Homemade Biscuits
Our easy homemade biscuit recipe makes biscuits with flaky layers you can peel apart with your fingertips, buttery bottoms with a crisp edge, and warm, pillowy centers that practically melt under your fork.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cups whole milk -cold
- 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter -frozen (1 stick)
- 1 tablespoon butter melted for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the baking powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt to the flour and whisk together to combine.
- Use a box grater to grate the frozen butter.
- Add the grated butter to the flour mixture.
- Using your hands or a rubber spatula, work the butter into the flour mixture until it is combined and looks flaky.
- Make a well in the flour mixture and add the milk. Mix together to make the dough. Be careful not to over-handle the dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured cutting board or pastry mat.
- Using your hands, press the dough down to make a circle about 1 inch thick. You can also use a floured rolling pin to do this, although we suggest using your hands
- Fold the dough halfway across, going from right to left. Then fold the other side over.
- Press it down again to a 1-inch thick rectangle and then fold it over halfway, this time going from top to bottom. Then fold the bottom up.
- Press the dough down again to a 1 inch thickness using your hands or a floured rolling pin.
- Using a 2-inch pastry cutter or drinking glass, punch the biscuits out of the dough.
- Combine the leftover dough to make additional biscuits.Depending on the size, you'll get 6-8 biscuits.
- Lightly grease a baking sheet and place the cut-out biscuits onto the sheet.
- Brush the top of the biscuits with melted butter. Then, place the pan on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 15-17 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven.
- Place the biscuits on a wire rack to cool slightly. If you love butter, brush the tops of the biscuits with any remaining butter.
- Serve hot with butter and your favorite jam or jelly.
Notes
To make these biscuits, you should use cold milk and frozen butter. This will help them become moist and flaky. Place the butter on a small plate in the freezer, and grate it onto the plate to keep it cold.
Keep a small bowl of flour nearby when pressing out the biscuit dough. When the dough gets sticky, you can gently flour the pastry mat again and also rub your fingers in the flour to keep the dough from sticking to your fingers.
Can I Change Up the Recipe?
We used whole milk in this recipe, but you can easily swap it for buttermilk. This will add a slight tang and make the biscuits even more tender, giving them that classic buttermilk flavor.
If you want to add a little extra flavor, try swapping out some of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour. This will give your biscuits a slightly nuttier flavor and a bit more texture.
Add a tablespoon or two of honey or maple syrup to the dough for a slightly sweeter biscuit. This will give your biscuits a subtle sweetness without being overpowering.
Can I use self-rising flour instead of all-purpose flour?
You can, but skip the baking powder and salt since self-rising flour already includes a leavening agent. It’s a handy shortcut if you’re low on dry ingredients.
Can I mix biscuit dough in the bowl of a food processor?
You can, but be careful not to overmix. Use short pulses to cut in the butter just until coarse crumbs form. You still want that shaggy dough texture before turning it out.
Nutrition
Calories: 251kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 4gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 349mgPotassium: 299mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 431IUCalcium: 134mgIron: 2mg
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