Flaky Biscuits

This Southern-style flaky biscuit recipe creates tall, buttery layers with a tender crumb that melts in your mouth. A few simple techniques (cold butter, gentle handling, and stacking the dough) guarantee light, fluffy biscuits every single time.

Buttery flaky biscuits made a regular appearance on our weekend breakfast table when I was growing up, and today I serve them to my own family at least once a week. If you love homemade biscuits, you might also enjoy Aunt Bee’s 3-ingredient biscuit recipe, easy buttermilk biscuits, or 7UP biscuits.

Before You Get Started

A few key techniques make the difference between good biscuits and truly flaky, mile-high biscuits:

• Keep everything cold. Cold butter creates steam pockets in a hot oven, which is what gives biscuits their flaky layers. Freeze the cut biscuits for 15 minutes before baking for the best rise.
• Measure your flour correctly. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off. Scooping directly from the bag packs the flour too tightly and leads to dense, dry biscuits.
• Don’t twist the cutter. When you twist a biscuit cutter (or press down and turn), you seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising tall. Press straight down and lift straight up. This recipe uses a knife or bench scraper instead, which avoids this issue entirely.
• Handle the dough gently. Overworking develops gluten and makes biscuits tough. Mix just until the dough comes together, and pat (don’t knead) when shaping.

How to Make Flaky Biscuits

Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. I prefer White Lily flour for that classic Southern biscuit texture (it’s a soft winter wheat with lower protein), but any all-purpose flour works.

Step 2: Cut in the Cold Butter

Toss the cubed butter in the flour mixture to coat, then use a pastry cutter, two forks, or the large holes of a box grater to work the butter into the flour. You want pieces about the size of peas. These butter bits are what create those flaky pockets.

** Pro Tip: My parents always grate the butter into the flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater, and then toss those butter pieces in the flour until coated. This is a great, easy trick that I often use, too!

Step 3: Add the Buttermilk

Start with 1 ¼ cups and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. The dough should be fairly dry (not wet or sticky) but hold together when pressed. If you see dry pockets of flour in the bottom of the bowl, add a little bit more buttermilk.

On humid days, you may need less liquid. On dry winter days, add a splash more buttermilk if the dough feels too crumbly.

** Quick Note: Buttermilk is essential here. The acid reacts with the leavening agents to help the biscuits rise and tenderizes the dough for a softer crumb.

Step 4: Stack and Fold the Dough

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into an 8-inch square about 1 inch thick.

Use a bench scraper or large knife to cut the dough into 4 equal squares, then stack them on top of each other. 

Pat back into an 8-inch square and repeat the cutting and stacking process two more times. This layering technique is what builds those visible flaky layers.

Step 5: Cut Into Squares

Use a floured knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 12 to 16 squares (depending on how large you like your biscuits). Arrange them about ½ inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 6: Freeze Before Baking

Pop the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 425°F. This keeps the butter cold so it creates maximum steam and lift in the oven.

Step 7: Bake Until Golden

Brush the tops with half of the melted butter and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the edges look set. The biscuits should feel light when you pick them up.

Step 8: Brush With Butter and Serve Warm

As soon as the biscuits come out of the oven, brush them with the remaining melted butter. Serve immediately for the best texture.

Serving Suggestions

These buttery biscuits work for any meal. For breakfast or brunch, serve them warm with:

• Honey Butter
• Blueberry Jam
• Strawberry Freezer Jam
• Crockpot Apple Butter

They’re also perfect for Biscuits and Gravy or Country Ham Biscuits.

At dinner, add them to the bread basket alongside soups and stews like Ham and Bean Soup, Beer Cheese Soup, or Beef Chili. 

They’re also a natural pairing with Crispy Fried Chicken or Dutch Oven Pot Roast.

Storage, Freezing & Make Ahead

To store: Keep leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes to restore that fresh-baked texture.

To freeze baked biscuits: Let them cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter or in the microwave for a few seconds, then reheat in the oven.

To freeze unbaked dough: Cut the biscuits and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for about an hour until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding about 5 extra minutes to the bake time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes biscuits flaky?

Flaky layers come from cold butter and the folding technique. When cold butter hits a hot oven, it creates steam that puffs up the dough and separates it into layers. Stacking and folding the dough multiple times builds even more visible layers.

Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?

You can make a buttermilk substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup, then adding enough milk to equal 1¼ cups. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using. The results will be very similar.

Why did my biscuits turn out flat or dense?

The most common causes are warm butter, overmixing, or too much flour. Make sure your butter is very cold (freeze it if needed), handle the dough as little as possible, and measure flour by spooning and leveling rather than scooping.

More Biscuit Recipes to Try

• Drop Biscuits
• Sweet Potato Biscuits
• Cathead Biscuits
• Cheddar Biscuits with Chives and Bacon
• 25 Southern Biscuit Recipes