This Homemade Biscuits from Scratch recipe yields tender, flaky biscuits using just three ingredients and about 15 minutes of active time. Simple and reliable, this quick bread is perfect with fried chicken, soup, or sausage gravy.
How to make buttermilk biscuits from scratch
Biscuits are the ultimate comfort food—versatile, fast, and satisfying. You can serve them at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This recipe keeps the method straightforward so even first-time bakers can make tall, flaky biscuits with confidence.
Main ingredients you’ll need:
- Butter – provides rich flavor and creates steam pockets for a light, airy texture. Use very cold butter.
- Self-rising flour – contains the leavening to make the biscuits tall and tender.
- Buttermilk – adds a mild tang and reacts with the flour to encourage rise. Use cold buttermilk.
Step 1: Freeze the butter and then grate it using the large holes of a cheese grater. Combine the grated butter with the self-rising flour. Keep the butter as cold as possible by handling it quickly and, if needed, chilling the flour too. If the butter softens slightly while grating, chill the mixture in the refrigerator before proceeding.
Step 2: Use a metal fork to cut the butter into the flour by pressing and mixing until pea-sized crumbs form. Return the bowl to the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. If the mixture softens, chill it longer or briefly place it in the freezer so the butter firms up again.
Step 3: Push the flour-and-butter mixture to the sides of the bowl to create a well, then pour in the COLD buttermilk. If you don’t have buttermilk, make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for 10 minutes.
Stir only until the ingredients are just combined. The dough should remain crumbly with visible bits of butter and specks of flour. Overmixing develops gluten and will make the biscuits tougher and smaller.
Step 4: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rectangle. Fold the dough in half, then reshape it into a rectangle. Repeat folding the dough 2–3 times to create layered flakes. You can fold both sides into the center and then fold again—either method builds layers.
Step 5: Lightly flour a rolling pin and gently roll the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness. If the dough sticks, dust the surface or rolling pin with a little more flour.
Step 6: Cut the biscuits with a biscuit cutter pressed straight down—do not twist. Twisting seals the edges and prevents proper rise and flaky layering. Re-roll scraps lightly to make additional biscuits; those made from scraps will be slightly less tender but still tasty.
Step 7: Arrange the biscuits in a cast-iron skillet or baking pan so the sides touch; this helps them rise upward instead of spreading. Melt 3 tablespoons butter and brush half over the tops before baking.
Bake in a preheated 475°F oven for about 15 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining melted butter. Serve warm.
How to store biscuits made from scratch
Store baked biscuits at room temperature in an airtight container for 1–2 days. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week.
For longer storage, freeze biscuits in a freezer-safe container for 2–3 months. You can freeze unbaked biscuits or fully baked ones. Thaw frozen unbaked biscuits before baking according to the recipe directions.
To reheat baked biscuits, place them in the oven at 350°F with a little melted butter on top until heated through.
Commonly asked biscuit questions
What are biscuits?
In North America, biscuits are a soft, tall quick bread made without yeast. They rely on chemical leavening—baking powder or self-rising flour—for lift. Biscuits are similar to dinner rolls but denser and shaped differently.
Are there different methods to cut butter into flour?
- Food processor – pulse cold butter and flour briefly to form pea-sized crumbs, but be careful not to over-process.
- Chop butter – cut chilled butter into small cubes and mix with a fork.
- Pastry cutter – use a pastry cutter to work butter into flour until crumbly.
Grating frozen butter on the large holes of a grater is fast and minimizes handling, so it’s a favorite method for many bakers.
Why are my biscuits crumbly?
If the butter pieces are cut too fine, the biscuits can be crumblier. Coarser butter pieces give better structure and flakiness. A crumbly biscuit will still taste good even if the texture is different.
Why didn’t my biscuits rise correctly?
- Warm butter – cold butter traps steam and creates lift; warm butter won’t produce the same rise.
- Oven temperature – biscuits need a hot oven to produce steam quickly; preheat fully to get the best rise.
- Wrong flour – self-rising flour contains leavening; using plain all-purpose without adding leavening will produce dense biscuits.
- Twisted cutter – twisting the cutter seals the edges and prevents proper vertical rise.
Variations to this recipe
- Cheddar and chives – fold shredded cheddar and chopped chives into the dough for a savory twist.
- Fresh herbs – rosemary, thyme, or chives plus cracked black pepper add bright flavor.
- Warm honey – brush with honey-butter for a slightly sweet finish.
Other breakfast recipes
Try other easy breakfast ideas to pair with these biscuits for a complete meal.
Buttermilk biscuits from scratch Recipe
Print Recipe
Buttermilk Biscuits from Scratch
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter frozen
- 5 cups self-rising flour
- 2 cups + 2 tbs cold buttermilk
Topping
- 3 tbs butter melted
Instructions
-
Preview the step-by-step photos in the post if you like. Preheat the oven to 475°F and place the butter in the freezer.
-
Grate very cold butter on the large holes of a grater into a large bowl, then add the flour.
-
Cut the butter into the flour with a fork until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs. Chill for 10 minutes.
-
Push the mixture to the edge of the bowl to make a well, then pour in the cold buttermilk and stir until just combined.
-
Turn the dough onto a floured surface, pat into a rectangle about 1 inch thick, and fold over itself several times to form layers.
-
Gently roll to about 1/2 inch thickness, cut with a floured biscuit cutter without twisting, and re-roll scraps as needed.
-
Brush tops with half the melted butter and place biscuits in a skillet or pan with the sides touching so they rise upward.
-
Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove and brush with remaining melted butter. Serve warm.
