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
- 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.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.
Bob
What is the best way to store baked biscuits and for how long
Sam
I’d store in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. I hope you love the biscuits, Bob!
Rhonda
This recipe sounds very delicious my only problem is I don’t have a cheese grater or anything else besides a knife so if I cut the butter up in small peices would that work? I really wanna make these biscuits
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Rhonda! Yes, that will work just fine. The cheese grater just makes it easier. I hope that you enjoy the homemade biscuits! 🙂
Brittany
This recipe reminded me of my Nanie’s biscuits when I was growing up! Brought back some good biscuit making memories. Did not take long to put together and the cook time was on point. Turned out great. My husband made some homemade gravy to go with it!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy that you and your husband enjoyed the homemade biscuits, Brittany! Thank you for commenting! 🙂
Ellen
These are THE BEST biscuits. I have made this recipe a dozen times now. I have even started experimenting. This last time I used the outside bits to make goat cheese stuffed biscuit bombs with some fig jam on top. Imcredible recipe. I have shared these biscuits with everyone.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Ellen! I am so happy that you enjoyed the homemade biscuits! Your “experiments” sound interesting and delicious! Enjoy! 🙂
Brenda
Very good recipe! I will definitely be making these again.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the homemade biscuits, Brenda! Thank you for taking the time to leave me a comment. Enjoy! 🙂
Tara Cook
Can you use Bread Flour and if so would milk or butter need to increase?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Tara! I don’t recommend it for this recipe.
Tiffany Smith
I made these biscuits this morning and they are fantastic. Have you tried freezing the cooked biscuits? I would like to be able to either freeze the cooked ones or freeze them before cooking. Which method do you think would work best for this recipe? Thanks so much!
Sugar Spun Run
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the homemade biscuits, Tiffany! I personally haven’t frozen cooked biscuits. I have others freeze the remaining dough and have had success.
If you plan to freeze the dough, I would cut out the shapes, and then store them in an airtight container in the freezer. You could then put them in the oven from there but they will probably need a little more time to bake. They should be good for about a month. 🙂
Patty
Only 2% milk here, no whole milk. Should I substitute canned milk or use the 2%?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Patty! I have had others use 2% milk and have had success. I hope that you enjoy your homemade biscuits! Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
Patty
The biscuits turned out pretty good. I had some nice German butter that I used. My problem was Hurricane Dorian. My power flickered on and off for a bit and the oven didn’t maintain the temp it should have. In spite of that I enjoyed them for breakfast before losing power for the rest of the day. It’s still not back on!
Sugar Spun Run
Oh no, Patty! I am so sorry to hear that you are in the midst of the terrible storm. I am happy that you enjoyed the homemade biscuits. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, I appreciate your feedback. Please stay safe. 🙂
E. Shelley
Can’t wait to make these! Unfortunately, I am out of milk right now… but as soon as the store opens in the morning, I’m going to try! Have never been able to make biscuits! I can cook just about anything you like, and make drop biscuits, but something has always been wrong with biscuits. Love, love, the butter- cheese grater method! Will let you know how they turn out and hopefully add a pic!
Sugar Spun Run
I hope that you enjoy this homemade biscuit recipe! The cheese grater method is a game-changer for sure. Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
Brandon
can I use baking soda instead of baking powder?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Brandon! No, the biscuits won’t turn out. 🙁
Anastasia
Very easy to make and they’re delicious 😊
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy that you enjoyed the homemade biscuits, Anastasia! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Kristina
Thank you soooo much for this recipe! I finally got to bake perfect biscuits, I’m so happy! 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy to hear that you had great success with this homemade biscuits recipe, Kristina! Enjoy! 🙂
I had to try this biscuit recipe I made them turned out great and a fry sausage and put it on my biscuits thanks for the recipe nice and flaky Ann
I had to try this biscuit recipe I made them turned out great and a fry sausage and put it on my biscuits thanks for the recipe nice and flaky
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy that you enjoyed the Homemade Biscuits, Ann! Adding a slice of breakfast meat sounds perfect! Thanks for commenting! 🙂
Noelle
Hi! Can I make these the day before then freeze the unbaked biscuits to be baked on the day I want to serve them?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Noelle! These should hold up well in the freezer. I would make the dough, cut out the shapes, and then store in an air tight container in the freezer. You could then put them in the oven from there but they will probably need a little more time to bake. They should be good for about a month. 🙂
Diane
I don’t have all purpose flour. Can i use self rising flour.
Sam
Hi Diane! I do not recommend using self rising flour here.