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Southern-Style Buttermilk Biscuits
These Southern-style buttermilk biscuits are deliciously rich, buttery, and flaky.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Southern buttermilk biscuit recipes typically call for White Lily flour, a low-protein brand primarily available in the southern U.S. states that makes for ultra-tender, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits. I can’t find White Lily flour easily where I live, so I use a blend of all-purpose flour and cornstarch to get a similar effect. These buttermilk biscuits are rich, buttery, and flaky with a toasty golden crust. Plus, they’re easy to make. You can throw the dough together in 15 minutes and end enjoy the biscuits with your dinner less than fifteen minutes later.
What you’ll need to make Buttermilk Biscuits
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a food processor.
Pulse briefly to combine.
Add the cold chunks of butter.
Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand with a few pea-size clumps of butter intact.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
Add the buttermilk.
Stir until the mixture comes together into a shaggy mass.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and bring together into a loose ball.
Gently pat the dough into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick.
Cut the dough in thirds.
Stack the pieces on top of one another.
Pat out into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick again. You can see in the photo below how this process creates layers in the dough, which makes for deliciously flaky biscuits.
Cut the dough into thirds again.
Stack the pieces up again.
Finally, pat the dough into a rectangle with a final thickness of about 3/4 inch.
Cut the dough into 12 small squares (these biscuits are on the smaller side).
Transfer the squares to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden.
The biscuits are best served warm out of the oven (though a few minutes in the oven will revive slightly stale biscuits).
You may also like
- Sweet Potato Biscuits with Honey Butter
- Rosemary Focaccia
- Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
- Crusty Artisan Bread
- Cheddar Soda Bread
Note: This recipe was updated in November 2020. To reference the original recipe, click here.
Southern-Style Buttermilk Biscuits
These Southern-style buttermilk biscuits are deliciously rich, buttery, and flaky.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
- 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, plus a bit more if necessary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 13x18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Pulse a few times to mix. (Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl.)
- Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand with a few pea-sized clumps of butter intact. (If making by hand, "cut" the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter, two knifes, or your fingertips.) Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.
- Add the buttermilk and stir with a spoon or rubber spatula until the dough comes together into a shaggy mass. If the dough seems too dry, add a few more tablespoons of buttermilk. Do not over-mix.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with a bit more flour and bring together gently into a loose ball. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into thirds. Stack the pieces on top of one another and pat out into a rectangle about 3/4 in thick again, flouring the surface lightly as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Cut the dough into thirds again. Stack the pieces on top of one another and pat into a rectangle with a final thickness of about 3/4 inch.
- Dust the blade of a sharp knife with flour and cut the dough into twelve even squares (they will seem small). Transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until the biscuits are lightly golden on top and a rich, golden brown on the bottom. The biscuits are best served warm out of the oven (though a few minutes in the oven will revive slightly older biscuits).
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 biscuit
- Calories: 179
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Sugar: 2g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Sodium: 148mg
- Cholesterol: 26mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Reviews & Comments
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Made these the night before Thanksgiving, cutting the individual biscuits and refrigerating until baking right before T-day dinner. Baking time was slightly longer since they were cold. They were delicious, thank you!
Absolutely delicious! First time making biscuits and turned out great. So easy. I didn’t have buttermilk so I used Greek yogurt and milk. Also added a bit of cheddar cheese between the layers. Went really well with your stew recipe. Thank you. Will look into making more of your recipes
I made these last night for Thanksgiving dinner and we loved them. I didn’t use my food processor, just a hand pastry blender. They rose nice and high, even a few tumbling over they got so high. I added an extra tablespoon of Buttermilk and it was just right. Thanks Jen.
I made these ahead for Thanksgiving. I baked a couple for our dinner and froze the rest. They were excellent! They rose beautifully, were incredibly flaky with all the beautiful stunning and delicious layers! The size was perfect. The directions were wonderful, easy to follow with the ability to adapt to every kitchen. Very well done.
Thanks Jenn!
Hi Jenn, these look yummy. Can they be frozen? There’s only 2 of us.
Sure! I prefer freezing them unbaked, but you can go either way.
I made this recipe the day I received it in my email box. We are empty nesters and this recipe was easy to cut in half. They turned out great, but next time I would brush the top of the biscuits with melted butter to give it just a bit more of that golden color. I will make this again and maybe next get my grandson involved.
Thank you for sharing wonderful on-line recipes and my friend Kristen who introduced me to your cookbook and recipes.
What is the equivalent in cups to 10 Tablespoons of butter?
Hi Diana, that would be the equivalent of 1/2 cup (one stick) + 2 tablespoons. Hope that helps!
Your biscuit recipe sounds wonderful and I will be certain to try it (like many of your recipes.) I find it humorous that you “laminate” the dough by piling it on top of itself twice to create layers. Why not just do folds as you would for danish and croissant dough?
Hi Lisa, You could definitely do folds; I think cutting it makes for a more even rise but either way is fine.
Hi Jenn,
I would like to try this recipe and I am wondering if it would be possible to sub out the AP flour and cornstarch with cake flour? Thanks so much!
Hi Trish, I think it will work. Please LMK how it turns out. 🙂
Hi! I love your biscuit recipes…both the one in your cookbook and this one….it appears you removed the cream cheese on the website version? I really loved the cream cheese addition, can you advise what the amount of cream cheese was? Thanks!
