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From classic 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits to cheesy drop biscuits and old-fashioned sweet potato biscuits, this collection of 25 biscuit recipes includes all of the South’s very best biscuits!
Table of Contents
Homemade Biscuits
Biscuits are a way of life in the South, and every home cook has her favorite version. The ultimate goal is a biscuit with a crispy, golden brown outside, and a light, tender inside. Our ideal biscuits are puffy and tall, not dense or flat, and exhibit that hard-to-achieve cross between a tender crumb and flaky layers.
I’ve pulled together this convenient list of our favorite biscuit recipes, along with my best tips and tricks for making the simple goodies, so that you can enjoy the best biscuit recipes that the South has to offer — from the comfort of your own kitchen!
What are the 4 types of biscuits?
In general, there are four different types of biscuits. In this roundup, we’re focused only on the first two — rolled biscuits and drop biscuits. We’ll save the others for another day!
- Rolled Biscuits: In the Southeastern United States, “biscuits” are typically soft leavened quick breads, similar to scones (but not sweet), and made with baking powder and/or baking soda instead of yeast. They are traditionally cut out into rounds before baking in a cast iron skillet or other pan.
- Drop Biscuits: These are made by scooping biscuit dough from the mixing bowl and “dropping” it onto baking sheets — no rolling or cutting necessary. The dough is typically stirred together (instead of cutting the butter into the dry ingredients), so drop biscuits do not develop the same distinct, flaky layers that you find in more traditional rolled biscuits. They also don’t rise quite as high.
- Scones: A scone is a baked good made of wheat or oatmeal, with baking powder as a leavening agent. They are often slightly sweet (although savory versions also exist) and glazed with an egg wash. Scones are usually cut into wedges and made with both cream and butter. They’re baked on sheet pans and include any variety of mix-in’s — such as chocolate chips, nuts, and fresh or dried fruit.
- Shortcakes: These desserts use scones or biscuits as a base. The biscuits are split or served whole, and topped with sweetened fruit and whipped cream or ice cream.
The Secret to an Excellent Biscuit
If your ideal biscuits include tall, buttery, flaky layers, then you’ve come to the right place. After years and years of practice, I’ve learned a handful of simple ways to achieve those elusive mile-high treats:
- Very cold ingredients are essential. Biscuits get their light, fluffy texture when cold butter expands in a very hot oven, creating pockets of steam. That’s why my recipes often call for freezing the cut biscuits for about 10-15 minutes before baking.
- The oven must be very hot — usually between 425°F – 475°F. When the cold biscuit dough interacts with the high heat of the oven, the water in the butter and buttermilk heats rapidly and releases steam, pushing the dough upward. If an oven is set at a lower temperature (such as 350°F or 400°F), the fat inside the dough heats too slowly and melts before the biscuits can fully rise.
- Folding the dough on itself multiple times builds visible layers.
- Do not twist a round biscuit cutter — just punch straight down and pull it straight back out. Twisting the biscuit cutter seals off the edges of the biscuits and they therefore will not rise as high.
- Arrange the Biscuits with Sides Touching. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet so that they’re all touching their neighbors. This will help them “climb” in the oven so that you get that great, tall lift!
Serving Suggestions
Classic Southern biscuits are suitable for just about any meal, at any time of day. Serve them on their own for breakfast with honey butter, jam, or apple butter. Add eggs on the side, use them to make an egg sandwich with sausage, bacon or cheese, or stir up a skillet of sausage gravy. In Virginia, country ham biscuits are a classic snack!
