Buttery, soft, and made completely from scratch, this easy homemade biscuit recipe deserves a permanent place in your recipe repertoire. This recipe is made with all butter, no shortening!
With just 6 ingredients that I bet you already have on hand, these homemade biscuits are so simple to make and I’ve included plenty of tips (and a video!) to make sure you end up with perfect biscuits every single time.
Two reasons I’m super excited to share this homemade biscuit recipe with you today:
One: because homemade biscuits are delicious (obviously) and they’re so easy to make. So many people buy the canned version without realizing that they already have all of the ingredients to make them from scratch in their pantry.
The taste of a pre-made biscuit doesn’t hold a candle to a homemade biscuit. Not. even. close. Preservatives and artificial flavors, you aren’t welcome here.
Two: because ever since I started working on this biscuit recipe a few weeks ago, “Mind Your Own Biscuits” by Kacey Musgraves has been stuck in my head and I’ve been singing it off-key relentlessly.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Kacey Musgraves and her music, but every time I start singing my dog starts actually crying. It’s sad and hilarious, and if I wasn’t so embarrassed by my terrible singing voice I would have shared a video of it by now. Hopefully, by publishing this recipe I’ll release myself from the endless refrain and the animal abuse will finally stop.
But let’s talk more about the first reason.
Homemade biscuits call for just six ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, butter, and milk. And then more butter once they’re finished baking because of course we need more butter.
I mentioned that these biscuits are easy so do not be alarmed by all the tips that I have for you below. These biscuits are easy, but technique matters and I want to arm you with all the information that you need so that you can make these easily and have them come out perfectly the very first time.
The tips are simple but important, and while some more seasoned bakers already know them, I want to give everyone an even playing field.
Tips for Making Homemade Biscuits
- The butter and milk for this recipe need to be as cold as possible for fluffy and soft biscuits. I freeze my butter before using it and recommend keeping the milk in the refrigerator right up until it’s time to add it to the dry ingredients.
- Don’t overwork the dough! Keep in mind that you want your butter to stay as cold as possible when making these biscuits, and the more you have your hands on the dough the softer the butter will become. Definitely don’t use an electric mixer for this recipe.
- We’re going to do a little bit of laminating. This means folding the dough over itself multiple times (5-6 times here) to encourage flaky layers in our biscuits. You can watch the video below to see exactly how this is done.
- Don’t use a rolling pin, use your hands to gently work the dough into a flat rectangle before cutting out your biscuits.
- Don’t be afraid to add flour to the dough if it’s too sticky while you are handling it (and make sure to work on a lightly floured surface).
Visual clue: If you look at the pre-baked biscuit below, you’ll see that you can actually see the butter pieces in the dough. This is what you want, the ingredients won’t be well-combined like with a cookie dough and seeing bits of butter means you’ve actually done everything right here. Hooray!
A Few Notes on Butter in Homemade Biscuits
The butter is possibly the most important part of this recipe, and the way you handle it can make or break your homemade biscuits.
While you can certainly use a pastry cutter to cut your butter into the dry ingredients, I recommend freezing your butter for about 30 minutes before beginning. Then, use a box grater to grate the butter before combining this in with your dry ingredients.
I use this technique in my scone recipes and highly recommend it with these biscuits, too. Not only is it much easier than using a pastry cutter, but it does a great job of finely shredding and distributing the butter throughout the mixture without overworking the butter (remember, you want to manage the butter as little as possible so that it’s as cold as possible when going into the oven).
Alternatively you could also use a food processor (like I do with my pie crust recipe), but it’s just so easy to grate in the butter that I always use this method instead.
And yes, I do recommend using unsalted butter in this recipe and then adding salt. If you want to know more about why I write my recipes this way, you can read all about it (and an easy substitution if you only have salted butter on hand) in this post that I wrote about salted vs unsalted butter.
I know I’ve mentioned to you guys a few times that I’ve been working on a baking contest/challenge/I’m really not sure what to call it, but I’m planning a post where I encourage all of you to bake along with me. The goal is to get people baking recipes they may have not tried before, and I’m encouraging everyone to share their results for a chance to win a small prize.
Well, today’s homemade biscuit recipe is essentially the base for the baking challenge that I’ll be sharing in exactly one week, so take this as a hint that making today’s recipe is a great way to get a jump start for the challenge!
To make sure you’re among the first to be notified of all new recipes and baking challenges, make sure you’re subscribed to my e-mail list. It’s free, and you get a free e-book of 8 of my favorite cookie recipes.
Enjoy!
How to Make Homemade Biscuits
I know I talked a lot in this video, but I really feel that the tips are so important, and will help ensure your biscuits come out perfectly!
Homemade Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter very cold (85g), unsalted European butter is ideal, but not required
- ¾ cup whole milk¹ (177ml) buttermilk or 2% milk will also work
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- For best results, chill your butter in the freezer for 10-20 minutes before beginning this recipe. It's ideal that the butter is very cold for light, flaky, buttery biscuits.
