If you’ve ever dreamed of golden, flaky biscuits that practically melt in your mouth, this Southern Butter Biscuits recipe is the answer. There’s nothing more comforting than the aroma of freshly baked biscuits wafting through the kitchen, and this is the recipe I come back to every time I crave a classic, buttery delight. The secret lies in humble ingredients, a gentle touch, and those irresistible tall, layered interiors that only real Southern Butter Biscuits can deliver. Whether you serve them for breakfast, alongside dinner, or as a snack straight from the oven, these biscuits always feel like a warm hug on a plate.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Just a handful of pantry staples is all you need to make true Southern Butter Biscuits, but each ingredient plays a starring role. When you respect these simple ingredients, you get fluffy, rich biscuits every single time—trust me, you’ll taste the difference!
- All-purpose flour: This forms the tender structure of the biscuits and provides just enough strength while staying soft.
- Baking powder: The magic leavener that helps your biscuits rise sky-high and develop those beautiful layers.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor and brings balance; don’t skip it!
- Granulated sugar (optional): Just a hint amplifies the richness and gives a subtle sweetness, if you like it.
- Unsalted butter, cold and cubed: The secret to flaky layers and deep, buttery flavor—make sure it’s well-chilled.
- Cold buttermilk: This not only brings the dough together, but its tang makes the flavor bright and classic; keep it as cold as possible.
- Extra buttermilk for brushing: This creates a golden, irresistible top that practically shouts “homemade.”
How to Make Southern Butter Biscuits
Step 1: Preheat and Prepare
First things first: crank up your oven to 450°F (232°C). This blast of heat is essential for those sky-high, golden biscuits. While the oven gets ready, line your baking sheet with parchment paper so cleanup is quick and nothing sticks.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Grab a large bowl and whisk together your flour, baking powder, salt, and the optional sugar. This ensures everything is perfectly blended and helps start those light, fluffy interiors we all love in Southern Butter Biscuits.
Step 3: Cut in the Butter
Add your cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or even your fingertips, gently work the butter in until you see a crumbly texture with bits of butter about the size of peas. Those little butter pockets are what give Southern Butter Biscuits their signature flaky layers, so don’t overdo it.
Step 4: Add Buttermilk and Form the Dough
Pour in the cold buttermilk and use a spatula or spoon to stir just until you have a shaggy, barely-mixed dough. The secret here: don’t overmix, or the biscuits will turn tough instead of tender.
Step 5: Pat and Fold for Layers
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and quickly, but gently, pat it into a rectangle about ¾ inch thick. Then fold the dough over onto itself two or three times. This step is what makes Southern Butter Biscuits tower with beautiful, pull-apart layers. Give one last pat down to ¾ inch thickness before cutting.
Step 6: Cut the Biscuits
With a round biscuit cutter (or a floured glass), press straight down without twisting—twisting seals the edges and keeps the biscuits from rising their fullest. Gently press together leftover scraps and cut more biscuits. It’s okay if the last ones are a bit rustic-looking; they’re just as delicious!
Step 7: Arrange and Brush
For soft, pull-apart sides, nestle the biscuits close together on the baking sheet. For crispy-edged biscuits, space them apart. Brush just the tops with cold buttermilk; this is what gives you that gorgeous golden sheen.
Step 8: Bake to Golden Perfection
Pop the baking sheet into the hot oven and bake for 12–15 minutes. When the tops turn a deep golden brown, they’re ready! For extra decadence, brush the biscuits with a little melted butter straight from the oven. Your kitchen will smell like pure Southern magic.
How to Serve Southern Butter Biscuits
Garnishes
For biscuits this good, a finishing touch makes all the difference. Brush the tops with melted butter right after baking for a rich, glossy finish, then sprinkle on a flurry of flaky sea salt or chopped fresh herbs like rosemary or chives for a subtle pop of color and flavor. A drizzle of local honey or a dollop of your favorite jam takes these Southern Butter Biscuits over the top for breakfast or brunch.
Side Dishes
Southern Butter Biscuits are famously versatile—you can’t go wrong! Pile them next to creamy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, or a generous scoop of sausage gravy to kick-start the morning. They also shine as a dinner side, whether soaking up pan juices from roast chicken, served with a hearty stew, or alongside your favorite greens. These biscuits turn any meal into something memorable.
Creative Ways to Present
If you want to make your biscuits the star of the show, slice them and fill with fried chicken or thick, juicy tomato slices for a Southern-inspired sandwich. Use smaller cutters for bite-sized sliders or afternoon tea treats. Southern Butter Biscuits also make incredible strawberry shortcakes for dessert—just split, slather with whipped cream, and pile on fresh berries!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Biscuits are always best the day they’re baked, but leftovers can still shine. Once cool, wrap the biscuits snugly in foil or an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. This keeps them tender and prevents them from drying out, so you can enjoy them later with all their buttery goodness intact.
Freezing
You can freeze Southern Butter Biscuits either before or after baking. To freeze unbaked, shape and cut your biscuits, lay them on a baking sheet, and freeze until firm, then stash in a freezer bag. Bake straight from the freezer with just a couple extra minutes added to the baking time. Already-baked biscuits can be frozen as well, tightly wrapped and then thawed at room temperature whenever the craving strikes.
Reheating
To bring biscuits back to their fresh-baked glory, pop them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes or until warmed through. For a quick treat, slice and toast them, or warm individually in the microwave for 10–15 seconds. A little extra butter when reheating never hurts indulgence.
FAQs
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?
Absolutely! Just reduce the extra salt a bit in the dough to avoid over-seasoning. Salted butter gives a touch more savory flavor to Southern Butter Biscuits, perfect for those who love a hint of saltiness.
What can I use if I don’t have buttermilk?
If you’re out of buttermilk, stir a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into ¾ cup of milk, let it sit for a few minutes, and use as a homemade substitute. This gives you the tang and texture signature to Southern Butter Biscuits.
Why did my biscuits turn out tough?
This usually happens if the dough was handled too much or overmixed. Gentle hands and cold ingredients will help you get the soft, pillowy texture that makes Southern Butter Biscuits irresistible.
Can I make the dough ahead and bake later?
Definitely! Prepare the biscuit dough and cut your rounds, then store them covered in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Bake straight from the fridge; they’ll be just as light and flaky, making them perfect for easy entertaining.
How do I get even taller, flakier biscuits?
Don’t skip the folding step when patting out your dough—that’s what creates the layers in Southern Butter Biscuits. Also, make sure your butter and buttermilk are as cold as possible before mixing for the ultimate rise and flakiness.
Final Thoughts
If you’re searching for a biscuit that truly delivers comfort, flavor, and flaky perfection, these Southern Butter Biscuits are your answer. I hope you give them a try and share them with friends and family—they’re sure to win hearts (and taste buds!) at the table. Happy baking!
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Southern Butter Biscuits Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 biscuits 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Learn how to make Southern Butter Biscuits, a classic Southern American breakfast treat that’s flaky, buttery, and delicious. These homemade biscuits are perfect served warm with butter, honey, or jam.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ¾ cup cold buttermilk (plus more for brushing)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar if using. Add cold, cubed butter and cut it into the flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add wet ingredients: Pour in cold buttermilk and stir just until a shaggy dough forms. Pat the dough into a rectangle, fold over onto itself, then pat out again.
- Cut out biscuits: Use a round biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits and place on baking sheet. Brush the tops with buttermilk.
- Bake: Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Keep ingredients cold for flakier biscuits.
- Handle dough gently to maintain layers.
- For extra richness, brush hot biscuits with melted butter when they come out of the oven.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 biscuit
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 430mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
