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This Southern butter biscuits recipe was handed down to me by my mom - a fabulous Southern cook.
She taught me a lot of what I know about good, down-home soul food - food that not only feeds the body but also the soul.
Great all by themselves. Or add jam, honey, or molasses.
Or you can make them into a breakfast sandwich with ham, egg, and cheese ... or just scarf them down fresh and hot out of the oven 😉
These biscuits are also perfect with chili or soup or as your go-to easy side bread for regular or special meals.
Crisp and flaky on the outside, soft and tender on the inside - can't you just taste them now!
Make them today - your family will thank you over and over again (and beg for more after they're all gone ...)
How to Make These Simple Biscuits
What you'll need:
2 cups all-purpose flour (if using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt)
1 Tbsp baking powder (leave out if using self-rising flour)
½ tsp salt (leave out if using self-rising flour)
½ cup butter, salted, cut in small pieces (if using unsalted, add ¼ tsp more salt than above)
1 cup milk (regular or buttermilk)
Because I'm not a fan of Crisco - it's highly processed, for one thing - I use butter in these biscuits.
And butter just tastes better and is actually better for you. Anything that's less processed will be better for you.
Keep in mind that you don't need to be afraid of fat. Truth be told, we need a certain level of healthy fats for digestion, joint health, and a host of other bodily functions!
I like to soften my butter in advance. This means leaving it out on the counter for an hour or two when I plan to make biscuits.
Note that you don't want melted butter - you just want it softened so it's easier to handle and mix together with your dry ingredients.
Once you're ready to make the biscuits, you will cut the butter into small pieces into your large bowl (as in the above picture).
I like to mix all of it together with my bare hands, as I just feel like I get all of it mixed better and can tell how evenly the ingredients are distributed.
Make sure the dry ingredients, specifically the salt and baking powder, are well incorporated into the flour so you don't have patches of saltiness in your biscuits.
Many recipes will tell you to mix the dry ingredients separate before adding any liquids, which is a great idea. (I just don't always do this ;-))
After the dry ingredients are well blended, you will pour in the milk and combine with a wooden spoon until well incorporated. Take care not to over mix, as the biscuits could turn out tough.
Turn out onto a floured surface and roll out dough to about ¾ inch thick.
Note that it helps to flour your hands before you handle the dough. This way you don't add unnecessary flour, but it's easier to handle.
I like to pour out a small pile of flour on the counter nearby so I have easy access to more flour for my hands, the rolling pin, or the cutter.
After rolling out, you will cut out the biscuits with a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter.
Note that I actually used a glass, so you can really just use anything that's round and the size you want the biscuits to be.
Add each biscuit to an un-greased cookie sheet or iron skillet. For a higher rise during baking, make sure that the biscuits touch each other.
These butter biscuits are so simple and use readily-available ingredients. You'll have a batch whipped up in no time flat!
I like to serve them warm with more butter and possibly jam or honey.
And they are also perfect paired with your favorite soup for dipping, or you can serve them open-faced with gravy. Also delicious made into a breakfast sandwich with eggs, bacon, or sausage (or all three!).
I hope you love this butter biscuit recipe as much as my family and I do! Let me know in the comments below.
Makes 7-8 biscuits that are about 3 inches across.
Extra Tips for Making These Biscuits
If using self-rising flour, leave out the salt and baking powder (self-rising already has this included).
When using unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon more salt per stick of butter (or ½ cup)
If using self-rising flour and unsalted butter, leave out the baking powder and add just ¼ teaspoon salt to your mix.
As oven temperature settings vary, you may have to cook them for a longer (or shorter) time.
Just keep an eye on them the first time you make them and make a note of how long they take with your oven.
Make sure to preheat your oven before baking the biscuits (as this will affect how they turn out).
I love my Lodge Cast Iron skillet (shown below) - you can purchase one on Amazon here.
More Tips & FAQs
Why is my dough "sticky?"
The dough is supposed to be a bit sticky and hard to handle – this makes for softer biscuits. It shouldn’t be “wet,” but it will be “sticky.”
