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.
Treat yourself to a FREE E-BOOK!
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
- Biscuit cutter
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.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
Cdemski99
Holy Moly are these biscuits amazing! I used 2% milk and you couldn’t even tell! Light, fluffy, buttery! And the recipe was so easy! Just make sure your butter is nice and cold. Will be making again as soon as possible!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy they turned out for you! Enjoy 🙂
BiscuitWoman
Using unsalted butter made the biscuits bland. Biscuits made the second time, with salted butter, were fine.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thank you for your feedback. We’re happy to hear they were better the second time around! 🙂
Denise
Easy easy easy.
Used the buttermilk and needed just a little extra to make the dough come together.
So good and light. Thank you.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you like them, Denise 🙂
Katia
They were indeed easy and delicious. Great recipe
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much, Katia! Enjoy your biscuits 🙂
Jaade48
Thanks for this great, easy recipe. Quick and easy to make anytime. I had them for b’fast this morning,
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you like them! Thanks for coming back to leave a review 🙂
Lindsey Logan
Can you make the dough ahead of time?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Lindsey! Sure! You can cut out the biscuits then store them in an air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. 🙂
Melissa Mangino
Hi, can you freeze the unbaked biscuits?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Melissa! Yes, these can be frozen either before or after baking. If you freeze them before baking, we suggest you wrap each biscuit individually and store in an airtight container. They will just take a few extra minutes in the oven when baking. Enjoy! 🙂
JStak
My first batch came out like pucks. They didn’t rise and the inside is doughy while the outside is hardened. I did not overwork the dough. But maybe I didn’t fold it enough?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We are so sorry that happened! It sounds like your baking powder may be expired. 🙁
JStak
So I just checked our baking powder and it says 2019 🤦♀️
We got some new baking powder and going to try again!
Thank you so much for the tip!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Ah, that explains it! Here’s hoping the next batch is a winner for you! You’re so welcome 😊
Susan
I wish I could post a photo! These biscuits came together quickly. TRUST the dough!!! delicious!!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Susan! You can always share in our Facebook Group or tag us on Instagram @sugarspun_sam–we’d love to see them! Thanks so much for trying our recipe and letting us know how it went for you 🙂 Enjoy!
Rusty
Question. Can these biscuits be frozen raw and baked at a later time?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Yes! We hope you love them, Rusty! Enjoy 😊
Peggers
I have always been intimidated by biscuit recipes. But when i needed one the most because i had no other options, i found your recipe. I was nervous but i went ahead and followed your very clear concise directions and my husband went nuts over them. I personally am not a biscuit eater unless it is these biscuits. Not only do i feel better about not having to use the exploding canned biscuits, but they are WAY BETTER tasting as well. Thank you and have a great new year.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy our recipe was the one to help you overcome your fear, Peggers! Enjoy the biscuits and keep on baking–you’ve got this! 😊
Janis Servin
Will drop biscuits work? I don’t have a cutter.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Janis! You could always cut them with a knife or a glass. We also have a drop biscuit recipe if you’d rather make those 🙂
Katie
Absolutely love these biscuits. They are so easy to make and taste wonderful. They have never failed every time!!!l ❤️❤️
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you love the biscuits, Katie! Thanks for using our recipe 😊
Kyle
Hi Sam! Definitely not a baker here. I usually go for the canned biscuits because they’re easy, but I can’t get them today, nor whole milk. Anywho, would I be able to substitute 1% and add say half a tablespoon of extra butter to make up for the missing fat content and protein? I’d keep the volume of milk the same unless that’s wrong. I’m going to try it anyways, but hoping you or someone sees this and can give me hope or advice on the specific amounts I’d need. And thanks for sharing your recipe!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Kyle! Others have made them using 1% milk with success. We hope yours turned out well too! 🙂
Kyle
Yes, they absolutely did turn out! They weren’t the prettiest, and I think I made a few a bit thick but they were great! Actually way better than the gravy(that I’ve made dozens of times) because I used regular pork sausage, unseasoned… I’ll be making a double batch of this recipe when it’s time for biscuits n gravy again though!
I might go with a bigger cut on the chilled butter though. Used the fine grate face, the butter looked like birds-nested yarn before I mixed it in. Live and learn.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Wonderful! Thanks for giving our recipe a shot and coming back to let us know how it went 😊 Enjoy your biscuits, Kyle!
Henry
I thought the frozen butter against the box grater was a neat idea I’d never thought of, so I tried it. It worked pretty well, but I wound up losing what seemed like maybe half a tbs to butter that became irretrievably stuck to the grater. I wondered if that bit I lost would matter as I continued the recipe. I guess I’ll see when they come out of the oven lol.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Henry! We’re not sure if this was the issue, but if you used the smallest holes on your box grater, try using the next size up and see if that makes a difference. We hope they turned out great for you regardless! 😊
Henry
Nah I used the big ones, but they were fine. However much butter I thought I had lost turned out to be negligible. They turned out better than I expected. Had I only known all this time how easy biscuits were to make. I may never buy frozen biscuits again. Thanks!
Bri
We love this recipe, its very fast and rewarding! I will usually keep a few sticks of butter stored in the freezer so I can make these on a whim. We live at around 5,000ft elevation, so had to reduce the baking powder a bit – the first batch were so fluffy they fell over! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Wonderful! We’re so pleased this has become a staple for you, Bri. And we’re glad you’re able to make it to accommodate high elevation too 😊 Thanks so much for your review!
Rebecca Stanker
Wondering if I can make these a day ahead and pop them in the oven the next day ? Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Absolutely! Just be sure to put them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy 🙂
Phil S
Never made biscuits before, except from the exploding can. These were delicious, quick, and, as promised, easy. Will make again, thanks!
Ashley @ Sugar Spun Run
So happy to hear how much you enjoyed them, Phil. Thanks for trying the recipe and for your feedback. 🙂
Joy
Beautiful! Made them quick and easy for dinner tonight! Will definitely be part of my go to recipes. Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for trying our recipe, Joy! We’re so happy the biscuits were a hit for you. Enjoy!