Sure Maura, You can find the original recipe here.
Jenn,
Original recipe link doesn’t seem to work.
Joe
Sorry about that Joe! I just fixed it. 🙂
Thank you !!!
Why do some comments refer to cream cheese, when there isn’t any in the recipe?
Hi Diane, The recipe was recently updated. I replaced the cream cheese with additional butter to simplify the recipe. Sorry for the confusion!
Hi, Jenn! I can’t wait to try this recipe! I’ve never made biscuits before. I want to make these ahead to bake later tonight. Can I pat out the dough, and go ahead and cut it into biscuits, and refrigerate the biscuits on the sheet pan already cut-up?
Sure – enjoy!
Could I make the dough the night before & then refrigerate until baking the next day?
Sure!
Jenn,
The one piece of equipment that isn’t in my kitchen is a food processor. I do all my cutting in of butter, shortening, etc. by hand with a pastry blender. Very old school, but it works! My pie crust is exceptionally flaky! Will that work for these biscuits? The recipe looks great and I’ve been trying to find a classic buttermilk biscuit recipe. And your recipes never, ever disappoint!
So glad you like the recipes! And, yes, you can make these without a food processor – enjoy 🙂
These are awesome. I’ve made them several times now. This last time I was out of buttermilk and since I have never been impressed with the method of adding lemon juice to regular milk, I decided to try and substitute sour cream. It worked great and my biscuits had that slight tangy buttermilk flavor. I added just a bit more sour cream than what the recipe calls for in buttermilk.
Well thought I would be daring and try your biscuits. Made them gluten free. My flour blend of almond, coconut flour and tapioca. They were a bit too wet, so had to add more of my flour blend. Cooked them for 12 minutes and still not quite done. Extra 5 minutes and done. They did fall and flattened out almost like a cookie to 1/2″. We let them cook and found they tasted very good. A little to sweet for a biscuit, but will work out well for a desert. Maybe bread pudding. Will see. So any hints? Have you used Cassava flour? Maybe that would be a better choice. Will still give 5 stars as it turned out good for us.
Hi Carol, glad to hear you enjoyed the biscuits despite some minor issues. You asked for some hints – – are you referring to how to use them because you think they’re a bit too sweet for you, or for how to achieve a fuller biscuit? If so, you may want to include the cream cheese and give an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix like this one by King Arthur a try. I know a lot of people report having success with it. Hope that helps!
Super easy and very tender and delicious. I guess I will have to make twice as many next time as everyone wanted seconds. My son said they were the best biscuits ever.
I’m excited to try this recipe and am looking for lily flour but can only find it in self rising. Could that be substituted and if so, what’s are the modifications? Thanks
Hi Marisa, I’d suggest following the recipe with all-purpose flour. The recipe would be different with either White Lily or self-rising flour and, because I haven’t tested it that way, I’m not sure how the biscuits would turn out. Sorry!
Can you use gluten free flour?
Hi Janene, I haven’t made these with gluten-free flour but a few readers commented that they have successfully. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try it!
These are incredibly good and very easy to make. Like all of your recipes.
So glad you enjoy them!
These will become part of my collection for favorite biscuit recipes and I only have 2 others so this says something. I am so picky about biscuit recipes! This is a no fail and very first time using cornstarch in biscuits, thanks!
You have done it again. I have another favorite recipe on the fridge. Jen I am running out of magnets! Thank you for this recipe along with all the others.
I followed your instructions to the letter but my biscuits didn’t rise very much. What did I do wrong?
Hi Virginia, Sorry to hear you had a problem with these. Is your baking powder old? If so, that could be the problem. If your baking powder is fresh, a poor rise is sometimes caused by overworking the dough or the fat not being cold enough. I assume you cut the biscuits with a sharp knife? Some people use a drinking glass to cut round biscuits, which can prevent the biscuits from rising. If you want to give these another shot, try patting the dough to a final thickness of 1 inch instead of 3/4 inch – that will give them a boost. Hope that helps!
This is my 3rd batch and they came out absolutely perfect again! All you have to do is exactly what Jenn says & they will be as soft as your grandmother’s.
Hi Jenn, what’s the difference between this and the one in your cookbook? I’m trying to decide which one to make.
It’s the same recipe – hope you enjoy! 🙂
When I left for college this year, my mom sent me a binder full of recipes that she thought would be tasty and easy for me to make. She included this recipe, and I finally was able to make it for the first time. I am by no means qualified to use a kitchen, and it’s a miracle that I have made it this far feeding myself. These were the best biscuits I’ve ever had, beautifully layered and perfectly moist. I am living proof that the recipe is easy to follow. I wish I could upload the picture of them because they were gorgeous.
I followed the recipe to the letter. Their texture was soft and nice but they didn’t raise very high. It must have been something I did — maybe stirred it too much. Also, next time I’ll buy a new box of baking powder and baking soda before I start. All of Jen’s recipes are awesome!
These are absolutely delicious; just melt in your mouth. I served them with sausage gravy, but they are also dreamy with butter and jam. They didn’t rise super high so next time ill probably roll it out smaller and just cut smaller biscuits…best from-scratch biscuit recipe ever!!
