Homemade Butter Biscuits Recipe: Golden, Flaky Comfort

Butter biscuits embody the soul of home-cooked comfort with their irresistible golden exterior and tender interior.

Rich with simple ingredients, these delectable treats enhance ordinary moments into memorable culinary experiences.

Generations have cherished their delicate, flaky texture that melts effortlessly on your tongue.

Kitchen memories often center around these warm, inviting pastries that connect us to traditional baking techniques.

Precision matters when creating their signature light and airy structure, where each ingredient plays a critical role.

Soft, buttery layers promise a sensory journey that transcends mere sustenance.

Prepare to elevate your meal with a baking adventure that celebrates rustic simplicity.

Why Butter Biscuits Are a Must-Try

• Quick and Easy Baking: Whip up deliciously golden butter biscuits in just 25 minutes with minimal kitchen skills required, perfect for beginners and busy home cooks looking for a fast, satisfying bread option.
• Perfectly Buttery Texture: Achieve incredibly tender, flaky biscuits with a melt-in-your-mouth quality, thanks to the strategic use of cold butter and gentle mixing technique that creates irresistible layers and a light, airy crumb.
• Versatile Breakfast and Brunch Star: Serve these classic biscuits alongside scrambled eggs, as a base for breakfast sandwiches, or dress them up with sweet spreads like honey and jam for a crowd-pleasing morning treat that works for casual family breakfasts or weekend gatherings.
• Customizable Comfort Food: Easily adapt the basic recipe by adding herbs, cheese, or other mix-ins to create your own signature biscuit variation that suits any mood or meal preference.

What You Need for Buttery Homemade Biscuits

• All-Purpose Flour: A key base for light and fluffy biscuits with perfect texture.
• Baking Powder: Essential leavening agent that helps biscuits rise and become airy.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances the biscuits taste.
• Granulated Sugar: Adds a subtle sweetness and helps with golden brown coloring.

• Butter: Cold cubed butter creates flaky layers and rich flavor in biscuits.
• Milk or Buttermilk: Cold dairy provides moisture and helps bind ingredients together; buttermilk offers slight tanginess.

• Butter: Classic spread for extra richness and flavor.
• Honey: Sweet natural topping that complements the biscuits texture.
• Jam: Fruity option to add sweetness and variety to the biscuit.

How to Bake Fluffy Butter Biscuits

Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Station

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for hassle-free cleanup.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Granulated sugar

Whisk ingredients until thoroughly blended.

Step 3: Create Crumbly Texture

Cut cold cubed butter into dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or two knives. Mix until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with small pea-sized butter bits.

Step 4: Add Liquid Ingredient

Slowly pour cold milk or buttermilk into the mixture. Stir gently with a fork until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain biscuit tenderness.

Step 5: Knead and Shape Dough

Lightly flour a clean surface. Transfer dough and softly knead by folding over itself 3 times. Pat or roll dough to approximately 1 inch thickness.

Step 6: Cut Biscuit Shapes

Use a 2.5-inch biscuit cutter or round glass. Cut biscuits without twisting to ensure even rising. Gather remaining dough scraps for additional biscuits.

Step 7: Bake to Golden Perfection

Arrange biscuits on prepared baking sheet, leaving 1 inch between each. Bake for 12-15 minutes until tops turn golden brown and centers are fully cooked.

Step 8: Serve and Enjoy

Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm with butter, honey, jam, or your favorite topping.

Baking Know-How for Biscuit Perfection

• Master Butter Temperature: Use butter straight from the refrigerator, keeping it cold ensures flaky, tender biscuits with perfect layers.
• Gentle Mixing Technique: Handle the dough minimally, preventing gluten development which can make biscuits tough and dense.
• Precise Cutting Method: Press biscuit cutter straight down without twisting to help biscuits rise evenly and maintain their classic shape.
• Maximize Baking Height: Space biscuits close together on the baking sheet so they support each other while rising, creating taller, softer results.
• Buttermilk Boost: Swap regular milk with buttermilk for extra tanginess and softer texture, adding depth to your biscuit's flavor profile.

