My easy homemade biscuits recipe (Southern style, of course!) is simple and quick to put together, and it's gotten rave reviews all over! I think you'll find them simple, fluffy, and delicious!
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!
Jump to:
Make them today - your family will thank you over and over again (and beg for more after they're all gone ...)
BTW, this 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.
What You'll Need
2 cups all-purpose flour (if using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt)
1 tablespoon baking powder (leave out if using self-rising flour)
½ teaspoon salt (leave out if using self-rising flour)
½ cup butter, salted, cut in small pieces (if using unsalted, add ¼ teaspoon 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 (even in a Southern biscuits recipe). 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 these easy homemade 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 these easy homemade biscuits as much as my family and I do! Let me know in the comments below.
Makes 7-8 Southern biscuits that are about 3 inches across.
Extra Tips For Easy Homemade 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).
More Tips & FAQs
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).
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 easy homemade biscuits to love:
I believe you'll also love my Cheddar Biscuit Recipe and my Blueberry Biscuits.
And my most recent Ranch Cheddar Bacon Biscuit recipe. Give them a try!
Soups you may love to serve your biscuits with:
Recipe
Southern Butter Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour , packed (if using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder (leave out if using self-rising flour)
- ½ teaspoon salt (leave out if using self-rising flour)
- ½ cup butter, salted, cut in small pieces (if using unsalted, add ¼ teaspoon 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.
Video
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).
Cal Abriola
I want to learn to make biscuits so bad. Every time I try it is a disaster. I chose your recipe because of the comments and it seemed easy, plus I wrote down all your tips. The dough was"so wet" that I couldn't handle them; tried more flour-nope. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I used full milk with white vinegar to make buttermilk, and room temp butter. I just hope that what I tossed in the back yard won't kill the deer. Help!
Sally
I'm sorry ... I'm not sure how to help you ... More flour should help, adding a bit as needed to help you handle the dough. Wish I could be there with you in person to help you get it right ...
I'mBakinBiscuits
Followed the recipe exactly. Had to bake a bit longer, but that was probably just a difference in oven temp calibration.
Flaky, delicious, light and absolutely perfect. First time making biscuits from scratch, rather than the boxed mix. Super easy; this is how I'll make them from now on! Thank you for a great recipe!
Sally
Fabulous! Thanks for letting me know!
Joy
These are the best biscuits I’ve ever made! I used 2% milk and they are still delicious. Only thing is I had to cook them for about 18 minutes instead of 10 minutes. But they are my fave biscuit recipe and I’ll be making them over and over!
Sally
I love to hear this, Joy! Thanks for letting me know!
Jill
I love these biscuits! I used frozen butter that I grated. Eliminates the need for a pastry cutter. I had to cook them for 16 minutes in my 8 inch cast iron skillet. But of course baking time is dependent on oven and ingredient temperature. These biscuits are buttery and light and crispy. My search for the perfect biscuit recipe is over!
Sally
So happy to hear this, Jill! Thanks for letting me know!
Jean
Just made these this morning with country gravy. No need to go to a diner.
They are great. Thanks.
Sally
Awesome Jean! Thanks for letting me know!
Rhonda
Hey Sally, Just wondering if the dough could be made in advance (Overnight)? Thanks
Sally
Rhonda - thanks for your question! I haven't tried making it in advance, but you could certainly give it a try - it should work. Let me know!
Elizabeth
Forgot rating so here it is they are wonderful!
Sally
Thanks Elizabeth!
Elizabeth
I just made these tonight and they are Amazing!!! I grew up in the South and these are Southern Biscuit's for sure! They turned out raised and perfect~ I followed your recipe as written~~~ I did use your tip of laying them so the touched each other and was surprised having made many biscuits how much the sis rise~ Thankyou for that tip 🙂
Craig
Sorry, forgot the rating. 😊 Definitely worthy of 5 stars!!
Craig
Hi Sally,
I see some people having to add a little more flour. That’s because you are teaching a bad habit when packing the flour when all chefs know to scoop the flour into the cup and level off the top. Instead of telling people to pack the flour, take your method (only for you) and measure it. This way people can get the exact amount that you use by weight. I was a bit skeptical with the amount of butter at first until I tasted them. They were a big hit!! I made one batch with milk and another with buttermilk. Both came out great!! Another tip if I may. I use an external oven thermometer because ovens never preheat accurately. Just hang on the oven shelf and when “it” hits 400 put them in and start the time. I also had to bake 10 min rotate and put in another 10. Thanks!! 😊👨🏻🍳
Sally
Thank you, Craig, for your constructive critique. You're right - I have had this bad habit forever - probably got it from my mom. I agree that I should do as you mentioned in order to get a more accurate measurement for the flour. I am not a baker - more of a cook - so baked goods are not my specialty. I appreciate you taking the time to provide detailed feedback. Always appreciated!
Craig
P.S- I meant weigh (not measure)it using the method you were taught so that others get your amount perfectly. As far as the thermometer, I use it for both baking and cooking. When my oven beeps when it hits the preheat temp. At 350 the external thermometer reads 275 so I wait until it goes to 350 before putting the food in. This way the cooking time is as it says on the recipe. I always wondered why my food took longer than the recipe called for. LOL AH HAH!! 😊
Sally
Duly noted - thanks!
Sheri Bobd
These are easy, and taste great.
One simple thing I do is grate the butter, that way I am not messing with the dough for very long. Keeps them very tender.
Love this recipe.
Thank you.
Sally
Thank you, Sheri!
Heather
I’ve been making biscuits for years...these are delicious!
Sally
That's awesome, Heather! Thanks for your feedback!
Laurel Wollweber
Sally, I had to comment on your biscuit recipe. When I was a little girl in So. California, our neighbor was from the south and practically every day made biscuits for her family and would graciously share. When I made your recipe tonight, the biscuits brought back the memory of my neighbor! They were delicious and my husband said they were the best he has ever had! Obviously I will be making them whenever biscuits are on the menu!
Read many of the responses you received and just want to comment that I make a lot of my meals “ from scratch”. Funny what people think about Americans.
Again, thank you for sharing your recipe. Tomorrow morning they will be served with eggs and bacon, which I will make from scratch! 😂
Sally
Thank you, Laurel!
Elva the Baker
I just made this recipe! I modified it just a bit by cooking them on a cast iron skillet and at 425 degrees for about 13 minutes. They were delicious!!!
Sally
Awesome, Elva! Thanks for letting me know!
cATHIE
Since someone commented that these were a little dry, I added 1 tbsp of extra butter to mine and 1 tbsp extra buttermilk. I cut them out and put them on parchment paper as I hate the clean-up mess. AWESOME, BLOSSUM!!
Sally
Glad to hear yours turned out Awesome, Cathie! Thanks for letting me know!