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These are the flakiest, butteriest, and most irresistibly tender Southern buttermilk biscuits — a recipe passed down through generations of our family and perfected with one secret ingredient: sour cream. With cold butter, a touch of tang, and carefully folded layers, these biscuits bake up tall, golden, with layers and layers.

Whether you’re making breakfast for a crowd, building the ultimate biscuit sandwich, or just craving a little comfort with your coffee, this recipe delivers every single time. No lard, no gimmicks — just a tried-and-true Southern classic you’ll come back to again and again.

And yes… this is the very first recipe we ever published Bakers Table. It started with my mom, passed down from her great-grandmother, and became a signature at her restaurant in the ’90s. We’ve tested, tweaked, and folded these biscuits more times than we can count — and now we’re sharing them with you.

What You’ll Need To Make The Flakiest Biscuits

Here’s a quick rundown of the 7 simple ingredients that make these biscuits so special:

• All-Purpose Flour – Provides the structure for those flaky layers.
• Baking Powder + Baking Soda – The perfect combo to help the biscuits rise and stay tender.
• Salt – Just enough to enhance flavor and balance the tang.
• Salted Butter – Cold, grated butter = tender crumb and crispy edges.
• Sour Cream – Our not-so-secret ingredient for added moisture and tang.
• Buttermilk – Classic for a reason — it activates the leaveners and gives that signature flavor.

Pro Tip: Keep your butter, sour cream, and buttermilk ice cold for the flakiest texture.

Our Secret to the Perfect Homemade Biscuit

The real magic behind these buttermilk biscuits? It’s how we handle the butter.

We start by grating frozen butter directly into the flour. This creates small, even shreds of butter that stay cold and intact. As the dough bakes, those little pieces of butter steam and expand, creating distinct flaky layers and that ultra-tender texture everyone loves.

It’s the same method we use for our rough puff pastry and some of our flakiest scones (like these bacon cheddar and chive scones!) — and it never fails.

Think of it as biscuit-making meets laminated dough… just way easier and faster. 😉

By keeping the butter cold and layering the dough with gentle folds, you get light, crisp edges, a soft, pillowy interior, and those irresistible, pull-apart layers every time.

Why We Fold the Dough (and Why It Matters)

This step might seem extra, but folding the dough is the secret to those tall, flaky layers. Even if you’ve never made biscuits from scratch, this recipe is super forgiving — just follow the photos and method below!

Once the dough comes together, we roll it out and fold it like a letter — top third down, bottom third up — then repeat the process three more times. Each fold creates thin layers of butter and dough, which puff up beautifully in the oven.

Folding also helps:

• Strengthen the dough just enough without overworking it
• Trap air between layers for a lighter texture
• Builds structure for sky-high biscuits

Don’t skip this step! It’s what takes these from basic to bakery-style biscuits — and once you see the layers, you’ll never go back.

Your Biscuit FAQs, Answered!

Can I use unsalted butter?
Yes! Just add an extra ½ teaspoon of salt to the flour mix to balance the flavor.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?
You can shape the biscuits and refrigerate them, tightly covered, for up to 24 hours before baking. Just don’t freeze the raw dough—it affects rise and texture.

Can I substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream?
Yes, full-fat Greek yogurt works well if that’s what you have on hand. It changes the flavor slightly, but the texture stays close.

Do I need a cast iron skillet?
Nope! A parchment-lined baking sheet works just as well. Just make sure your biscuits are touching — it helps them rise taller.

Why did my biscuits turn out flat or tough?
Warm ingredients and over-handling the dough are usually to blame. Make sure your butter and buttermilk are ice-cold, and don’t skip the folding.

Do these freeze well?
Absolutely. Once baked and cooled, freeze them in a sealed bag. To reheat, warm in a 350°F oven for about 10–12 minutes.

When you make these 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.

Happy Baking!
x, Caylie

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