Keeping Butter Biscuits Fresh and Warm

• Refrigeration: Wrap cooled biscuits tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated for up to 3-4 days to maintain freshness and prevent drying out. The sealed environment protects biscuits from absorbing other food odors.
• Freezing: Place biscuits in a freezer-safe bag or container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to one month. Frozen biscuits preserve their delicate texture and can be quickly reheated when craving a warm treat.
• Reheating: Warm refrigerated or thawed biscuits in a preheated oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes.

Great Matches for Your Butter Biscuits

• Pair with Smooth Jam Spreads: Complement the buttery biscuits with homemade strawberry, apricot, or raspberry jam for a sweet and tangy flavor explosion that melts perfectly into the warm, flaky surface.
• Match with Creamy Beverage Companions: Serve alongside a rich hot chocolate, smooth cappuccino, or traditional English breakfast tea to enhance the biscuits' rich, buttery texture and provide a comforting drinking experience.
• Create a Savory Breakfast Combo: Top biscuits with scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, or country sausage gravy to transform them into a hearty Southern-style breakfast that satisfies morning hunger and delivers incredible flavor depth.
• Elevate with Herbal Butter Variations: Experiment by mixing softened butter with fresh chopped herbs like rosemary, thyme, or chives before spreading on warm biscuits to add an aromatic and gourmet touch to the classic recipe.

Different Takes on Classic Butter Biscuits

• Herbed Butter Biscuits: Fold in 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or chives into the dry ingredients for an aromatic and flavorful variation.
• Cheesy Cheddar Biscuits: Mix 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese into the dry ingredients and sprinkle extra cheese on top before baking for a rich, savory kick.
• Whole Wheat Honey Biscuits: Replace half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour and swap granulated sugar for 2 tablespoons of honey to create a heartier, slightly sweeter biscuit with added nutritional value.
• Garlic Parmesan Biscuits: Add 2 minced garlic cloves and ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese to the dry ingredients, then brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with additional Parmesan before baking for an indulgent, garlicky treat.

Butter Biscuits Recipe

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4.5 from 15 reviews

• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Delicate French butter biscuits melt on your palate with rich, buttery elegance. Crisp edges and delightful simplicity make these classic cookies a perfect companion for afternoon tea or quiet moments of sweet indulgence.

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Ingredients

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Butter Biscuits

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 cups (480 milliliters) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) salt

Fat:

• ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter (cold, diced into small pieces)

Liquid Ingredients:

• ½ cup (120 milliliters) cold milk (or buttermilk as a substitute)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure easy removal and prevent sticking.
2. In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar using a whisk to distribute ingredients evenly.
3. Introduce cold, cubed butter into the dry mixture, using a pastry cutter or two parallel knives to break down the butter until the texture resembles rough, uneven crumbs with small pea-sized clusters.
4. Gradually pour cold milk or buttermilk into the crumbly mixture, gently folding with a fork until the dough just comes together, taking care not to overwork the mixture to maintain a tender texture.
5. Transfer the loose dough onto a lightly floured surface, using gentle hands to fold the mixture over itself three to four times, creating delicate layers without aggressive kneading.
6. Carefully pat or roll the dough to approximately 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) thickness, ensuring an even surface for uniform biscuit cutting.
7. Select a 2.5-inch (6.35 centimeters) biscuit cutter or round glass, pressing straight down without twisting to create clean-edged biscuits that will rise symmetrically.
8. Arrange the cut biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them approximately 1 inch apart to allow for even heat circulation and proper rising.
9. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, monitoring until the tops transform into a rich, golden-brown color and the interior feels fully cooked.
10. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the biscuits rest for a few minutes, then serve warm with optional accompaniments like butter, honey, or jam.

Notes

• Cold butter is the secret weapon for creating flaky, melt-in-your-mouth texture in these classic biscuits.
• Gentle kneading prevents tough biscuits, so handle the dough with a light touch and minimal manipulation.
• Buttermilk can be swapped with regular milk, but adds extra tanginess and helps create a softer crumb.
• Biscuit height matters – aim for about an inch thick to ensure a perfect balance of crispy exterior and soft interior.
• Leftover biscuits can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days and quickly reheated in the oven for a fresh-baked taste.
• Room temperature ingredients will compromise the flakiness, so keep butter and milk ice-cold before mixing.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 210 kcal
• Sugar: 1.5 g
• Sodium: 200 mg
• Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 28 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 30 mg