Therefore, you should flour your hands before handling the sticky dough, and make sure to add the dough to a floured surface.
You want it to be as sticky as possible while still being able to handle it – this makes for softer biscuits (as above).
Why is my dough so wet? I had to add extra flour.
It may be that you are not packing your flour like I do. I basically pack my flour before adding – scooping out the flour with the dry measuring cup in the flour bag and leveling on the side before adding to the bowl.
If you are adding your flour gently to your measuring cup or sifting, you will end up with less flour (which could definitely cause a problem with dough being too wet).
Other biscuits to love:
I believe you'll also love my Cheddar Biscuit Recipe and my Blueberry Biscuits. Give them a try!
Supplies to make these butter biscuits:
Soups you may love to serve your biscuits with:
Southern Butter Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour , packed (if using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt)
- 1 Tbsp baking powder (leave out if using self-rising flour)
- ½ tsp salt (leave out if using self-rising flour)
- ½ cup butter, salted, cut in small pieces (if using unsalted, add ¼ tsp more salt than above)
- 1 cup milk (regular or buttermilk)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add butter in smallish pieces.
- With your hands (or a pastry blender), combine flour mixture and butter until butter is pea sized and mixture is crumbly.
- Pour in milk and combine with a wooden spoon until well incorporated, taking care not to over mix.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and roll out dough to about ¾ inch thick.
- Cut out biscuits with biscuit cutter or cookie cutter. Add each to ungreased cookie sheet or iron skillet. Make sure that biscuits touch for higher rise during baking.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until browned.
Notes
- Dough shouldn’t be “wet,” but it will be “sticky.” You should flour your hands before handling the sticky dough (as above), and make sure to add the dough to a floured surface. You want it to be as sticky as possible while still being able to handle it – this makes for softer biscuits.
- Pack the flour before adding – scooping out the flour with the dry measuring cup in the flour bag and leveling on the side before adding to the bowl. If you add the flour gently to your measuring cup or sifting, you will end up with less flour (which could definitely cause a problem with dough being too wet).
Nutrition
Don't Forget to Pin For Later!
This looks like a good and easy recipe! Would non-dairy milk work for this recipe? And do you have to cut the dough out in the circular shape (like in the picture) or can you roll them into balls?
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting Julie! I'm not sure about using non-dairy milk, but you could certainly give it a try. You don't have to cut them out. I've made them as drop biscuits before as well. Simply get a small blob in your hands and drop them on the pan.
I make biscuits from scratch using almond milk all the time and they always turn out! I even make buttermilk if needed by adding 1tbsp lemon juice to 1cup almond milk
Hi! I made these with White Lily flour which my Mom brought me from Alabama. They were so good!!! My grandmother never rolled her biscuits out. She just formed them with her hands. Make sure to flour your hands good, I would try to tell you how to do this, but i am not sure i can describe. It's a light touch using the side of your palm, turning and patting it in the middle. They dont turn out pretty, but as my Mom used to say you can't taste pretty!
Thanks Steph! I agree - you can't taste pretty! I'm familiar with the forming-with-the-hands method - definitely a good option for these. Thanks for stopping by and letting me know how yours turned out!
Is the calorie and carb number for all four or just one ? Thanks
Just the one serving - not all four.
Just made these biscuits. I absolutely love the texture and taste. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you loved them, Carolyn! Thanks for letting me know!
This recipe sounds great but it has a bit of a salt overage for me. Might the salt be halved and herbs added for flavor?
Ann - The salt level has been perfect for us for years (& we don't eat a ton of salt), but you can easily reduce it by half - won't affect how the biscuits turn out. Let me know how they turn out for you. Thanks for stopping by!
They need more then 10 min in a gas oven or no
I'm not sure, Rhonda, as my oven is electric. Many have said that they have had to cook them a bit longer in their own ovens, so just try it for 10 and let it go longer if needed. Let me know!
Salted or unsalted butter? We’re making these today to go with our brisket. Kids are going to each make their own recipe.