These are really delicious! However, they didn’t rise well. I followed the recipe exactly. It wasn’t my baking powder because I made biscuits about 2 weeks ago using another recipe and they raised perfectly. What might have been the problem?
Hi Kathy, Sorry these didn’t rise well for you. This is sometimes caused by overworking the dough or the fat not being cold enough. I assume you cut the biscuits with a sharp knife? Some people use a drinking glass to cut round biscuits, which can prevent the biscuits from rising (see why here). If you want to give these another shot, try patting the dough to a final thickness of 3/4 inch instead of 1/2 inch – that will give them a boost.
The recipe looks amazing and I’ll definitely try it. One note on buttermilk, I keep buttermilk powder in my fridge so I can add the powder to regular milk – and voila, buttermilk.
I have a question on cream cheese. I don’t normally have bars of cream cheese but I have a tub of whipped cream cheese. Since the recipe calls for only 2 tablespoons, can I use that instead of the bar? I know it’s a less solid consistency….
I love the idea of stacking. I had one of the folding recipes and although I loved it this looks so much easier! Thanks!
Hi Deb, the whipped cream cheese will be fine here. Hope you enjoy!
These biscuits are amazing I made this 3 hours ago and they are fabulous even after they cooled down. Followed the measurements to the exact and only thing I did not have was a food processor. So for those who are wondering, if you do not have one it is doable. I was hesistant but it came out fine by hand. Amazing ! Thank you <3
Loved this receipe. The biscuits turned out light and flaky just like they should be. I did brush on top five minutes before they were done with melted butter, garlic and parsley👌👌👌👌Thank you for sharing this receipe.
Hi Jenn!
Just made these yesterday to use with sausage gravy then with homemade strawberry sauce and whipped cream. So good. Very easy to make and delicious. Gonna make another batch tomorrow as the strawberry shortcakes were such a hit. Thanks!
😊
Thanks for the recipe. It was easy to do and turned out great. I scoffed one just as it came out of the oven as it looked temptingly DELICIOUS and FLAKY…
Can I use self rising flour?
I’d suggest following the recipe with all-purpose flour. The recipe would be different with self rising flour and, because I haven’t tested it that way, I’m not sure how the biscuits would turn out. Sorry!
It never would have occurred to me to add a little cream cheese to biscuit dough – genius! Mine tasted a little too salty so I’m thinking I may have goofed when I measured it. Nevertheless, these came together quickly and were delicious as part of strawberry shortcake last night and again this morning with jam to go with our coffee. I’ll definitely make these again.
I have white lily self rising flour. Do I need to apply all of the same steps? For instance, the cream cheese, etc?
Hi Tiffany, Although you have White Lily flour, I’d suggest following the recipe with all-purpose flour. The recipe would be different with White Lily flour and, because I haven’t tested it that way, I’m not sure how the biscuits would turn out. Sorry!
I was wondering about freezing some of the biscuits. Would it be better to freeze them before or after baking? I love the recipe but there are only two of us now at home.
Thanks
Hi Elizabeth, these freeze really nicely unbaked. 🙂
Hi Jenn, I love this recipe as much as I love all your recipes. I’ve made them several times and they are always delicious. I find that I need to cut back on the buttermilk slightly to reduce the stickiness before I roll them and I also need to add a bit of flour, perhaps more than you do, as I roll. My concern with my results is that my biscuits are not as high as the ones in the photo. I look forward to your helpful suggestions. ❤️❤️❤️
Hi Karen, I’ll start by saying that the pics on the site aren’t completely reliable – they may look higher in the pics than they actually are. That said, if you want a little more height, don’t roll them out quite as much. (The more you work with/handle them, the tougher/flatter they will be.) Hope that helps! 🙂
Absolutely. Thank you, Jenn. I love all your recipes as much as I appreciate your answers to all my question.
Thanks for the recipe! If I want to replace the cream cheese with butter, can I just replace the 2 tablespoons of cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of butter?
Also, I’m hoping to make a smaller batch (around 4 or 6). Can I decrease the ingredient portions proportionately by 2 or 3 and follow the same recipe? Thanks!
Hi Carmen, Yes and yes. (Although these freeze really well unbaked if you wanted to make the whole batch and save some for another time.)
Hi Jen! If I were to add some cheese and herbs to these (I’m thinking parmesan and rosemary), how much of each would you suggest I use to keep the flavors and texture balanced? Thanks in advance!
Also, I’ve noticed the similarity between this recipe and the Almost Southern Biscuits one from your book. What is the difference in the resulting biscuit when you replace the cream cheese with more butter?
PS: My kitchen has been so Jen-filled this holiday season, by the way! Your brie en croûte, pasta e fagioli, cioppino (now a Christmas tradition!), pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crust, rum cake, and wild rice salad (from the book) have been AMAZING hits, just to name a few. (And I am currently “forgetting” some kisses in the oven for a NYE gathering :)). Thank you!!
So happy you’re enjoying the recipes, Flo! I think that parmesan and rosemary would work nicely here – I’d do 1/2 cup grated parm and 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary. The book recipe is simplified; over the years, I found that the cream cheese doesn’t make much difference. I’d go with the book version. 🙂
I love these simple biscuits, so easy to make in the food processor. My kids love them with jam or honey and homemade chicken noodle soup!
