Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
Tall, flaky, pull-apart biscuits the old-fashioned way. Frozen grated butter and a fold-and-turn technique for layers every time.
Yield8–10 biscuits
Prep15 min
Bake13–15 min
DifficultyBeginner
Ingredients
- 240g all-purpose flour (White Lily preferred) · 2 cups
- 12g baking powder · 1 tablespoon
- 5g kosher salt · 1 teaspoon
- 1g baking soda · ¼ teaspoon
- 113g unsalted butter, frozen · 8 tbsp (1 stick)
- 180g cold buttermilk · ¾ cup
Finishing
- 15g buttermilk, for brushing · 1 tablespoon
- 28g unsalted butter, melted · 2 tablespoons
Method
- Freeze butter at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.
- Grate frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater directly into the dry ingredients. Toss quickly to coat.
- Add cold buttermilk and stir just until a shaggy dough forms. Stop when no dry flour remains.
- Turn out onto a floured surface. Pat to 1 inch thick. Fold in half, pat back down. Rotate a quarter turn. Repeat for 8 total folds.
- Pat to 1-inch thickness. Cut straight down with a floured 2.5-inch cutter — no twisting. Place biscuits touching on a lined sheet.
- Brush tops with buttermilk. Bake 13–15 minutes until deep golden brown.
- Brush immediately with melted butter. Serve warm.
Henry's Tip
Don't twist the cutter. Twisting seals the edges and kills the rise. Press straight down, lift straight up. Flour the cutter between cuts.