Rachael - I always use salted butter myself, so salted for these. Thanks for your question! I'll update the recipe card to clarify. Let me know how yours turn out!
They were PERFECT! I used unsalted since I was unsure and they were great. I used my mill to grind soft white wheat for these. My entire family loved them! This will be my go to recipe for biscuit from now on! Thank you so much!
Rachael - Thank you so much for letting me know how much your family loved these biscuits - makes me happy! Blessings to you and yours!
Can I use self rising flour and omit the baking powder?
Thanks for your question, Barb! If you use self-rising flour, you'll need to omit both the baking powder and the salt in the recipe, as self-rising flour includes both. Let me know how they turn out!
C a n you use unsalted butter?
Yes, Becky, but you will want to add more salt to the recipe - an extra 1/4 teaspoon (I'll add that to the instructions). Thanks for your question! Let me know how they turn out for you!
Could I use coconut milk, canned, instead of regular milk?
That should work, Reina, although I've never cooked with coconut milk. Give it a try and let me know how they turn out.
Hi Sally. I did make a batch with 1/2 - 2% milk & 1/2 coconut milk. I found the batter was very wet, I had to add flour and I had to cook it for 14 minutes. Very bland so I might add chives & shredded cheese next time.
Reina - Maybe they were bland due to the lower fat content of your milk. I use full-fat milk in ours. Another thing to note is that the batter should be more wet than what you would experience with other bread doughs. You don't want it to be dry, as the biscuits won't be as tasty and tender. Hope that helps!
I made a batch of these biscuits yesterday before dinner and have to say, they are so good! This recipe is as easy as it sounds, even people who don't know how to cook well can make these. I like buttermilk biscuits but they are a bit on the dry side. However these are reminiscent of buttermilk biscuits but better.
Thank you, Amy! So glad they turned out great for you!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! They turned out perfectly. I shared the recipe with my daughter & she loved them as well. ❣️
Thank you so much for letting me know!
I made a batch of these using gluten free flour and they were amazing. My whole family enjoyed them. But I think I loved them more than anyone else. This was the first time in over seven years that I have had a biscuit and these made up for that length of time.
So glad, Jennifer! Thanks for letting me know!
Would love to know what brand of gluten free flour you used. 😊
I had to keep mine in for 20 mins. But they turned out amazing.
Ovens can vary, Maggie - glad yours turned out amazing!
How many biscuits does this recipe make?
Marla - 7-9 biscuits - more if you make them smaller. Mine were about 3 inches across and made 7 biscuits. Thanks for your question! I will clarify above.
Do you think I can use fat free half and half? i’m not a baker, and I don’t know if the lack of fat will make a difference in the taste or texture of the biscuit. Like most people I’m trying to avoid going out to the grocery store and that’s all I have right now
That should be okay as long as you have real butter. The fat does make a difference, though. Let me know how yours turn out!
They turned out pretty well! They weren't as light and fluffy as I was hoping (more crumbly like a scone) but they weren't at all dense or heavy. I wonder if you let your milk come to room temperature (like you do with cakes) or use cold milk (like with pie crust), or if it makes any difference with biscuits. Will definitely try again. BTW, They also reheat very well the next day!
Thanks for reporting back!
You mentioned using either milk or buttermilk. Do you have a preference and does it change the texture or the height of the biscuits?
Laura - I usually just use regular milk. The buttermilk can add a bit of "lift" and also a bit of flavor, but I don't personally see much difference. If you don't have buttermilk, you can create it by adding a teaspoon of vinegar to your milk while mixing the other ingredients. It will get curdled and lumpy. Let me know if you try both and what your outcome is. Thanks!
Fantastic! Will never buy another canned biscuit again. Tastes like my grandmother used to make.
Thank you!
So glad Melanie!
In New Zealand these are called scones. Why is it that Americans never seem to make anything from scratch? Everything they cook comes from a can or is pre made.