Yummy!!! Great recipe.. thank you so much.. 🙂
I made these and followed the recipe to a ‘T’ and they were a BIG hit. Beautifully browned, crispy outer layer, flakey on the inside… wonderful!!
Best I’ve ever made! It’s a keeper!
Truly the best! I live at high altitude and made these for my boyfriend and he said they were the best biscuits he’s ever had! Only difference (due to altitude) was that I added just a tiny bit more flour and a tiny bit more buttermilk. Thanks Jenn!
Has anyone made these GLUITEN FREE, subbing gf flour blend? Would appreciate hearing from you. Gracias……..
Can the dough be made earlier in the day but not baked, refrigerated until ready to bake later in the day?
Yep!
Hi Jenn, looking to attempt this over the weekend for a party. Would you have the recipe in metric measurements please? Thank you!
Hi Sharon, The recipe has been updated with metric measurements (in the top right corner of the recipe, you can toggle between metric and cup measures). Hope you enjoy them!
These were perfect! For years I have been looking for this recipe. Most others were too salty, too buttery (believe it or not), and didn’t taste good the next day. Thank you for this recipe! My search ends here.
If you like your biscuits taller, can you bake them with no space in between or will it leave some uncooked?
Hi Elizabeth, I think that’ll be fine, though not sure it will make them much taller. Hope that helps!
I’ve made these 2 times now and I’m running into an issue. The 1st time we thought the buttermilk had gone bad. Tried again, but still had an issue where you take bites and get a terrible sour flavor. I’m guessing something isn’t mixed enough – but we did mix well (due to the issue the 1st time.) Any advice? Every recipe I’ve tried from your site has been wonderful! I’d love to be able to produce good biscuits – which is definitely a challenge for me. Jen
Hi Jen, That’s strange – the biscuits shouldn’t taste sour at all. I’m going to send you another recipe to try that does not have cream cheese – I wonder if that’s the sour chunks your tasting?
I am looking forward to making the buttermilk biscuits and would like to know if they can be made a couple of days in advance and reheated. Thank you Marie
Hi Marie, You can make them in advance but don’t bake them – put them in the freezer, then bake when you’re ready to eat (note that they may take a few minutes longer in the oven if frozen). Hope that helps!
Can I incorporate grated strong cheese into these?
Thank you for sharing fabulous recipes.
Hugs
I think the addition of cheese would be great! Depending on how much you add, you may need to add a tiny bit more buttermilk so the batter is not too thick. Please LMK how they turn out!
First time making biscuits and these were great! Light and fluffy, buttery with a great flavor! They were so good that I’ll never buy the ones in the can again! My question is could I use these for strawberry shortcake and just add 1-2tablespoons of sugar? Or would that ruin the rise and texture? Thank you for another fool proof recipe!
So glad you liked them! Yes, I think these would work for strawberry shortcake. One other reader commented that she’s used these for that purpose. I’d suggest adding 1 more tablespoon of sugar to the batter (and it shouldn’t affect the rise). Hope you enjoy!
Delicious! I should have made two batches because one wasn’t enough they went so fast!
I don’t use cream cheese enough to buy a package of it, so substituted spreadable goat chevre. It doesn’t add any goat flavour and the biscuits were delicious. My friend and I kept wandering back to the kitchen getting another one.
Great tasting biscuit recipe. I’m a Southern girl, and a good biscuit recipe can be hard to find. These have a nice light rise and good flavor with the buttermilk.
These biscuits have become a weekend favorite for my family – to the point that my kids want to help make them!
The technique of stacking and cutting with a knife (instead of using a biscuit cutter) really helps with the size/rise of these biscuits.
Give me one of these with the Sunday paper and a cup of coffee and my day is off to a great start!
If I use the White Lily flour do I need to add the cornstarch and cream cheese?
Hi Joni, Although you have White Lily flour, I’d suggest following the recipe with all-purpose flour. The recipe would be different with White Lily flour and, because I haven’t tested it that way, I’m not sure how the biscuits would turn out. Sorry!
Jen,
I , LOVE, LOVE your recipes. I love the pictures, they are worth a thousand words (even though your words are clear)!
When baking your buttermilk biscuits (delicious, I added kosher salt and will. Slightly increase it the next batch), where is the oven rack positioned?
Can I freeze them?
Thank you,
Phyllis Marie
Hi Phyllis, So glad you’re enjoying the recipes! The oven rack should be in the center and you can definitely freeze them. 🙂
Can this recipe be doubled or should I make two batches?
Sure, Jen – you can double it.
For Thanksgiving I usually make buttery poppy seed dinner rolls, that contain yeast…delicious but so much work…I might try these instead…can you bake two pans in the oven at the same time? I like the idea you can freeze them ahead of time.
Sure, Wendy, as long as you have room in your oven for both pans, that should be fine. Hope you enjoy!
Jenn,
I live in the South so thankfully I am able to get White Lily flour with no problems.
If I use the WL do I change the recipe at all?
thanks
Hi Mary Ann, Although you have White Lily flour, I’d suggest following the recipe with all-purpose flour. The recipe would be different with White Lily flour and, because I haven’t tested it that way, I’m not sure how they’d turn out. Sorry!
Hi Jenn,
Can you make the dough, cut into biscuits and then freeze? If you bake from the freezer, what temp and how long. Or better to slightly defrost, then bake?
Thank you!
