Homemade from scratch with 4 ingredients. Flaky outside. Tender inside. Recipe has helpful tips. Perfect for beginners.
After my 3-Ingredient Biscuits received a good response, I was inspired to make Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits from scratch.ย This recipe makes about 10 biscuits.
I made adjustments to an original recipe discovered on KingArthurFlour.com. ย Not sponsored.ย Just sharing a fabulous recipe that includes several helpful comments. Click link to read them.
I also asked my precious aunt for baking tips.ย She uses a cake pan instead of a cast iron skillet and greases it with shortening.ย
Aunt B’s cake pan greased with shortening.
Shortening helps to thoroughly bake bottom crust.ย ย Much better than no-stick spray according to my aunt.ย
Most biscuit recipes suggest using a food processor to blend ingredients.ย What if you don’t own a food processor?ย
I’ve got good news!ย The ingredients in this recipe are combined with your hand (or use a fork), rolled, and flattened into a small circular shape before placing in a greased pan.ย This method is popular with southern bakers (including most grandmas).ย How cool is that?!
If you’d like to use a food processor, instructions are included with the recipe.
What can I use instead of shortening in biscuits?
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My favorite brand. Not sponsored.ย Delighted to share.
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Butter and shortening can be substituted for one another in several baked goods, including biscuit recipes.ย
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Taste and texture are slightly different, both are equally delicious.ย
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Unsalted butter.
The ratio of substitution is 1-to-1, meaning whatever amount the recipe calls for in shortening, use the same amount of COLD butter.
Always sift flour BEFORE using to get rid of hard particles. ย If not sifted, hard particles will be in your baked biscuits.
My precious aunt gave me this cute sifter about three years ago. I use it regularly!
Also sift flour BEFORE measuring.ย Unsifted flour is heavy and will make baked biscuits thick and dry.ย Always use sifted!
One cup of sifted flour, leveled and ready to use.
How to Cut Biscuits
This recipe includes instructions for cutting biscuits.
1. Cut biscuits with a sharp, round 2″ cutter.ย
2.ย Press biscuit cutter straight down and pull straight up.ย Twisting the cutter in and out of the dough will seal the edges and prevent flaky layers from forming.
3. Dip the cutter into flour between cuts to reduce sticking.
4. Or cut rectangle-shaped-biscuit-dough into 12 small rectangular biscuits. The unique square shape makes a pretty presentation.
Homemade from scratch with 4 ingredients. Flaky outside. Tender inside. Recipe has helpful tips. Perfect for beginners. Original recipe by King Arthur Flour. Adjusted recipe and photography by Beverly Davis for CornbreadMillionaire.com.
Prep Time25 minutesmins
Cook Time14 minutesmins
Total Time39 minutesmins
Servings: 10biscuits
Ingredients
no-stick cooking spray to grease baking dishOr use parchment paper.
2cupsself-rising flour, sifted
4tablespoons shortening, chilledOr use 4 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter, shredded or thinly sliced.
3/4cupbuttermilk, coldPlus about 3 tablespoons. Use to brush tops of biscuits to help them brown.
2tablespoonsunsalted butter, meltedTo brush tops of BAKED biscuits before serving.
Instructions
Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
Preheat oven o 425 degrees.
Spray an 8-inch baking dish or skillet with no-stick cooking spray, OR grease with a teaspoon of shortening OR line with parchment paper.
FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD
Pour self-rising flour (sifted) in bowl of a food processor fitted with metal blade. Drop COLD shortening (or cubed COLD butter) over flour mixture. Pulse just until mixture forms pea-sized chunks.
Pour buttermilk over the pea-sized chunks. Stir until well-blended and a soft, sticky dough is formed. Avoid over mixing (causes tough biscuits). See recipe notes if using shredded COLD butter.
Scoop small rounds of dough. Roll into a ball (size of tennis ball). Flatten into a small circle. Repeat 10 times or until all dough is used.
Place biscuits in prepared baking dish, leaving about 1" between them for crisp biscuits. OR, arrange biscuits so they're barely touching for soft-sided biscuits. Brush with melted butter.
Bake the biscuits for 10 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. For dark brown biscuits, brush with buttermilk and place under broiler for 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
HAND METHOD
Place self-rising flour (sifted) and COLD shortening in a large bowl. Combine with fingers OR cut in shortening with a fork until mixture forms pea-sized chunks.
A fork or pastry cutter or more effective when using cubed or shredded COLD butter.
Pour buttermilk over the pea-sized chunks. Stir until well-blended and a soft, sticky dough is formed. Avoid over mixing (causes tough biscuits).
To form each biscuit, scoop a small round of dough. Roll into a ball (size of tennis ball). Flatten into a small circle. Repeat 10 times or until all dough is used.
Place biscuits in prepared baking dish, leaving about 1" between them for crisp biscuits. OR arrange biscuits so they're barely touching for soft-sided biscuits. Brush with melted butter.
Bake the biscuits for 10 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. For dark brown biscuits, brush with buttermilk and place under broiler for 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
Remove from oven. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
