Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (2024)

Classic soft and flakyBiscuits! This biscuit recipe can be made intofreezer biscuits or baked fresh! These are our favorite homemade biscuits served as quick bread for dinner, biscuits and gravy, or breakfast sandwiches! The buttermilk activates the baking soda and with some lamination, these biscuits rise high!

Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (1)

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ABiscuits and Gravy Recipe isn’t the only way to enjoy biscuits! You can easily turn biscuit dumplings into dessert or cinnamon rolls, or turn them into a savoryChicken Pot Pie with Biscuits Casserole! We love these buttermilk biscuits with Country Fried Chickenbrushed with a sweet honey glaze and they make fabulous breakfast biscuits for bacon, egg, and cheese sliders!

What is a Biscuit?

Biscuits are quick bread made by folding layers of butter between layers of dough. Quick bread, contains leavening to make the dough rise and requires very little mixing or kneading with almost no rising time prior to baking. You can use a rolling pin to make the laminate process easy but it’s a type of flaky bread so it’s quite flexible to work with. Unlike, drop biscuits such as these Red Lobster Biscuits (aka cheddar bay biscuits), the dough gets folded into a letter to create layers of dough. Typically, a metal tin biscuit cutter is used to get an even flat disc, but I like to use a drinking glass to cut my biscuits into rounds. After baking the dough the biscuits rise high to make fluffy and flaky bread.

What to Eat with Biscuits?

So, you made a dutch oven pan of biscuits, what do you do with leftover biscuits? This biscuits recipe has no sugar so it will go easily with a savory filling such as crispy chicken or leftover Christmas ham. You can eat biscuits like a sandwich with mayonnaise or turn them into apple dumplings by baking leftovers in a caramel sauce mixed with apples. We think it’s best as a breakfast food with gravy but serving it with an egg and sausage patty makes it so good too! This soft bread can be flavored with jam and butter as a tasty appetizer!

Can You Freeze Biscuit Dough?

Homemade biscuits can be frozen unbaked or baked. Since this recipe makes a big biscuit batch, I typically cook all of them on a large sheet pan, if that is too many for your family to use, simply place cut-out (unbaked) biscuits onto a floured tray and pop them in the freezer. After, flash freezing the unbaked biscuits, transfer them into a freezer bag and use them up within 3 months. Keeping them frozen for over 3 months can weaken the leavening. Frozen biscuits have been a quick shortcut to breakfast that I would pull out of the freezer along with my frozen sausage gravy! That way the biscuits would bake fresh, while I thaw the sausage gravy over low heat in a pot!

How To Cook Frozen Biscuits:place the frozen biscuits onto a sheet pan and bake in a preheated 400°F for 25-30 minutes. How long to bake biscuits will depend on how big the biscuits are, petite biscuits bake fast and grand biscuits will take longer.

Ingredients for Biscuits:

This is such an easy biscuit recipe using simple ingredients! Before you get the urge to buy canned Pillsbury biscuits, buy some buttermilk instead and whip up a hefty batch that you can freeze for later! Here is everything you need to make biscuits from scratch;

  • Flour-use low-gluten, soft wheat flour like pastry flour or all-purpose flour. It is lower in protein and higher in starch ideal for a pancake mix or soft biscuit. Self-rising flour like White Lily will not work for making these biscuits, because this recipe calls for leavening and salt.
  • Leavening-baking powder biscuits go best with a little baking soda to make fluffy biscuits.
  • Salt-a good quality sea salt is recommended for making biscuits.
  • Cold Butter-can be grated into the flour. I like to dip the cold butter sticks into the dry ingredients in between the grating so, it doesn’t get warm in my hands and for easier shredding. It’s so much easier this way instead of using a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour. You can also use a food processor to mix in the butter.
  • Cultured Buttermilk-is thickfermented milk that is thicker in consistency and sour. The acidity quenches any bitterness from the baking soda.

How To Make Biscuits:

Homemade biscuits are simple than you think! We like big biscuits so, using a biscuit cutter tool at least 3-inches in diameter is good for a biscuit you can use in sandwiches or as a bread side to dinner. I highly recommend any baker to own a silicone mat because you won’t get a soggy biscuit, (bread doesn’t sweat with it!)

  1. Combine all the dry ingredients of baking powder, baking soda, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Using a box grater, shred the cold butter into the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in the wet buttermilk liquid.
  3. Mix in cold buttermilk using a wooden spoon. The texture of the dough will be shaggy, if it’s too dry add a splash of water to make a flexible dough. Be careful not to add too much extra liquid as that would make sticky drop biscuits that are generally made from yeast or sourdough starter. We want a rollable type of dough.
  4. Transfer moistened, shaggy dough onto a well-floured surface. Roll out the dough to a rectangular shape large enough to fold in the sides. Then fold in the sides like a letter and roll out again. Repeat once more to laminate the dough. I sometimes pat the dough flat so, a rolling pin is not required.

How To Store Biscuits:

Biscuits stay fresh for up to one day, leftovers should be stored inside a freezer bag or bread bag for freshness. If you have too many biscuits to last a day freeze the rest. How to reheat biscuits? Reheat biscuits in an air-fryer or the toaster oven for a quick fix. If using an oven to reheat biscuits wrap them up in aluminum foil so they don’t dry out. You can also microwave the biscuits uncovered on high for 30 seconds until hot.

Recipes To Try:

  • How To Make Gravy For Biscuits
  • Strawberry Scones
  • Popeyes Chicken Sandwich
  • Egg Patties for Breakfast Sandwiches
  • Whole Wheat Pancakes

Q&A

What To Do With Biscuit Scraps?