- Preheat oven to 425F and line a cookie sheet with nonstick parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt
- Remove your butter from the refrigerator and either cut it into your flour mixture using a pastry cutter or (preferred) use a box grater to shred the butter into small pieces and then add to the flour mixture and stir.6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Cut the butter or combine the grated butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add milk, use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir until combined (don't over-work the dough).¾ cup whole milk¹
- Transfer your biscuit dough to a well-floured surface and use your hands to gently work the dough together. If the dough is too sticky, add flour until it is manageable.
- Once the dough is cohesive, fold in half over itself and use your hands to gently flatten layers together. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and fold in half again, repeating this step 5-6 times but taking care to not overwork the dough.
- Use your hands (do not use a rolling pin) to flatten the dough to 1" thick and lightly dust a 2 ¾" round biscuit cutter with flour.
- Making close cuts, press the biscuit cutter straight down into the dough and drop the biscuit onto your prepared baking sheet.
- Repeat until you have gotten as many biscuits as possible and place less than ½" apart on baking sheet.
- Once you have gotten as many biscuits as possible out of the dough, gently re-work the dough to get out another biscuit or two until you have at least 6 biscuits.
- Bake on 425F for 12 minutes or until tops are beginning to just turn lightly golden brown.
- If desired, brush with melted salted butter immediately after removing from oven. Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Penny likes to supervise the photography process. Fortunately, this setup got her vote of approval.
DANIELA COMMISSO
Can you replace regular milk for whole milk?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Daniela! Yes, whole milk is what I use. Enjoy! 🙂
Eileen
Would love to try this recipe. Is it possible to make the dough in advance and freeze it until you are ready to bake?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Eileen! Yes, you can! If you are baking the frozen dough please keep in mind that it may a need a few additional minutes in the oven. 🙂
Nicole O.
I’ve tried making biscuits twice before and they were a disaster! But this recipe was so easy to follow and they came out fantastic! My husband and kids loved them. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Nicole! Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Robert
I’ve tried MANY homemade biscuit recipes and this is by far the easiest and best recipe that I have found. I did have to bake them a little longer to get them to start turning golden.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Robert! Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Bunny Lake
Holy God! Someone call the police – this recipe is soooooo freakin amazingly delicious it should be illegal! Seriously though I just made them and my fickle husband could not say enough about just how good these biscuits turned out. I’m going to make them again this weekend 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you both LOVED them, Bunny! I have a sausage gravy recipe that they pair perfectly with if you’d like to try that next. Thank you for commenting. I hope that you enjoy this recipe for years to come. 🙂
Wanda
I have made these twice and there is no doubt you are my favorite baker! They are great with gravy, honey or to make sandwiches! Thank you very much!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Wanda! I am so glad that you have enjoyed them. Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Elise
All my life I’ve considered myself a bit of a failure as a Southern woman due to my inability to make decent biscuits (or cornbread, but that’s another matter.) Last year I stumbled across your recipe here and it changed my life. Finally, I can make really good biscuits. Thank you for explaining the process so well. And using a cheese grater for the butter is one of the best ideas ever.
Sugar Spun Run
Congrats on making successful biscuits, Elise! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Caroline Matthews
This recipe is one of the best I have found. It is easy to make and quick. I did put the butter in the freezer for a few minutes so it would be easier to grate and so much easier than cutting the butter in. Thank you for sharing. I like to cook my biscuits in a iron skillet that I have melted butter in before placing the biscuits in. You definitely have a winner here!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Caroline! I am so glad that you enjoyed the biscuits. 🙂
Debbie
My first time making biscuits from scratch. Used salted butter and left out the salt. They came out SO good.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Debbie! Thank you for commenting. 🙂
JB
First time to make biscuits and these are soooo delish and easy to make! My husband told me that these are the best biscuits ever!!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy to hear how much your family enjoyed them, JB. Thank you so much for commenting, I greatly appreciate your feedback. 🙂
Karen
These biscuits are wonderful and nowhere near canned biscuits! Your tips make them come out perfectly!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe and found the tips helpful, Karen. Thanks for trying my recipe. 🙂
jacqueline biran
In the UK these would be called scones. Cut into half and served with strawberry jam and cream
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Jacqueline! Scones are a little more on the sweeter side than biscuits. Here is a link to my scone recipe. I hope that you enjoy it! 🙂
Amanda
Thank you so much for this recipe! I needed a quick biscuit to make for dinner earlier this week and stumbled across this one. They were so delicious that not only was the entire pan gone in minutes, this is the third time making them this week (by the request of my three boys)! This ones a keeper for sure!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Amanda! I am so happy to hear that this recipe was such a hit! 🙂
Dave
I love them. It was my first time baking biscuits and they came out perfectly. The taste reminds me exactly like Pillsbury Crescent Rolls that come in the tube at the store, and I love them so these are great. Gonna try to make sausage gravy with them next
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Dave! Thank you for trying my recipe! I do have a sausage gravy recipe that you can try next! 🙂
Amy
Can you substitute buttermilk for milk in your recipe?? How come you don’t sift your dry ingredients prior?
I’m going to make your biscuits for dinner. Thanks for great recipe.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Amy! Yes, you can use buttermilk in place of the milk listed. As far as sifting the dry ingredients, you most certainly can, however, it is not needed. I hope that you enjoy the recipe! 🙂