How to Make Perfectly Flaky Homemade Biscuits

Best Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

A warm pan of biscuits disappears quickly here—whether we serve them with gravy, a drizzle of honey, or a spoonful of jam.

I grew up where people made biscuits from scratch instead of reaching for the canned kind, and that habit stuck. Now I can have a tray of biscuits ready in about 20 minutes, which makes them ideal for busy mornings or relaxed weekend breakfasts. My family loves them, and yours likely will too.

How to Make Homemade Biscuits

Follow the steps below for flaky, tender biscuits. The full recipe card is at the bottom for exact measurements and timings.

Preheat the oven to 450°F and lightly grease a baking sheet or cake pan.

Cut the butter into cubes and place them in the freezer while you assemble the other ingredients.

Put the flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.

With the processor running, slowly add the buttermilk until the dough is just damp and holds together when pressed—less wet than cookie dough.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle, fold it in half, then repeat this pat-and-fold 4–5 times. This creates layers—don’t overwork the dough. Keeping the butter cold is key to flaky layers.

Pat the dough to about 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Dip a biscuit cutter in flour and press straight down without twisting; twisting seals the edges and can prevent the biscuits from rising tall. Stack scraps, gently pat them out, and cut again.

Arrange the biscuits on the baking sheet so their sides touch—this helps them rise higher. Bake for 10–14 minutes, until golden and puffed. Brush the tops with melted butter and serve warm.

Quick Tips

• Keep everything cold. If the dough warms up, chill the cut biscuits for 30 minutes before baking.
• Don’t overwork the dough. Excess handling or rolling can make biscuits dense and tough.
• Cutting the dough. Press the cutter straight down without twisting to preserve rise.
• Placement on the pan. Place biscuits touching each other so they support one another and rise taller.

Substitutions

Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, whole milk or 2% milk will work. You can also make a buttermilk substitute by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup milk and letting it sit 5–10 minutes to thicken slightly.

Self-rising flour: For an easy shortcut, use self-rising flour and omit the baking powder and salt. Use the same amount (2 cups in this recipe) since self-rising flour already includes leavening and salt.

Ways to Cut in the Butter

There are a few methods to combine butter with flour; each gives slightly different results.

Food processor: Fast and convenient, but the blades can warm the butter if you run it too long. Pulse in short bursts until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. If you use a processor, consider chilling the cut biscuits for 30 minutes before baking.

By hand or with a pastry cutter: Using a bowl and a pastry cutter, two forks, or fingertips gives more control. Work the butter into the flour until the mixture has fine crumbs and pea-sized bits of butter. Keeping the butter cold yields lighter, flakier biscuits.

How to Store Leftovers

Biscuits are best the day they’re baked. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

For longer storage, freeze baked biscuits in a single layer, transfer to a freezer bag, and reheat in a 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes. You can also freeze unbaked cut biscuits on a sheet pan, then store them in a bag and bake from frozen—add 2–3 minutes to the baking time.