You can definitely freeze these before baking. Just put them directly into the oven from the freezer. Keep the temp the same; they may just take a few extra minutes to bake. Enjoy!
Another keeper!
Best biscuits ever, and I mean ever… I’ve been trying for 50 years to replicate a specific biscuit… Mrs. Eaton, was the best cook ever… Everything I make and succeed at is because of her… Thank you for letting me accomplish my bucket list.
I made these biscuits for dinner and they were absolutely lovely! The only thing I did differently was that I replaced the cream cheese with vegetable shortening since I didn’t have any cream cheese on hand at that time. I also LOVE the Idea Of folding The Dough Into thirds to Create The Flaky Layers, it Really does Work well!
Absolutely delicious! I made a gluten free version using gf plain white flour mix + some xanthan gum. Taste was perfect, but they did not rise as well as on the picture, probably because of the lack of gluten. Still very good though, will definitely make this again. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi! I plan on trying this biscuit recipe and have White Lily plain flour. Based on other comments do I still add the cream cheese but omit the cornstarch and increase flour to 2 1/4 cups?
Thanks!
Rosemary
Hi Rosemary, Although you have White Lily flour, I’d recommend following the recipe using all-purpose flour. The recipe would be different with White Lily flour and because I haven’t tested it that way, I’m not sure how they’d turn out. Sorry!
Hi Jenn,
I tried out these biscuits & I think I made a mistake somewhere down the line. To be fair they were the best biscuits I ever made because normally I make them as a hard as a rock & practically inedible. So they were very edible with good flavour but I know there was a problem with them….they didn’t look as good as yours & I’m assuming I didn’t mix properly. I did use my food processor that I had never used before & it didn’t seem to look exactly like coarse sand as in your picture??? I had to cut the butter up a bit more with a knife & then when I moved all into a mixing bowl & added in the buttermilk I always get nervous I’ll overmix so it wasn’t coming together as good as I was hoping…seemed too dry? I read in another review it was too wet for that person & then I got to thinking I must have done something wrong. I don’t want to give up on the biscuits yet but is there a bit of a knack to getting biscuits just right??? I really want to master them. The flavour was really good but I know that I can do better with the final product…any words of advice???
Hi Tracy, Glad you enjoyed the biscuits, even if they weren’t beautiful :). It sounds like you didn’t mix the flour and butter long enough in the first step – you shouldn’t have to cut the butter further with a knife. Next time, be sure to blend the flour and butter until it looks like coarse sand. The butter moistens the flour, so that should prevent the dough from being too dry. Please come back and let me know how they turn out if you try them again.
Hi Jenn! Would you recommend these biscuits for strawberry shortcake? And would they be sweet enough as is or should I add more sugar, or even honey, to the recipe? My family loves these biscuits! Thanks!
Hi Kelly, I think that would work. One other reader commented that she’s used these for Strawberry Shortcake. I’d suggest adding 1 more tablespoon of sugar to the batter. Hope you enjoy!
These were a hit as shortcakes! I added the extra tablespoon of sugar and that was perfect. Everyone said it was the best strawberry shortcake ever. Absolutely delicious!
Hi
Can these be made without a food processor? Just by hand? Or would a blender work?
Thanks!
Hi Emily, It’s totally fine to make by hand. Just rub the butter into the flour mixture until it’s crumbly. Enjoy!
Hey Jenn…..
Can I make these biscuits (savoury biscuits). What ingredients and how much would I use in a batch of biscuits. Also, could I add bacon or ham wee bits to this recipe???
Hi Sharon, I think it would work to make these more savory. Cooked bacon or ham would be delicious. Shredded cheese would also be nice. You may need to add a little more buttermilk so the batter is not too thick. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
I gave up on making biscuits from scratch after multiple recipes and epic failures. I tried these tonight and for the first time I can say I made perfect biscuits! I served them with you Spinach & Gruyère Quiche which is also just as amazing. Thank you so much for sharing!
These look doable for me. Can you say the approximate size the dough would be when patted out? I always have trouble figuring the depth of things. 8×8 maybe?
I think you’re about right on the size; it will come about to approximately 8 x 8. Hope you enjoy the biscuits!
Hi! I do live in the south and I have White Lily flour. Does this mean I can omit the corn start and cream cheese? Should I increase the amount of flour accordingly?
S – Even though you can get White Lily flour, I’d still recommend following the recipe using all purpose flour. The recipe would be different with White Lily flour and since I haven’t tested it that way, I can’t say for sure how they’d turn out. Sorry!
Hi Jenn, I don’t own a food processor. I do have a Vitamix , both wet and a dry container. Could I do this in a Vitamix instead? Or could I do this old fashioned way? I want to make some and freeze them. Help!
Thank you.
Hi Ria, Totally fine to make by hand. Just rub the butter/cream cheese into the flour mixture until crumbly.
Fantastic!! Just made these to go with your butternut squash, sweet potato, and apple soup. Perfection! (Although I didn’t use buttermilk because we are huge fans of buttermilk. 1% milk was just fine.)
Thanks!!
