into rounds using a 2-inch cookie cutter dipped in flour. Do not twist the dough with the cutter. Cut the dough, then lift the cookie cutter up.  Re-roll any scraps and repeat.
  • Place biscuits 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with melted butter or heavy cream.
  • Bake biscuits at 450°F for 13-15 minutes until lightly golden and puffed.
  • Brush with melted butter after removing from the oven. Serve immediately. 

Notes

  • Whole fat or low fat buttermilk preferred, not fat free.
  • To make your own Buttermilk: To every one cup of whole milk add 1 Tbsp of white distilled vinegar or lemon juice. Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir and proceed with the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 570mg | Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 495IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 158mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!

423 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made these biscuits this weekend because I was super bored and was craving biscuits and OMG! They came out so good! I’ve been searching for a good biscuit recipe for a long time and I have finally found one that is the best. I did add a tablespoon of sugar because I like my biscuits to be a little sweet. I have also learned that using a food processor is fantastic for doughs. The key is to pulse the dough until just combined. It works every time.

  2. 3 stars
    I tried these because I didn’t have enough of my usual White Lily Self Rising flour. I’ve been making biscuits for my entire married life (43yrs). With that said … these biscuits came together easily, were much heavier, but still rose nicely. They do have a spongier, tougher bite than what we are used to.

    1. How interesting you noted a texture difference simply by using all purpose flour with added leavening as opposed to using self rising flour. I’ve also been baking and making biscuits for many years and never noted such a vast difference in texture using those two different flours. It make me wonder if you used another brand of flour as opposed to White Lily all purpose flour for these biscuits. If so, my guess is that’s the difference.

  3. 5 stars
    Finally a tender biscuit! I added dried herbs dill and thyme and sprinkled w Parmesan cheeses after i brushed with butter . I made some with bisquick this morning and they were terrible no flavor and like bricks. So glad I tried again! These came out wonderful. Oh and I used frozen butter.

  4. I do a Sunday brunch every week and have an open-door policy, for the most part, just having my family give me a heads up on Saturday if they are attending. I made this biscuit recipe for the first time Sunday morning while my husband was frying the bacon. I bake quite a bit since the start of the pandemic and have enjoyed the process tremendously. I derive great satisfaction listening to the ummms and ahhhs from my family. This recipe did not disappoint and will be my go-to biscuit from now on. This brings back childhood memories of my aunt’s Sunday dinners served with homemade biscuits. Best biscuit paired with milk gravy. Thank you!

  5. Excellent! Best I’ve had since my mom made biscuits, & I’m 73 years old. I followed the recipe exactly, & baked 13 minutes. I mixed by hand & didn’t knead, just patted & rolled as suggested. Rose nicely & are delicious. Made 12 biscuits.

  6. Hi! I want to make this recipe and freeze the dough before baking. Is this going to create a problem, as you mentioned to a couple of others, regarding the not raising as much as if fresh?

  7. An interesting variation on the theme, but I wonder at your concern about kneading too much. I had just passed through a bread-baking phase; on a whim I decided to use the (seemingly useless…) dough books that came with my hand mixer to make morning biscuits. Being lazy that morning, I used (my own) baking mix. I let the dough work its way around until it collected on the books and did a sort-of “window pane” (like bread dough, in short). I then rolled out and cut in the usual way. The resulting biscuits rose at least half again as high, and we’re lovely fluffy biscuits. Didntveve need to laminate. This makes sense, of course; “beaten biscuits” are similarly well kneaded, after all.

    So what has led you to the conclusion kneading is a no-no?

  8. 4 stars
    They a lovely to look at and delicious as well!
    Can you tell me why my biscuits don’t stand up straight but bake rather crooked as if the tops are slipping off?

  9. 5 stars
    I used unsalted butter and only 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and with those minor changes, these are the best Southern Biscuits I have ever tasted!

  10. Hi, Melissa I loved your Southern-Style Buttermilk Biscuits. I made them for the first time today and my family really enjoyed them. They are simple to make and are fluffy. This is a recipe I can use all the time for good biscuits. Thumbs up for this recipe.😊

  11. I have not made these yet but I bought shortening to use instead of butter. I know you have both listed in the ingredients but will it make a big difference?

    1. You can use all shortening. Many classic biscuit recipes call for shortening alone or lard. A blend of shortening and butter is my preference for flavor. Not to worry, they will still be delicious.

      1. Thank you! Maybe I’ll do a mix, that way it’s best of both worlds… I’ll be in touch to let you know how they come out!

      2. So I just made these. I used 4tbsp butter and shortening each. They didn’t rise the way I wanted and aren’t that lovely golden color like in the picture. Do you think it could be because I didn’t use all butter? I also think I handled them just a tad too much in trying to get the moisture right. I was adding the buttermilk a little at a time and mixing with my hands in between. I think that led to too much handling. However, they’re still not bad and this was my first time ever making these type biscuits, so I think I just need to practice. I can tell that they will be delicious when I get it right!

      3. Hi Kate, biscuit making can take practice, don’t give up! You can always turn the oven to broil and brown the tops to your personal liking at the end of baking. Don’t walk away! It’s perfectly fine to use a combination of shortening and butter. Perhaps, just experiment and see which way you like best.

  12. 5 stars
    I’ve tried several biscuit recipes, trying to find the right one that is fluffy and not crumbly. This one is perfect! I used a serrated knife. Not crumbly hot out of the oven and not crumbly at room temperature! 🥰.

    My Life Partner said these were the best homemade biscuits he’s had outside of a Restaurant, he’s a Southern Boy from NC.

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