On the dinner table, here are some entrées that go well with homemade biscuits:
- Crispy Fried Chicken, Cornflake Chicken, or Pecan-Crusted Chicken
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Oven-Baked Pork Tenderloin, Cider Braised Pulled Pork, or BBQ Pork
- Oven BBQ Chicken Breast or Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast
- Egg Salad or Chicken Salad
- Shrimp and Grits
- Crock Pot Ribs or Baked Baby Back Ribs
- Crab Cakes or Crab Imperial
- Shrimp Creole
- Dutch Oven Beef BBQ, Cast Iron Skillet Filet Mignon, Grilled New York Strip Steak, Steak Salad or Bourbon-Glazed Beef Tenderloin
- Classic Beef Chili, “Good Luck” Southern Chili, Easy White Bean Chicken Chili or Texas Chili
- Beef Stew, Chicken Stew or Brunswick Stew
- Southern Fried Catfish
- Frogmore Stew
- Grandmother’s Hamburger Soup, Corn Chowder, Tomato Soup or Split Pea Soup
- Ranch Style Beans, Southern Lima Beans, Slow Cooker Cowboy Pork and Beans or Black Eyed Peas with Bacon
- Rosemary Oven Roasted Chicken
Preparation and Storage
- Make Ahead: While they’re best served warm, straight from the oven, you can bake biscuits up to 3 days in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Reheat day-old biscuits by placing them on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes.
- How to Freeze: Allow biscuits to cool to room temperature, then wrap tightly in an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter overnight or in the microwave for a few seconds.
The Best Homemade Biscuit Recipes
With that, let’s get to the recipes! I’ve compiled a list of our favorite biscuit recipes below, so let me know which version you’ll try first.
Cream Biscuits {Just 4 Ingredients!}
With a few simple tips and tricks, you can make the best cream biscuits from scratch with just 4 ingredients! These soft, tender treats rise a mile high, creating layers of fluffy, old-fashioned goodness.
Bisquick Cheddar Biscuits with Beer
These easy 5-ingredient Bisquick cheddar biscuits bake in a muffin tin and include beer for rich flavor, making them a perfect cross between traditional drop biscuits and a tender loaf of beer bread. They’re perfect companions for a warm bowl of chili, soup, or beans, and are also delicious alongside pot roast or roasted chicken.
3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
With a few simple tips and tricks, you can make the best Southern buttermilk biscuits from scratch with just 3 ingredients! These fluffy, flaky, buttery treats rise a mile high, creating layers upon layers of old-fashioned goodness. The 3 ingredient biscuit recipe is perfect with country ham, sausage gravy, or jam for breakfast, or delicious alongside soup, chili, pot roast, or pulled pork for dinner.
Cheddar Biscuits with Chives and Bacon
With a few simple tips and tricks, you can make the best cheddar biscuits from scratch! The fluffy, flaky, buttery treats rise a mile high, creating layers of old-fashioned goodness studded with smoky bacon and fresh chives. Perfect for breakfast or brunch with eggs or jam, or for supper alongside a warm bowl of soup or chili!
Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits
Pair these buttery, flaky, mile-high strawberry shortcake biscuits with whipped cream and fresh berries for an easy, made-from-scratch, old-fashioned dessert!
Cathead Biscuits
A staple in Appalachian cuisine and now popular throughout the South, cathead biscuits are an easier, larger, more rustic version of the traditional buttermilk biscuit. There’s no need to roll or cut the dough — just pinch off portions, drop them in a skillet, and pop them in the oven!
Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
Tall and flaky, these Southern Buttermilk Biscuits are just like the old-fashioned buttermilk biscuits from Grandma’s kitchen! They’re golden brown and slightly crisp on the outside, with light, airy layers on the inside. Today I’m showing you the step-by-step process to make a batch of the best homemade biscuits in just 10 minutes!
Angel Biscuits
Light and airy, angel biscuits are small, delicate, and perfectly tender! Leavened with baking powder, baking soda, and yeast, these special biscuits are a delicious cross between traditional Southern buttermilk biscuits and soft yeast-raised dinner rolls.
Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Better than Red Lobster, these easy homemade Cheddar Bay Biscuits are soft, flaky and made from scratch! With just a touch of garlic and cheddar cheese, the fluffy buttermilk biscuits are ready in about 30 minutes. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a side dish with soup or dinner.
Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
This easy Biscuits and Sausage Gravy recipe is a traditional Southern breakfast that has been loved for generations. Fluffy homemade buttermilk biscuits are smothered in a creamy pork sausage country gravy for down-home comfort food that’s delicious any time of day!
Cheese Biscuits {Easy, Fluffy Drop Biscuits!}
Light and flaky, rich and buttery, these fluffy Cheese Biscuits are a quick way to add a special homemade touch to any meal. Pair the buttermilk drop biscuits with a pot of soup, chili or stew for supper, smother them with sausage gravy for brunch, or add them to the bread basket with your next roasted chicken dinner. There’s no rolling or cutting necessary, so a classic Southern cheese biscuits recipe is the perfect last-minute side dish for any day of the week!
Aunt Bee’s 3 Ingredient Biscuit Recipe
You won’t believe how flaky, buttery, and easy Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Biscuits are! The simple homemade buttermilk biscuits are golden brown and slightly crisp on the outside, with light, airy layers on the inside. Ready in about 10 minutes, they’re a perfect addition to your next weekend brunch, a great side dish with a warm bowl of soup, or a tasty companion for a tender roasted chicken. This versatile 3 ingredient biscuit recipe is one that you’ll turn to time and time again — and they’re even freezer-friendly!
Flaky Biscuits {a Farmhouse Favorite!}
With a few simple tips and tricks, you can make the best Southern-style light and flaky biscuits from scratch! These fluffy, buttery treats rise a mile high, creating layers upon layers of old-fashioned goodness. Homemade flaky buttermilk biscuits are perfect with country ham, sausage gravy, or jam for breakfast, or delicious alongside soup, chili, pot roast, or pulled pork for dinner. This popular flaky biscuit recipe is a farmhouse favorite, and will soon become a staple in your kitchen too!
Grandma’s Sweet Potato Biscuits
These old-fashioned Southern-style Sweet Potato Biscuits are flaky, fluffy, and just like Grandma made them! Stir together the easy recipe from scratch for a perfect side dish with a holiday turkey, a tasty vehicle for a country ham sandwich, or a quick make-ahead breakfast. These simple tips will teach you how to make sweet potato biscuits that rise a mile high!
Drop Biscuits
Light and flaky, rich and buttery, these easy drop biscuits are a quick way to add a special homemade touch to any meal. Pair the buttermilk drop biscuits with a pot of chili or stew for supper, smother them with sausage gravy for brunch, or add fresh strawberries for a shortcake dessert. There’s no rolling or cutting necessary, so they’re ready for the oven in about 10 minutes!
Butter Swim Biscuits {Just 4 Ingredients!}
The easiest homemade buttermilk biscuits rise a mile high! With these butter swim biscuits (or “butter dip biscuits”), there’s no need to roll out the dough or cut out the biscuits. You’ll have buttery, light, and tender biscuits with just 10 minutes of prep. Serve them for breakfast or brunch with eggs or sausage gravy, or offer them at supper alongside a Dutch oven pot roast, fried chicken, a pot of chili, or a bowl of stew.
Pumpkin Spice Biscuits
With a few simple tips and tricks, you can make the best Southern buttermilk pumpkin spice biscuits from scratch with just 5 ingredients! These fluffy, flaky, buttery treats rise a mile high, creating layers upon layers of old-fashioned goodness. They’re slightly sweet, warmly spiced, and perfect with country ham, sausage gravy, or apple butter for breakfast, or delicious alongside pork stew, pumpkin chili, pot roast, pasta, or pulled pork for dinner.
7UP Biscuits
These light and fluffy 7UP biscuits are such a fun and delicious shortcut with just 4 simple ingredients! The combination of butter, sour cream, lemon-lime soda, and Bisquick baking mix yields rich, flavorful, and tender biscuits with minimal effort. Serve them for breakfast with country ham, sausage gravy, or jam, or offer them at the dinner table alongside soup, chili, pot roast, or pulled pork.
