Easy Homemade Simple Biscuits
These Simple Biscuits, are buttery and flakey and everything a biscuit should be. Fast and easy to make and just in time for dinner! Or perfect even for Breakfast or Snack. Buttermilk biscuits, with their irresistible flakiness and rich, buttery flavor, are a true comfort food classic.
I actually made these Homemade Biscuits for the first time when I just started the blog in 2014. I was making one of our favourite Stews, Lentils and Sausage Stew and decided to serve some Homemade Biscuits also.
I wanted to give my family a little taste of North America! And what’s better than Soup or Stew and these flaky layers of a homemade biscuit? Besides biscuits I love a good scone, between these Glazed cinnamon scones and these Lemon blueberry Scones I can’t decide which I love more!
Recipe Ingredients
- Buttermilk – store bought or homemade
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Sugar
- Salt
- Butter – very cold butter
How to make Buttermilk
Since store bought buttermilk is quite thick you are going to want your homemade substitution as thick as possible, so I combined a little whole cream and milk. I used 2% but whole milk is probably better, and then I mixed in a tablespoon of white vinegar.
Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes and it’s ready to go.
How to make Homemade Biscuits
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda and salt.
Remove the butter from the freezer and grate it into the dry ingredients, and mix to form a crumbly mixture. Add the homemade buttermilk and stir just to combine.
Move the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead a to bring it all together do not over-knead.
Pat the dough out into a rectangle with the palm of your hand (never a rolling pin-it’s too hard on the dough).
Fold each end into the middle. Flatten the dough again with the palm of your hand until it’s approximately an inch thick or a little more if you want.
Cut out 5 rounds with a medium round cookie cutter or pastry cutter, place the biscuits on prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown.
Recipe Tip
Try not to twist the cutter when cutting the biscuits just press down and pull up, this makes for flakier biscuits.
How to cut in butter
If there is one thing I hate doing is cutting in butter, the easiest way to do it is to place your butter in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes and then grate it into the dry ingredients. Then just grab a fork and stir. I was told about this and a few other tricks when I took a baking class last spring in Toronto.
Recipe FAQs
Salted or Unsalted Butter?
To make these Simple Biscuits and all the other Sweet Recipes I make, I always use salted butter. The reason being I can’t find unsalted in Italy. So to tell the truth I don’t know and I really don’t think there is much of a difference.
If you prefer unsalted then just be sure to add a little extra salt in the recipe.
What is the best temperature for Baking the Biscuits?
I have baked these biscuits at 400F (200C) but I found the perfect temperature to be 425F (215-220 C). They bake to a golden perfection.
Can I add Extras to the Biscuit recipe?
Yes you can add extras, if you want a sweeter Biscuit then add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of sugar. You could also add nuts, chocolate chips or how about some dried fruit? Probably 1/4 cup more or less would be enough. Be sure to add it before you add the buttermilk.
How to Store Homemade Biscuits
Biscuits should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They should be eaten within 1 to 2 days.
Biscuits can also be frozen. Be sure to let them cool completely them freeze in air tight bags or containers. They will last 2-3 months in the freezer.
If you want to really indulge yourself in these Delicious Biscuits, be sure to brush them with a little melted butter once they are baked and still warm. Serve warm or room temperature. Enjoy!
Easy Homemade Biscuits
Ingredients
FOR THE HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK**
- 2 tablespoons whole / whipping cream
- 9 tablespoons milk (2% or whole)
- ½ tablespoon white vinegar
**or ¾ cup store bought buttermilk.
FOR THE BISCUITS
- 1¾ cups all purpose flour (230 grams)
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons very cold butter* (131 grams)
*Place the butter in the freezer for at least 15-20 minutes.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425F (215C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
FOR THE HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK
- In a small bowl add the cream, milk and vinegar, stir to combine, then let sit 5-10 minutes.
FOR THE BISCUITS
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Grate the frozen / very cold butter into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork. Add the buttermilk and stir just until combined. Move to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead to bring the dough together, approximately 10-12 times (do not over-knead).
- Gently flatten the dough with the palm of your hand into a rectangle shape, fold one end into the middle then fold the other end over the first end (like an envelope). Again gently flatten the dough with the palm of your hand to about 1 inch thick, then cut out 5 circles with a 2½ (6 cm) round cookie cutter. Place biscuits on prepared cookie sheet and bake for approximately 12-15 minutes. Brush the warm biscuits with melted butter if desired. Serve warm or room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from October 23, 2014.
First time making these went awesome! I was always intimidated by biscuit recipes. No longer.
Thanks Hobby, glad you enjoyed them.
These were very good. My first time finding a homemade recipe that works. Believe me I have tried many.
Hi Carolyn, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it.
Followed the recipe exactly. Excellent. Light and flaky with great taste. Definitely a keeper. Thanks for recipe
Hi Gary, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them.
How much of Purchased buttermilk would replace your “homemade receipe”
Hi PM use 3/4 cup regular store bought butter milk. Let me know how it goes.
I love all your recipe..
Hi Theresa, thanks so much. Glad you enjoy them. 🙂
Can these be frozen before baking?
Hi Brenda, yes they can be frozen before baking, but don’t keep them more than three months or they may not rise as much. Hope that helps.
These biscuits are glorious! Recipe is definitely a keeper. Great that it’s a smaller yield. Perfect for just one💃🏾💃🏾🤗🎉💃🏾💃🏾🎉
Hi Pam, thank so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Have a great week.
Did you know buttermilk can be frozen. “Marburger” brand made in Evans City, PA can be found all the way south in the panhandle of Florida and has awards as the best buttermilk. Soo good you don’t want to waste a drop!!
Thanks so much for the recipe, they are so good, I have made them 2x already!
Thanks Beth, so glad you like them, have a great week!
Wow Rosemary! That’s exactly how I make my biscuits… with grated butter. I first saw this being done by a fellow Canadian Chef Michael Smith. Your biscuits look perfect.
Hi Maria, thanks and yes a great trick.
Me too! They are the best!
As a Brit, what is the difference between biscuits and scones? We traditionally use dumplings in stews which are soft doughy and cooked on the top of the meat dish.
Hi John, apparently scones have eggs and biscuits don’t, Scones are considered richer than biscuits and are usually served with clotted cream and jam, whereas biscuits are usually served at dinner with a meal and sometimes gravy. 🙂 I love them both.
To make homemade buttermilk, put 1 tbsp. vinegar in a measuring cup, add milk until it reaches the 1 cup mark, stir and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Voila….homemade buttermilk!!! I do this all the time since I can never seem to use up a whole container of buttermilk without having to throw most of it out. Can’t wait to try these!!
Thanks for stopping by a few weeks ago at my Fabulous Friday Party and it was really nice to meet you here at the party! Your biscuits are simple and yummy looking. Hope you had a great Halloween.
Stop by this Friday for another Party Thanks Maria
How are you! Stop by Fabulous Friday and share this simple biscuit recipe.. thanks Maria
http://www.simplenaturedecorblog.com/fabulous-fridayhalloween-party/
What is better than soup with biscuits? Nutella with biscuits! Yes!! These look awesome!