Our Buttermilk Biscuits
Tall, tender, buttery - and meant to be passed around
photo: Easy Peasy Pantry
Around here, a biscuit is never just bread.
It is the first thing torn open while it is still steaming, the last thing used to catch the gravy, and the reason someone reaches across the table and asks whether there are any more.
We believe a proper buttermilk biscuit should have a golden top, a tender center, and enough buttery flavor to be worth eating before anything ever touches it. It should pull apart without crumbling into dust, stand tall enough to split for a breakfast sandwich, and still feel completely at home beside fried chicken, pot roast, country ham, or a spoonful of preserves.
Our recipe is built for a generous table. One batch makes 24 standard biscuits or 48 small biscuits—plenty for supper, brunch, or a basket that deserves a second pass around the table. The method is simple, but the details matter: keep the butter cold, mix only until the dough comes together, cut straight down, and let the biscuits bake shoulder to shoulder. Then finish them the way we mean to—brushed with tangy buttermilk before the oven and melted butter the moment they come out.
Why Buttermilk and Cream?
Buttermilk brings acidity, moisture, and the unmistakable tang that makes a Southern biscuit taste like itself. It also reacts with the baking soda to help lift the dough. Heavy cream adds richness and enough fat to keep the crumb tender. Together, they give us a biscuit that is sturdy enough for service but soft enough to feel special.
Cut in pats, not cubes
This makes it easier to incorporate and create the layers of a flakey biscuit.
This is not a low-fat recipe, and pretending otherwise would be nonsense. Biscuits become extraordinary because fat is handled well: cold butter creates pockets that lift and separate in the heat, cream enriches the crumb, and the final sweep of melted butter makes the tops shine and taste exactly as good as they look.
The Details That Make the Difference
Cold means cold. If the butter melts before the biscuits reach the oven, we lose the distinct pockets that help create height and tenderness.
Mix less than feels natural. Biscuit dough is not cake batter. A rough, shaggy dough is safer than a perfectly smooth one.
Press—do not twist. A clean downward cut leaves the edges open and ready to rise.
Keep the biscuits close. Close placement promotes more even upward rising, though the touching sides remain softer and less browned.
Use the scale. At this batch size, a casual extra scoop of flour or an inconsistent cup can shift the dough substantially.
Know your salt. Diamond Crystal and Morton kosher salts have dramatically different weights by volume. Twenty-eight grams is the standard for this batch; copying the Diamond Crystal volume with Morton would make the biscuits badly oversalted.
Make-Ahead, Freezing & Reheating
For the freshest result, cut the biscuits, arrange them on a parchment-lined pan, and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen rounds to an airtight container or freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes as needed and judging doneness by rise and color rather than the clock alone. Brush with buttermilk immediately before baking and with melted butter after they come out.
Baked biscuits can be stored airtight at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or frozen for longer storage. Reheat them covered in a moderate oven until warm, then uncover briefly to refresh the exterior. A light brush of melted butter afterward will not hurt a thing.
Made to Be Shared
There are flashier things we could set on the table, but few that make people feel as immediately cared for as a warm biscuit. Maybe it is the butter. Maybe it is the memory. Maybe it is simply the fact that somebody took the time to mix, cut, bake, and pass the basket while everything was still warm.
Whatever the reason, these biscuits belong in the middle of the table, within easy reach of everyone. Split them for breakfast, tuck smoked pimento cheese inside, serve them beside supper, or eat one standing over the pan before anybody notices. We will not judge. We will probably be doing the same thing.
Easy Peasy Pantry Buttermilk Biscuits
Yield: 24 standard or 48 small biscuits • Prep: 25 minutes • Bake: about 12 minutes
Ingredients
8 cups all-purpose flour (953.5 g) - King Arthur Flour preferred
¼ cup plus ½ teaspoon baking powder (50 g)
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda (6 g)
3 tablespoons kosher salt (28 g)
4 teaspoons granulated sugar (15 g)
1¼ cups unsalted butter, cut into pats and kept very cold (280 g)
1 cup buttermilk (226.5 g)
1 cup heavy cream (226.5 g)
Buttermilk, as needed, for brushing before baking
Melted butter, as needed, for brushing immediately after baking
Method
1. Combine the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and sugar together in a large mixing bowl.
2. Cut in the cold butter. Add the butter and mix until the pieces are roughly the size of small peas. If the butter begins to soften, stop and chill the mixture before continuing.
3. Bring the dough together. Add the buttermilk and heavy cream all at once. Using the paddle attachment, mix only until a shaggy dough forms. There may still be a few dry patches; overmixing now will make the biscuits tough.
4. Shape gently. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently just until cohesive, then roll to ¾-inch thickness. Avoid pressing out every visible piece of butter.
5. Cut cleanly. Cut straight down with a sharp biscuit cutter. Do not twist. Twisting can seal the cut edges and interfere with a clean, even rise.
6. Pan them close. Arrange the biscuits on a parchment-lined half-sheet pan with their sides touching. Arrange 24 standard biscuits in a 4 × 6 layout or 48 small biscuits in a 8 × 6 layout. Close placement encourages a soft-sided, upward rise.
7. Brush and bake. Brush the tops lightly with the reserved buttermilk. Bake at 400°F for approximately 18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the biscuits are well risen and golden.
8. Finish with butter. Brush the hot biscuits with melted butter immediately after they come out of the oven. Serve warm.
Kitchen Tools and Products Used:
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