Rei - You can call them what you like, but it's natural that we will have different names for things in different cultures. It seems that a number of people in other cultures want to correct my term "biscuits." We call them biscuits here, so I call them what I call them. And your comment "that Americans never seem to make anything from scratch" is grossly inaccurate and biased. Please try not to lump us all in the same basket, and I'll try to do the same for Kiwis and other folks from differing cultures. Have a nice day and try not to worry too much about what others call things - life is too short!
Great answer Sally! I try to make as much as possible from scratch. Can’t wait to try these. 💕
Rachel - I hope you love them! Let me know!
Have you ever prepared the dough and placed the cut out biscuits in the freezer for later use? We are often looking for quick dinner items and would love to have these to be ready to pop into the oven.
Melissa - I haven't tried freezing the dough. It may affect how well they rise, but you could certainly try it. Let me know if you do! Thanks!
I made these for my family of 6 and they turned out AWESOME!!!! So buttery and delicious the whole family loved them. I baked them in my cast iron skillet so they were all packed in there and they baked beautifully. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Thank you, Martha! So happy they turned out well for you and your family loved them!
I tried the biscuits using buttermilk for supper tonight. They turned out just close to perfect. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Thank you Alice for letting me know!
Is it possible to freeze them? If so, what directions do you suggest to warm them up?
Thanks for your question, Rosanna! I have never frozen them, so I honestly don't know. Freezing may affect how well they rise. If you decide to try it, I would freeze them before cooking by placing them single layer in a freezer bag or container (or you could place wax paper between the levels). Then let them defrost for 30 minutes to one hour before cooking normally. Alternately, you could freeze them after cooking - this may be the best way to assure that they rise properly. Then simply defrost for 30 minutes or so and reheat on 350 until warmed. Hope that helps - let me know if you try freezing them!
I have been trying to find a good biscuit recipe for over 20 years, more like 35. Man alive! They were fast to mix and they actually turned out for once. I super love the crunchy bottom. In fact
I have never taken a cookie sheet out of the oven that was dripping with butter. Heaven. I can not wait to try your other recipes! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
So happy to hear, Susan! Thanks for letting me know!
These look so delicious! For the calorie count, is it 470 calories per biscuit?? Or is that the overall calories of the 4 servings?
Thanks for your question, Maggie. The calorie count is per serving. So, this would be one-fourth of the recipe. If you have 8 biscuits, it would be the calorie count for 2 biscuits.
Made these biscuits just the way you said except I had to bake them for 30 min. They were spectacular.
So glad they turned out well for you, Lisa! Thanks for letting me know! (oven times can vary)
Question.... do you preheat your cast iron skillet if that's your choice for baking vs. a cookie sheet?
Thanks for your question, Andrea! No, I don't preheat my cast iron for the biscuits.
These biscuits are perfect. I have many biscuit recipes but this one is my favorite. Thanks for sharing!
So glad to hear, Mary!
Have you ever used sour cream in place of the buttermilk?
Can't wait to make these!
Thanks for your question, Willadale! I have not used sour cream, but I think it would work nicely as long as you add more liquid as well - perhaps a bit of milk. But as far as flavor, I think they would be delish! Let me know how they turn out!
I made these today and they tasted wonderful. I was wondering what I needed to do to make them fluffier?
Pat - Thanks for your question! Glad you liked the biscuits! If yours didn't turn out as fluffy as you want, you can always use buttermilk instead of regular milk. This can help with the rise. Also beneficial can be to move the biscuits very close together, which tends to cause them to rise higher. Hope that helps!
Can I freeze these?
Thanks for your question, Julia! I have never frozen them - either cooked or uncooked. If it was me, I would freeze them after baking and cooling and then defrosting and heating them up. Not sure they would rise properly if freezing the dough. Let me know if you try it!
I made these this morning for the first time. It is actually the first time I made biscuits! I made homemade jam the other day so I decided to concur my fears and give these a try. I am so happy I did...absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome Mandy! Thanks for letting me know!
My new go to recipe. These are great and so easy. I grate the butter & stir it in so I don't have to cut it in. Nice, tender biscuits!
Thanks Virgie! Glad you found them easy and delicious!
