Buttermilk Biscuits
A proper biscuit should have a craggy, golden top and an interior that pulls apart in distinct sheets. This is not a project for a mixer; your hands are the only tool that can judge if the butter is the right size.
Cold ingredients are your baseline
If your butter melts into the flour before the biscuits hit the oven, you lose the layers. Work quickly and keep your kitchen as cool as you can.
- Large stainless steel bowl
- Pastry cutter or two table knives
- Rolling pin
- Baking sheet
- 2-inch biscuit cutter
What goes in.
- 3 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1 tbspbaking powder
- 1/2 tspbaking soda
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 3/4 cupunsalted butter, frozen and cubed
- 1 1/4 cupsfull-fat buttermilk, kept chilled
Building the layers
After combining, fold the dough over itself three or four times like a letter. This physically creates the flat sheets of butter that will expand into distinct, flaky layers in the heat.
The method.
Mix dry components
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in your bowl until uniform.
Cut in the butter
Toss the frozen butter cubes in the flour. Use your pastry cutter to break them down until they look like coarse, pea-sized crumbs. Do not overwork.
Hydrate the dough
Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Mix gently with a fork just until the dough clings together; it should still look shaggy and slightly dry.
Fold and roll
Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Pat it into a rectangle, fold it into thirds like a letter, rotate 90 degrees, and repeat this fold three times. Pat the final slab to 1-inch thickness.
Cut and chill
Punch out circles using the cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Arrange on a baking sheet so the sides touch, which helps them rise upward.
Bake
Bake at 425°F for 15-18 minutes until the tops are deeply browned and the biscuits feel firm to the touch.
Other turns to take.
Sharp Cheddar and Chive
Fold in 1 cup of grated aged cheddar and two tablespoons of chopped fresh chives after the final fold.
Black Pepper and Honey
Add one tablespoon of freshly cracked black pepper to the flour and brush the finished tops with honey immediately after pulling from the oven.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Dip your biscuit cutter in flour before each press to prevent sticking.
Press the dough into a cohesive slab using the heel of your hand rather than aggressive kneading to keep the butter shards intact.
If the dough gets sticky, put the whole baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes before sliding it into the oven.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why do my biscuits come out flat?
The oven was likely too cool, or you over-mixed the dough, which melts the butter before baking. The butter must be visible as tiny chunks when the dough goes into the oven.
Can I use milk instead of buttermilk?
Buttermilk provides the necessary acidity for the baking soda to react and rise. If you use regular milk, the biscuits will be denser and lack that distinct tang.