Biscuit Recipes for Dinner
You can obviously serve any of the above biscuit recipes as a side dish with supper. That said, biscuits also make a delicious addition to dinner entrees. Here are some of our favorite biscuit recipes for dinner…
Country Chicken and Biscuits
Country Chicken and Biscuits is a classic down-home comfort food dinner! The creamy chicken and vegetables are topped with fluffy, cheesy drop biscuits for a hearty and delicious family-friendly meal. Bake it in a casserole dish and supper is served!
Beef Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuits
A cozy beef pot pie includes a ground beef and vegetable filling that’s coated in rich gravy and topped with fluffy, cheesy drop biscuits. This down-home, country-style comfort food is a perfect family-friendly dinner recipe for chilly nights! Pair it with a crisp green salad to round out the hearty meal.
Sloppy Joe Casserole {5 Ingredients!}
Topped with fluffy, golden biscuits, this 5-Ingredient Sloppy Joe Casserole is a family-friendly, easy dinner recipe for busy nights! Pair it with a salad or simple green veggie for a quick meal that the whole family will love.
Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings
This classic Southern comfort food gets an easier, quick-prep makeover! Crock Pot chicken and dumplings is a cozy, one pot meal that comes together in minutes for a simple and wholesome weeknight dinner. Thanks to help from a can of biscuit dough, there’s very little prep work necessary. Serve each bowl with a simple side salad or with Southern-style green beans for a hearty, homemade supper any night of the week!
Quick and Easy Pizza Pot Pie
This comforting, kid-friendly Easy Pizza Pot Pie is the perfect weeknight dinner to please your entire family. Like an upside-down pizza, it’s full of beef, pepperoni, sauce, cheese, and vegetables – all topped with a biscuit crust. It’s a fast, fun twist on a classic favorite!
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Serve an easy Chicken Pot Pie Soup from scratch with a basket of warm, flakey biscuits. This simple dinner is the perfect comfort food for a chilly day — and it’s ready in 30 minutes!
Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie
A classic comfort food dinner gets a makeover for the slow cooker! This easy Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie with biscuits comes together in about 10 minutes and simmers in your kitchen while you go about your busy day. Weeknight dinners don’t get much easier than this!
5-Ingredient Taco Biscuit Cups
These kid-friendly, freezer-friendly, prep-ahead 5-Ingredient Taco Biscuit Cups will please everyone at your dinner table! For those crazy nights when you need a quick meal right now, you can’t beat the convenience of a simple and delicious hand-held supper!
Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
Classic Southern comfort food! This Biscuits and Gravy Casserole is an easy breakfast recipe or satisfying brunch that's perfect for entertaining!
Virginia Country Ham Biscuits
A pride of Virginia culture, country ham is a Southern tradition that has been loved for centuries. Country Ham Biscuits combine the salty, cured smoked meat with fluffy buttermilk biscuits. They’re perfect for breakfast with eggs and grits, served as cocktail hors d’oeuvres or tailgating snacks, or prepared for grab-and-go munchies between meals. Enjoy a delicious Southern bite at any time of day!
Shortcut Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits
You only need 10 minutes to prepare a shortcut chicken pot pie with biscuits! This hearty casserole features chicken and vegetables in a creamy sauce, topped with golden brown buttermilk biscuits. Serve the simple comfort food classic with a side salad, a loaf of crusty bread, or a pan of cornbread for an easy weeknight dinner.
Creamed Chicken and Biscuits
Serve this old fashioned creamed chicken on biscuits, with toast, or over rice for easy, Southern comfort food! The simple weeknight dinner is ready in just 20 minutes, and is delicious alongside a crisp green salad, Arkansas green beans with bacon, or oven-roasted Brussels sprouts.
I hope that you’ve found some new biscuit recipes to try in your own home. Let me know your favorite biscuit recipes in the comments below!
