Flaky Biscuits

Square close up shot of a basket of flaky biscuits.

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4.92 from 24 votes

This flaky biscuit recipe yields layers of tender, fluffy goodness that any Southerner would be proud of!

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Side Dish, Sides

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword flaky biscuit, flaky biscuit recipe, flaky biscuits, flaky biscuits recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Chilling Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings biscuits

Calories 247kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour (I prefer White Lily brand)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) very cold salted butter, cubed
1 ¼ cups very cold whole buttermilk, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons melted salted butter, divided

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add cold butter, toss to coat in the flour. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is the size of peas. Add the buttermilk and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough comes together. Gradually add a little bit more buttermilk if the dough is too crumbly (it will be fairly dry – not wet and sticky – but it should hold together).
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat into an 8-inch square (about 1-inch thick). Use a bench scraper or large knife to cut the dough into 4 equal squares. Stack the squares on top of each other. Pat or roll into an 8-inch square again. Repeat the procedure two more times, cutting into 4 squares and stacking them on top of each other before rolling into another 8-inch square. Use a large knife or bench scraper coated with flour to cut the dough into 12-16 squares. Arrange about ½-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Brush the tops of the biscuits with half of the melted butter. Bake until golden brown, about 15-18 minutes. Brush the hot biscuits with the remaining melted butter. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

How to Make Buttermilk at Home: You can make 1 ¼ cups of homemade buttermilk by using regular milk + either lemon juice or white vinegar. To do so, pour 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice or 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into a measuring cup. Add enough milk to equal 1 ¼ cups. Give it a stir, let it sit for about 5 minutes, and then use it in the recipe as directed.

Nutrition