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.
Phyllis Moore
I’ve been making biscuits for years.I tried this recipe today and they turned out great. It is one if the easiest ones to make. I like the grating of the butter which makes the difference I will be making these biscuits for the girls night out breakfast this weekend!❤️😊
Gin
Very good and easy! I live in the dorms so I wanted something simple but filling and delicious and these are perfect! I substituted milk for soy milk (silk “original”) since I’m lactose intolerant but had no problems. And the idea to grate butter!! So smart!!! I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of that before!! I will be using this trick a lot 🙂
Kelly B
These were very easy to make. I may just add a little more butter next time. I’m not sure after getting if I got the whole 6 T in or not but they still came out wonderful.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for your review, Kelly! We’re so happy you enjoyed the biscuits 😊
Annaleigh christie
I have an electric oven and for perfect biscuits, had to cook one minute longer than said. These were so good, and I have ruined so many biscuit attempts before!!
Martie Livingston
My hubby asked for biscuits this morning, I cringed.. I have never been able to make biscuits, they’re so much work and mess to not have good results and just throw in the trash. I got on my laptop and typed in easy biscuits and your recipe popped up, I got everything all ready, watched the video twice, read the directions multiple times and got brave. They were so easy! My hubby just told me “these are a keeper”, the best compliment ever! It is in my keeper recipe file now. Thank you so much!!!
Elsa
Fabulous! I’ve tried so many recipes and this is the best! Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and sooo high!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Sounds like your biscuits turned out beautifully, Elsa! Enjoy 😊
Donald
Made these for my grandsons. Easy to make and very tasty. Would recommend to grandpas everywhere.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
That is so sweet, Donald! We’re so happy they were a hit for you ❤
Jacob
Love this recipe. Have made it several times and it always turns out great. I have TOWERING biscuits that taste amazing.
Quick question, can these be made a day or two ahead and either frozen or refrigerated until time to bake? I’m assuming frozen would be best, and then pop them in the fridge overnight to thaw and bake in the morning?
Or perhaps cooked straight from frozen with some extra bake time.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Jacob! These biscuits freeze very well and others have reported baking straight from frozen. They just take an extra minute or 2 in the oven. 🙂
Jacob
Just FYI, I tried them from frozen this weekend and it took a little more than double time in the oven. About 25 minutes.
While they worked and came out excellent, they weren’t quite as big and fluffy as not frozen.
Lily
Awesome recipe…easy to follow the video and will make again with 1 cup of buttermilk (thick milk) less dry.
Kids love them with chicken pot pie soup – yummy 🤗👍😋
DJ
Turned out perfect. I did not have whole milk so I used skim milk and they were great!
Leila
Loved the biscuits. How many calories per biscuit?
Sam
280. 🙂
Irene
Im new to the biscuit scene but rhid recipe made me look like a pro to my adult kids… As a matter of fact i have my butter in the freezer, my dry ingredients in the refrigerator along with my measuring cup for the milk. Tomorrow, when the amazon delivery man brings my expensive peach bourbon preserves to the door Ill be ready to get those puppies ready and in the oven. I bought an extra jar of preserves for my retired and widowed next door neighbor. He talks about his mom making great biscuit and home made preserves and I hope he likes them…
CM
I’ve never been a biscuit gal till I found these! 😋
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re happy we could convert you! 😁
Joe Walter
Sam, made your easy biscuit recipe a few times now. They turn out great! Thanks for this. Only comment is the dough is not wet enough for me to come together, I have to add more milk. It dis not make crumb like consistency and when adding milk it stayed separated and dry, so I add another 1/4 cup at a time til it binds. Is that normal for anyone else? Great recipe, taste amazing!!!
Mary Todd
could be the way you are measuring your flour. Spoon your flour into your measuring cup to get a more accurate measure. Scooping it with the cup will add more than you need.
Wendy
I have the same problem you have. Made them for the 2nd time tonight. Didn’t add 1/4 more but just drizzled some extra buttermilk and then I wet my hands with water as I worked the dough. Turned out fine. I think next time I’ll omit the sugar.
Susan Davies
If kept in fridge, can these be made an hour or two in advance before cooking?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Absolutely! Enjoy, Susan 😊
JK
I should have used discernment with the recommended baking soda measurement. Not good unfortunately.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re sorry your biscuits didn’t turn out 🙁 This recipe actually uses baking powder, not baking soda. That may have been the issue!
JK
I will actually read words next time. Thanks for the correction.