Description
This classic Buttermilk Biscuits recipe yields flaky, tender biscuits with a golden crust and a hint of honey sweetness. Perfect for breakfast or alongside any savory meal, these biscuits are made by folding cold butter into flour, mixing with cold buttermilk and honey, and baking until beautifully risen and golden.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons aluminum-free baking powder (not baking soda)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ½ cup very cold butter (1 stick), cut into cubes
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons cold buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons honey (for brushing)
- 1 tablespoon butter (melted, for brushing)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to ensure it’s hot and ready when the biscuits go in for baking.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, aluminum-free baking powder, and salt. Stir the ingredients well to distribute the leavening evenly.
- Cut in Butter: Add the cold butter cubes to the dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter or the back of a fork, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, retaining some pea-sized bits for flakiness.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the cold buttermilk along with 2 teaspoons honey. Gently stir with a silicone spatula just until combined; the dough should be crumbly and not overmixed to maintain tenderness.
- Shape Dough: Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and pat it into a 9-inch rectangle. Fold the left side into the center and then the right side over it, rotate the dough, and flatten again. Repeat the folding and flattening process two more times to create layers for flaky biscuits.
- Cut Biscuits: Flatten the dough to about 1 inch thickness. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out biscuit rounds without twisting the cutter to ensure proper rise. Lightly flour the cutter between cuts, and chill the cut biscuits in the refrigerator to keep them cold before baking.
- Form and Bake: Place the chilled biscuits close together in a buttered 10-inch cast iron skillet so they almost touch, which helps them rise higher. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the biscuits turn golden brown.
- Add Topping: Combine 2 tablespoons of honey with 1 tablespoon melted butter, and brush this honey-butter mixture over the warm biscuits. For a deeper golden color, bake the biscuits for an additional 3–5 minutes at 450°F (230°C).
Notes
- Use very cold butter and cold buttermilk to achieve flaky, tender biscuits.
- Do not overmix the dough to prevent tough biscuits.
- Folding the dough several times creates flaky layers similar to puff pastry.
- Placing biscuits close in the skillet encourages them to rise more evenly and tall.
- Chilling the cut biscuits before baking helps maintain their shape.
- Using a cast iron skillet promotes even heat and a crispy bottom crust.