Hi Jenn 🙂
I made this recipe to test before Thanksgiving and I did it twice bc it is coming out super wet, I did it once with cream cheese and the second time just used extra butter same amount as asked for cream cheese. I am using all purpose flour as is all I can get here. Both times super wet and it doesn’t look like in your picture. I measured well with the knife technique and all. . . what am I doing wrong 🙁
Hi Sara, You probably just need to add more flour – be liberal dusting your work surface when you’re folding the dough, adding enough to make the dough easy to handle. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn,
I live overseas and we don’t have access to cream cheese or buttermilk. Is there anything we can substitute to still get yummy biscuits??
Hi Evelyn, You can easily replace the cream cheese with more butter. As for the buttermilk, it’s easy to make your own. Simply add 2.5 teaspoons lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Pour milk to the 3/4 cup line. Let sit 10-15 minutes until it starts to curdle. That’s buttermilk!
Thanks for this, I’m in the same boat. I live in the UK and don’t have access to either.
Where in the U.K. do you live. Cream cheese is everywhere.look for the Philadelphia brand- they advertise it on the telly
Jenn, I always heard to add vinegar to milk to make buttermilk. You suggest lemon juice I stead?
-Sharon
Actually, either one will work! 🙂
Hi Sharon and Jenn, my Mom always used vinegar to make buttermilk and that’s what I did just now, prepping to make these biscuits!
Jenn, I also do not have a large food processor, just the smaller version; I think the flour will go everywhere! Will it work using the good old fashioned pastry cutter? My Mom also did that making certain sweet/cream cheese dough for Christmas baking.
Also, I’m making them for a book club dinner this evening to go with a chicken jambalaya that the hostess is making. Should I add any herbs or cheese or just leave them as is? I only have fresh parsley and dry herbs, plus some parmasean.
Thanks so much for your great recipes Jenn! I always enjoy making them!
Janet
Hi Janet, I’m obviously weighing in a bit too late to benefit you (I’m sorry!) but for other readers, it’s perfectly fine to use a pastry cutter or even your fingers to rub the butter/cream cheese into the flour mixture. How did the biscuits turn out?
Hi Jenn, I made the 1st round of biscuits and they did turn out a little flat but tasted good. I just wish they were thicker, like yours! I probably handled the dough too much or cut in the butter and cream cheese too much. I decided to make a 2nd batch but listened to your advice to other readers about freezing the dough then baking it straight from frozen. I added dried herbs de Province to the 2nd batch and tried to mix and handle less. I also added a little bit more butter and cream cheese. I brought the dough to the book club meeting and they did take several minutes longer to bake but tasted great with the herbs!
I managed to make them a little bit taller, but still were flat as far as biscuits go. I’m going to roll them out less next time and use a glass to cut them into rounds.
If I wanted to make these biscuits several days prior to serving, would you recommend freezing or just storing in the refrigerator until I bake them? Also, if frozen do I have to thaw prior to baking or adjust cooking times/temps? Thank you! I look forward to making these and other of your recipes for a dinner party next week!
Hi Gina, I’d recommend freezing them as they will rise more when you bake them than if you were to refrigerate the dough. You don’t need to defrost them before baking. Just pop them in the oven (they may just take a few minutes longer to bake). Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jen, what is the difference between scones and biscuits? In Australia we only refer to them as scones and biscuits are what you call cookies. Are they different because of the amount of butter in the recipe or something else?
p.s. Love your recipes..easy to follow and are delicious.
Hi Bev, In general, scones are considered more of a dessert in that they have significantly more sugar than biscuits (and are often flavored with fruits or nuts). This piece may help fill in any blanks.
Hi Again, Forgot to mention your soup will be served with Buttermilk Biscuits and a Green Salad. YUM !! Yvonne
I know they will be great…. so five stars in advance !!!
Jen Jen Jen !!! These are the best biscuits on earth!! Soo tender, just perfect !! As ALWAYS ur recipe is perfect. Ur ingredients, amounts and times are spot on!! Thank YOU for awesome recipes!!
Excellent biscuits every time! I did not alter the recipe in any way..perfect as is and now my go to recipe for tender, fluffy biscuits. Even receives two thumbs up from my husband who is from the South! Thank you for the great recipe.
Oooh, one thing I forgot to add is that I made a rhubarb syrup today from the leftover water that I squeezed from frozen rhubarb. It tastes great and I plan to pour it on the leftover biscuits with vanilla ice cream!
These were just okay for me but because of my own inept technique. I flattened the dough too thin when shaping into a rectangle and ended up with about 20 biscuits. So they didn’t rise that great. I thought they were at least flaky though.
If you really want White Lily flour, you can order it on Amazon. I do, as no store in Minnesota carries it.
Now if you want buttermilk biscuits any time, without having to run to the store for buttermilk, get SACO Buttermilk Blend. It should be in the baking section of your store, near the baking powder. It’s a yellow container, about the size of canned frosting, with red lettering. It’s a powdered version of buttermilk, and it works very well in recipes. For 3/4 cup buttermilk, add 3 tablespoons of the powder to the dry ingredients. Then just add 3/4 cup of water at the right moment.
Be sure to keep the Saco powder in the fridge between uses, as recommended. It keeps for months that way.
I don’t have a food processor but would love to make these! Could I just knead everything with my hands, or stir it maybe?
Hi Sarah, You can either make these by hand (using a pastry cutter to “cut” the butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients, or your fingertips to “rub” them in) or in a mixer with a paddle attachment. Just be sure the butter is very cold.
Great!
The food lion in York Pa sells white lily flour. Do I still add the cream cheese to the recipe?
