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.
I made these for dinner tonight and they are fabulous. My husband had 3 of them and said that I don’t need to make any other then these. Thank you for the recipe…it’s a keeper!
Hi Lisa, thanks so much, so glad you both enjoyed them. Have a great weekend.
Another wonderful recipe! Made this morning for our breakfast and they were great. Very flaky. My husband said no need to try any other recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much Doreen, to you and your husband. Have a wonderful Sunday.
I made biscuits last week they came out amazing..I use a very Easy way to mix frozen butter into my dry ingredients… I pulse them in my food processor sever times , then put in bowl add my milk mix ….
Hi Rosa, thanks so much, so glad you liked them. Take care.
These look great. Can’t wait to try them. Was wondering if I rolled them a little thinner would they still be as flaky? My hubby doesn’t like them real thick. Thanks!
Hi Lee, yes even thinner they should be flaky. Let me know how it goes. Happy New Year.
Excellent. Very buttery, flakey, and tender. Family enjoyed very much. Thank you, for sharing all your delicious recipes!
Hi Lore, thanks so much so glad everyone enjoyed it. Have a great weekend.
These were truly the best biscuits my husband and I have ever eaten! I was wanting to try a detailed recipe I had watched on YouTube for flaky biscuits, but didn’t want to take the time this morning. Found this on Pinterest and decided to try it. OMGOSH-No need to try the other long detailed recipe. My search is over…
Hi Sandy, thanks so much, glad you both enjoyed them. Have a great week.
Made these. This afternoon turned out great
Easy and taste
Hi Laura, thanks so much, glad you liked them.
They are /were amazing
Thanks for the recipe
❤️
Thanks Margaret, glad you enjoyed them. Take care.
I have a few questions about your scrumptious looking biscuits: (1) Do you use all purpose or self-rising flour?
and (2) how do you get your biscuits to brown so beautifully , and (3) how do you ensure your biscuits don’t crumble when you bite into it? Mine are falling apart and I’d like to be able to have egg, bacon, and cheese between it sliced to send with my husband to work. I’m weighing the ingredients, so I don’t think it’s too much flour. Just love how y’all and golden yours look! I can almost taste them:)
I’ve so enjoyed your recipes! You bring so much joy to our household with all your yummy delicious, and different recipes! Dee
Hi Dee, thanks, I use all purpose flour, if you used self rising because there is baking powder in the flour already, that could be a reason why they are crumbling or you could be baking them a little too long or you are working the dough too much. Let me know how it goes. Thanks so much so glad you enjoy the recipes. Take care.
I just made these today. They were very simple and so delicious!
Do you happen to know if you can freeze them before baking and bake from frozen?
Hi Amanda, thanks glad you enjoy them. You can freeze them although they say they don’t rise as much when baked.
These biscuits were amazing! I used store bought buttermilk and shaped them with water glass since I didn’t have a cutter, and got 8 of them. We had them with sausage gravy. My family LOVED them and were so easy to make. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Hi Gita, thanks so much, so glad your family enjoyed them. Take care.
j’aimerais avoir la recette en Français des biscuits butter milk
I made this recipe but used half and half in place of milk/cream. Awesome recipe. Thank you for sharing. This is a keeper for sure
Hi Amanda, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed them. Take care.
Turned out great.
Thanks Marsha, glad you enjoyed them. Take care.
Hello, I made these biscuits but instead of buttermilk, I used sour cream. They turned our great.