Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
The flakiest and most delicious Southern Buttermilk Biscuits…because we all need an easy comfort food for breakfast! These biscuits are really something special, made with buttermilk, a few simple pantry staples, and layered with salted butter. They’re SO good. Just layers and layers of flaky, tender biscuit for whatever you need. Oh, but the absolute best part about these biscuits? They’re actually very easy to make! Be sure to enjoy them warm, right out of the oven, with a smear of salted butter. Absolutely delicious!
→ This post is also available as a Web Story: Buttermilk Biscuits
About The Recipe
Today we’re enjoying a southern classic…buttermilk biscuits! They’re a staple from my childhood, as well as my mom’s. It’s a delicious bread that has made it’s way to breakfast table almost every single morning…even sometimes as dinner!
They’re simple to make, but taste extraordinary. I could probably eat a whole pan of these by myself!
My mom always told me that this recipe is an adaption of my great-great grandmother’s! Can you believe it? This recipe has been passed down through the generations and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with all of you…okay, well, maybe not the original recipe.
According to my mom (and various notes scribbles on the back of envelops that we’ve found in old boxes), the original recipe was literally just flour, salt, baking powder, lard, and buttermilk. There was no directions. No measurements. They just kinda… dumped into a bowl and mixed.
So, to say the notes were confusing would be an understatment.
Thankfully, my mom has been working on and updating this recipe my whole life!
Now? These biscuits are one of the most delicious things EVER!
They’re flaky, buttery, tender, and SO. GOOD.
But, if I’m being honest, one of my favorite things about these biscuits is that there’s almost always just a small amount of dough leftover. When I was small, my mom used to take that small amount of leftover dough roll it into what we now call the “baby biscuit”. It’s always been a special biscuit just for me…no matter how old I get!
There are so many special memories attached to these biscuits for my family. I genuinely hope that you love them and share them with your friends and family as often as we do!
Equipment Needed
- Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Mixing Bowls
- Rolling Pin
- Biscuit Cutter
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Salted Butter
- Sour Cream
- Buttermilk
Instructions
Whisk together the buttermilk and the sour cream. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Carefully grate the frozen butter into the flour. From there, gently toss to combine. Don’t squish!
Add the buttermilk mixture and stir until just combined. Don’t overwork the dough!
Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface and roll to 1/2 inch thick. Fold the top third of the dough down. Then, fold the bottom third of the dough upwards. Roll to 1/2 inch thick. Repeat 4 or 5 times.
Cut the dough into desired shape and place in a lined sheet pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.
How To Store
Once the biscuits are baked, you can store them in either the fridge or freezer! They reheat really well! Just remember to place them in a freezer safe bag before freezing.
What To Serve With Buttermilk Biscuits
The wonderful thing about these biscuits is that they are literally perfect for sweet AND savory fans! Here’s a quick list of a few of our favorite things.
- Jam (especially Raspberry Jam!)
- Honey Butter
- Salted Butter
- Bacon
- Pimento Cheese
Expert Tips
- Make sure the buttermilk and sour cream are cold and that the butter is frozen! It gives you the best biscuit, promise!
- Don’t over work the dough! The more you work it, the less tender and flakey it’s going to be.
- Don’t skip folding the dough. This step is crucial for all those delicious layers! If you just dump, roll, cut, and bake, the biscuits will still taste good, but they will be gummy.
- Make sure the biscuits are touching in the pan! This will allow them to rise much better.
When you make these Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.
Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup salted butter,, frozen
- 1 cup sour cream,, cold
- 1 ¾ cups buttermilk,, cold
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk together sour cream and buttermilk. Set aside.
- Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Grate (most important!) butter into flour and toss gently to combine.
- Stir in buttermilk mixture just until mixed. DO NOT OVERWORK!
- Turn out onto heavily floured surface and roll to 1/2" thick.
- Fold the top third of the dough down.
- Fold the bottom third up over the top.
- Roll dough to 1/2".
- Repeat dough folding and rolling process 4-5 times.
- Cut biscuits with cutter, gathering up and re-rolling scraps.
- Place biscuits, sides touching, on prepared sheet pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Notes + Tips!
- Make sure the buttermilk and sour cream are cold and that the butter is frozen! It gives you the best biscuit, promise!
- Don’t over work the dough! The more you work it, the less tender and flakey it’s going to be.
- Don’t skip folding the dough. This step is crucial for all those delicious layers! If you just dump, roll, cut, and bake, the biscuits will still taste good, but they will be gummy.
- Make sure the biscuits are touching in the pan! This will allow them to rise much better.
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I found your recipe this morning. Cut the recipe in half, as it is only I whos is gonna eat. I am amazed & they’re still in the oven. Cannot wait to eat them. Looking into the future, this will forever be my buttermilk biscuit recipe.
Hi Jessica! We’re SO glad to hear that! These are our absolute favorite biscuits. I hope you enjoyed them! Happy holiday’s! Xo, Caylie
I thought some baking soda had to be used in a recipe with buttermilk but I see this recipe only contains baking powder. Your thoughts?
Hi Kathleen! You are absolutely right. As a general rule, acidic ingredients call for baking soda rather than baking powder. The only real difference in the two is that baking powder already has the acid (cream of tartar) added to it. The reason I use baking powder is because when I originally wrote this recipe, I used self-rising flour which was readily available where I lived. However, we moved; and self-rising flour was not available. To make self rising flour, you simply take all purpose flour and add salt and baking powder to it. That’s why is baking powder. You are welcome to substitute baking soda, but remember to cut the amount. Since it doesn’t have the extra additives that baking powder does, you only need 1/4 as much. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thank you for this lovely recipe. I’ve been looking for something like this to learn how to make bisquit s for years. I can’t wait to try it. Sounds delicious.
Hi Denise! We’re so glad to hear that you’re excited for this recipe! My mom has been baking these biscuits my whole life, and I promise they’re the very best! Let us know if you need anything and how these biscuits turn out for you. Xo, Caylie
Thanks so much for this recipe! My Dad always made the biscuits on Sunday mornings; when he passed unexpectedly no one knew how he did it because he didn’t use a recipe. These look so much like his. I can’t wait to try them!
Hi Rebecca! I’m so glad you found these and that it reminds of your father. We really hope you enjoy these just as much as we do! Let us know if you have any questions about the recipe. Xo, Caylie.
Absolutely adore your site Tracy!! Will never forget the visit we had with you in FL and your rolls!! What was that flour? Still can’t find it in Walmart!! 😩😩 I think you had to order it!!
So glad I found your blog!!!
Nothing like Southern cooks!!! We were ALL trained from the best in the world!!!
Charlotte,
I’ll add links to ingredients that might be hard to find in the Delta.
Thanks Traci. Can’t wait to see more of your blog.
Loved your memories!