Yes, Hedy — I would still add it.
Hi, I live in the south. What adjustments would I need to make to the recipe if I’m starting with White Lily flour?
Hi Connie, Just be sure to use regular White Lily Flour (not self rising). Omit the corn starch and use 2-1/4 cups of the flour. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
Is there a substitute to buttermilk? I read somewhere that you can cut milk with vinegar but not sure how that would be. Thanks – can’t wait to try these! I’ll give 5 stars since I’ve yet to try one of your recipes that isn’t!
Hi Janet, One reader used yogurt thinned with a little milk in place of the buttermilk and got good results. There are a number of other substitutions you can try. See here for more details.
Thanks – that’s a very useful site!
Hi Jennifer – I’ve been looking for simple but delicious biscuits and am looking forward to making these for Christmas. Because they are home made and I don’t want to run out (I’m serving ham) I wanted to know how many should I estimate per person? Do people usually just have one biscuit?
Thanks for your help.
Ellen
Hi Ellen, I would say 1-2 per person.
OK, these are amazing!! I’ve struggled to find a biscuit that is easy to prepare, yet delicious and light…this is it! I made these and whipped up a simple honey butter and served it with Jenn’s Autumn Carrot soup, what a treat…perfect as usual! Thanks so much!
Like any similar recipe, I find these taste best fresh out of the oven, they did hold up well the next day, (with strawberries and fresh whipped cream of course!) but just not quite the same as fresh out of the oven 🙂
I loved these they are awesome! !! My 2 year old enjoyed them!!
Looking for a simple fast biscuit and this is perfect for me and my family.
I loved these biscuits. I’ll try to add some zaatar and grated cheese next time.
I could never seem to get a biscuit I was happy with until this recipe. What a great technique!
Best biscuits ever! Gave some to a neighbour and they wanted the recipe. Thank you!
Biscuit were crumbly but very tasty.
Why add starch?
Hi Chandra, It makes the biscuits more tender.
Hi Jenn – looking forward to trying these; what modifications would you make for a cheese biscuit? Thank you in advance!
Hi Leah, I haven’t tried adding cheese to these biscuits so can’t say for sure how it would work. I’ll add cheese biscuits to my list, though — stay tuned 🙂
Could I make this w. cup for cup gluten-free flour? Thanks!
Hi Sally, I haven’t tried it but it should work. Good luck 🙂
Hi Jenn,
I’m freezing half of the unbaked biscuits. Is wrapping each biscuit in waxed paper a good method?
A big thumbs up for your Peruvian Chicken… Soooo good!
As it’s “use up the buttermilk day”, I’m gonna crank out your lemon pound cake because it looks so perfect.
Thanks, Stan
Hi Stan, Glad you enjoyed the chicken! For the biscuits, I’d probably just stack them between waxed or parchment paper and then place in a ziplock freezer bag. And definitely make the lemon pound cake — it’s one of my favorites 🙂
Absolutely the best! We had a couple for breakfast and will likely have another for lunch, along with a bowl of your Classic Tomato Soup, another favourite. Thanks so much for sharing all these recipe Jenn.
Hi Jenn….
Well, I made these “Best Buttermilk Biscuits” (great name by the way – because they are BEST) last night. Only 1 left this morning. This is the measure of a great recipe. I made an “egg McMuffin” with the last one this morning and warmed it in the toaster oven. FAB……I liked the idea of layering the dough for nice tall biscuits, the texture was just like old fashion biscuits and appearance was better than rolling and using the cutter.
I’ll have to practice because some were not quite perfect in shape and appearance. Just like the cook.
Thanks for another one – this is a family KEEPER .
Shar
Streetsville, Ontario, Canada
Ha! Too funny. Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I’m not fortunate enough to have a food processor so I attempted this by hand with a fork. These turned out great! Just came out of the oven and I’ve had two with some jam. For those who don’t have a food processor, attempt this anyway. It’s worth a bit of elbow grease.
love your way of cooking !!! very neat presentation. I just feel like trying every recipe.. tried biscuits and came out soo good.. thank you for your recipes..`
Very easy to make and tasty
Love your recipes. Just one question for you. I live in Greece and we don’t really eat biscuits like these. I’d like to give them a try but how do I serve them? Plain,with savory dishes or as dessert? I’m a bit confused.
Hi Vivi, They are wonderful served with savory dishes, with butter or plain.
Love your recipes and your site! Can you sub in white whole wheat flour or can the recipe be altered to incorporate it? If not, do you have a good recipe for whole wheat biscuits?
Hi Leanne, I do think white whole wheat flour would work and you can sub cup for cup with all purpose. The taste will be a little different but still good 🙂
Can the dough be made, cut into squares and refrigerated for several hours, then baked before serving?
Hi Karen, Yes you can refrigerate the unbaked biscuits for a few hours, although they might not rise quite as high as they would if you were to bake them immediately. A better option is actually freezing the biscuits (which you can do several days or weeks ahead), which seems to preserve the leavening action of the baking powder and soda better than refrigerating. Hope that helps!
I was in a hurry when I made these but they still came out great. I really liked the cutting/layering technique for a fluffier, flakier biscuit!! Thank you!!