This recipe is off,the dough was too sticky I had to add more flour so I had to mix it more which then resulted in the biscuits to come out hard
Wanda - I'm sorry your biscuits didn't turn out. This recipe has been used successfully for decades by my mom and me (and others have had great success as well, as indicated here in the comments as well as on Pinterest). First of all, the dough is supposed to be a bit sticky and hard to handle - it helps to flour your hands. I should mention that in the instructions. Also, it may be that you are not packing your flour like I do. I didn't mention that in the instructions, so that's on me. I basically pack my flour before adding - scooping out the flour with the dry measuring cup in the flour bag and leveling on the side before adding to the bowl. If you are adding your flour gently to your measuring cup or sifting, you will end up with less flour (which could definitely cause a problem). I need to add this to the instructions or FAQs, as this could be why some are ending up with wet dough. It shouldn't be "wet," but it will be "sticky." You should flour your hands before handling the sticky dough (as above), and make sure to add the dough to a floured surface. You want it to be as sticky as possible while still being able to handle it - this makes for softer biscuits. Hope that helps! Will make changes in the instructions above.
This has been the way I make biscuits for years. They always come out perfect.
Glad to hear it, Jan! Thanks for stopping by!
Made these using and almond milk (same amount) the mixture was so wet all it did was stick to my hands. Could not even work with the dough, even after adding more flour. So they became drop biscuits.
Sorry to hear that, Alicia. Perhaps you didn't pack your flour the way I do. Thank you for your input!
So this recipe only makes 4 biscuits?
Thanks for your question, Kim. This recipe makes 4 servings - not 4 biscuits. Note that in the write-up above (right above the heading "Extra Tips for Making These Biscuits") I stated "Makes 7-8 biscuits that are about 3 inches across." I'm imagining that each person would want more than one. Enjoy!
Hi Sally, I can’t wait to make these, but I was wondering if I can use heavy cream. I have 2 types of milk in my house. 2% or heavy cream. I’d hate to use 2%, I don’t like it and I prefer whole milk but can never use it before it goes bad. My husband is the 2% person in the house. I use heavy cream for cooking with. Thank you 😊
Thanks for your question, Kathleen. You can certainly use heavy cream, and I'm sure they would be delicious! However, you could also consider using half cream and half 2% in order to save money. This would probably be close to whole milk. Either way, let me know how yours turn out! Glad you stopped by!
These turned out totally awesome!!! I have tried making tea biscuits many times and always I was so disappointed in the end result. I followed the recipe exactly and made only 6 so they required a total of 20 minutes to cook instead of the suggested 10. Lovely - thank you!!!
So happy to hear your feedback, Judy! Thank you for letting me know!
Melt in your mouth! Easy! Buttery awesome!
Thank you
Kelli
That's great, Kelli! Thanks for letting me know!
these are not kneaded, correct?
Correct! You actually don't want to handle them too much, as it could make them tough. Mix just until all ingredients are incorporated.
Can these be used for chicken and biscuits?
Absolutely! You can use them with anything you like inside - chicken, sausage, bacon, eggs, jam - anything you can dream up. Thanks for your question, Karin ... I hope you enjoy them!
Hello! I made these biscuits over the weekend and they turned out great. However, they didn’t rise much. I used a cast iron pan and crowded them in to help them rise. The only thing I did differently was use cold butter. Any tips?
Thank you!
Thanks for your question, Jami. Perhaps you rolled the dough too thin or worked the dough too much? The cold butter may have been a hindrance, but I have gotten feedback from those who used it with good success. Those who used cold butter grated it in. Let me know what you figure out.
Just made these biscuits and they are delicious and so fluffy! I freeze and then use the small grater side to add the butter and it’s much easier when blending with the flour. I used my cast iron skillet and made extra big ones so I only had 5 and it took an additional 10 min or so. I’m a butter-before-putting-in-the-oven kind of girl, so i covered then well in melted butter. They are beautiful and it was so easy. Thanks!
So happy - thanks for letting me know, Sophie!