I have never made biscuits that used corn starch or cream cheese before. These are very easy to throw together and the folding and cutting the dough in 3rds and then, finally cutting the square into 12 equal biscuits makes for a very easy recipe. No rolling, cutting, gathering scraps, re-rolling and cutting. This was a very easy recipe. To make it even quicker, measure all the dry ingredients together and have ready for when you can finish the preparation. I also had measured the cream cheese and cut the butter and stored it in the fridge until I was ready to do the making and baking. These biscuits are flavorful and flaky and were almost as good the next morning as they were the evening before with dinner. Will be reaching for this recipe again and again.
I’m a novice baker who just made these for the first time. They were pretty easy (even while being interrupted by a toddler and baby) and taste delicious. I did find them a bit dry. Could I up the buttermilk a bit or did I maybe over-flour the work space? Or other thoughts? Thanks!
Hi Ruth, I apologize for the late reply. Somehow I missed your comment and am just now seeing it. Anyway, it’s fine to add a bit more buttermilk. You want the dough just dry enough to work with.
Best biscuits ever! I made these the other night. Baked half, and froze the unbaked half. They were absolutely delicious: flaky layers, great rise, crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. Ate them dripping with butter. Yum!
PS/ Took the frozen biscuits out this morning and placed them on parchment while the oven heated. Baked them 2 minutes longer. Same delicious qualities as the ones baked immediately after prepping. Thanks for another great recipe, Jenn!!!
These are wonderful! Soft inside, crispy outside, as tasty as the southern biscuits I grew up on!
This is a wonderful biscuit recipe and I have made it several times in the short time that I’ve had it. Our family loves black pepper so for Thanksgiving I added 1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Turned out great! Thanks again Jennifer
I made as you said in the recipe, delicious. But, next time I will just use 1tsp of salt and not 1-1/4.
My kids just told me, yummy with some meat this will be perfect….kkkkk
Thank you for sharing 🙂
PS.: I use regular flour and was good.
These were delicious.
Mine ended up being drop biscuits, as the dough was pretty wet so I couldn’t form the rectangle. I gave up, added a bit more flour and dropped them on the pan. Still, the family raved; I told them that’s what you get when you bake with love(for the family)…and a little anger and hate (for the wet dough)!
Hi Mo, Glad your family enjoyed! It takes a little practice working with the wet dough. The trick is to flour the dough, the countertop and your hands and handle it very lightly so your hands don’t get sticky. Next time, start with 1/2 cup buttermilk and add the additional 1/4 cup as necessary. But drop biscuits work too 🙂
Thanks for the tip, Jenn!
Can you make ahead of time and freeze?
Hi Amy, Yes you can make them ahead of time but do not bake them. Place the raw biscuits in the freezer and put them directly in the oven…they may take a few extra minutes. Hope you enjoy!
This looks yummy and easy to do. But I don’t have a food processor. How would I overcome that? Sorry if this question seems ignorant to you. I never do baking at all, have no common sense either.
Hi Yan, Not a silly question at all! If you don’t have a food processor, you can either make the biscuits by hand (using a pastry cutter to “cut” the butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients, or your fingertips to “rub” them in) or in a mixer with a paddle attachment. Just be sure the butter is very cold.
Thank you so much! WIll definately try it. I bet my kids will love it!
I love these biscuits – they’re the only ones I’ve made that are easy and come out light and fluffy every time.
We were on vacation and the rental property didn’t have a food processor or pastry cutter so I ended up grating the butter and it worked out perfect!
Hi Jenn, I want to thank you for your recipe for these buttermilk biscuits! I made them to have with my dinner tonight and they are by far the best biscuits I have made. You are the first to suggest a way around unavailable White Lily flour. I only made 1 substitution; I used yogurt thinned with a little milk in place of the buttermilk. The technique of cutting and stacking worked like a charm. I don’t have a food processor so I did them by hand, but no problem. Excellent! These will be my go to recipe and I won’t be disappointed again! Thank you.
I have always had trouble getting my biscuits to rise high enough to suit some. This recipe makes sense, I cant wait to try it. Any you are right, who says biscuits have to be round. Thanks for sharing!
So if I DO have White Lily Flour, how, if at all, would the recipe be altered? (I’m fortunate enough to have a boyfriend who brings me back 20 lbs of White Lily every time he goes down south, so my baking has improved accordingly!)
Hi Sheryl, Lucky you! Be sure it is regular White Lily Flour (not self rising) and just omit the corn starch and use 2-1/4 cups.
I don’t know why I never thought about cutting and stacking instead of folding. That’s genius.
One question: can the unbaked biscuits be frozen and baked from the freezer, or have you tried that with this recipe?
Hi Christi, I think that should work just fine to freeze and bake later…they may need a few extra minutes in the oven.
Great recipe! These were great with beef stew and with any breakfast.
I had just returned from my home state of SC with a bag or two of white lily flour, when I went to Wegman’s in Binghamton NY and found to my surprise…white lily flour. Who knew? Check it out if you have a Wegman’s near you. Thanks for the recipe, a little different from how I make biscuits, but always ready to try something new.
When I commented before, I had not made these yet. I did have the white lily flour, but made it according to your directions. They were easy, and good and loved that I didn’t have to use a cutter, although I have a square cutter. I typically don’t add cream cheese to my biscuits. They were a hit, and I served them with your fried chicken recipe. Both are a winner!