I save the biscuit scraps for making this Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuitsusing biscuit scraps! Since the scraps get too tough after re-rolling, it’s best to save them as is. Place cut-out scraps of biscuit dough onto a floured plate and flash freeze. Transfer to a freezer bag and keep frozen for casseroles like these.

How Many Biscuits Does This Recipe Make?

This makes a big hefty batch of buttermilk biscuits ideally for freezer biscuits or a crowd. Freeze any unbaked biscuits on a floured tray first before storing them in a freezer bag for longer storage!

This recipe makes 20 large biscuits (cut with a 3.5″ cutter) or 32 small biscuits (cut with a 2.5″ cutter).

TIPS:

  1. Don’t over-mix the biscuit dough! You want a pliable dough easy to fold a few times and cut out. Overworking your dough can make stiff and dense biscuits.
  2. Freezer biscuits are best used within 3 months to keep the leavening fresh and active.
  3. Should I grease my pan? If you are using a silicone mat or parchment paper you do not need to grease the cookware. However, when using a cast-iron pan you can lightly grease the sides and bottom for the biscuits to slip off.
  4. Use a gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free biscuits.
  5. Lard or shortening? If you do not have butter you can use shortening or lard. Just make sure the flour resembles a fine crumb after mixing.
  6. Substitute buttermilk with part sour cream and milk or make your own buttermilk by souring milk with vinegar.
  7. Make maple glazed biscuits by melting some butter with maple syrup and brushing the tops of baked hot biscuits.
  8. Brush this buttermilk biscuit recipe with melted butter fresh out of the oven.
  9. For soft and fluffier biscuits bake the biscuits close together touching each other.
  10. Quick doughs, such as biscuits and pie crust, have butter cut into the dry ingredients before adding the liquids. Biscuit dough is kneaded very slightly in order to cut out. Too much will make the dough too tough.

Handy Equipment To Make Soft Biscuits At Home:

  • 18x13 Sheet Pan– perfect for baking a batch of homemade biscuits!
  • Large Mixing Bowl– biscuits come together with a quick mixing method that requires no mixer!
  • Wooden Spoon– to form the biscuit dough.
  • Gallon Freezer Bags– to freeze unbaked or baked biscuits. Ideal for storing any leftovers too!
  • Silicone Baking Mats– a perfect fit for the 18×13 baking pan so the biscuits don’t stick! (Have macaron silicone mats? They work too!)

Have you made these easy Southern Biscuits? I would love to hear your review, leave a comment down below! We think it’s the best biscuit recipe out there, if you have a better one, share it with us!

How To Make Biscuits:

Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (2)

PrintRatePin

BEST Biscuit Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 20 large biscuits

Author: Alyona Demyanchuk

Classic soft and flakyBiscuits! This biscuit recipe can be made intofreezer biscuits or baked fresh! These are our favorite homemade biscuits served as quick bread for dinner, biscuits and gravy, or breakfast sandwiches! The buttermilk activates the baking soda and with some lamination, these biscuits rise high!

Equipment

  • 1 large mixing bowl

  • 1 wooden spoon

  • 1 18x13" sheet pan

  • 1 metal tin biscuit cutter

Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 8 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • 4 TBSP baking powder

  • 1 TBSP salt

  • 1 pound unsalted butter (cold)

  • 1 quart cultured buttermilk

Instructions

How to Make Biscuits:

  • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (3)

    Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Using a box grater, grate in the cold butter. Toss everything together to incorporate the butter pieces into the flour.

  • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (4)

    Mix in the buttermilk to make a shaggy dough (if too dry add a splash of water or milk.) The dough should be tacky for fluffy biscuits.

  • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (5)

    Transfer the dough onto a well-floured surface and pat down large enough to fold in the sides resembling a letter and roll out. Repeat twice, patting dough down to a 1" thickness. (Don't overwork the dough.)

  • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (6)

    Cut out 3.5-inch circles and place the biscuits on an 18x13 sheet pan lined with a silicone mat. Bake in a pre-heated 400°F for 25-30 minutes or until done.

Notes

  • For Drop Biscuits: add an additional 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup of buttermilk or milk to make a tacky biscuit dough in step 1.
  • To Use Salted Butter:omit the tablespoon of salt and use 1 teaspoon of salt instead.
  • To Make a Honey Butter Glaze:mix together 2 Tablespoons of melted butter and 1 teaspoon of honey; brush over warm biscuits. I serve these with myCountry Fried Chicken Recipe.

Nutrition per serving

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 235kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 4gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 287mgPotassium: 228mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 402IUCalcium: 107mgIron: 2mg

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Categories

  • Breads
  • Breakfast

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57 comments

  • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (7)

    • Lauren

    Do you freeze them before baking or ones they are baked?

    • Reply
    • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (8)

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      I have done both, either one will be fine.

      • Reply
  • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (10)

    • Barbara Holly

    I usually half the recipe. It ends up a bit too wet, so I cut back a bit on the buttermilk. My husband like a crispy bottom to his biscuit, so I usually cook a few minutes longer than called for. This is my go-to biscuit recipe.

    • Reply
    • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (11)

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      Thank you for the feedback, Barbara. I’m happy to hear it’s your go-to recipe for biscuits!

      • Reply
  • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (12)

    • Monica

    What’s the best way to freeze these? I’m a ziplock bag? Individually?

    • Reply
    • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (13)

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      Hi, you would flash freeze the biscuits on a floured tray first, then transfer them all to a large freezer bag.

      • Reply
      • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (14)

        • Monica

        Thank you!

        • Reply
  • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (15)

    • Becky

    Do you bake before you freeze or freeze unbaked?

    • Reply
    • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (16)

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      Hi Becky, if I were to freeze these I would freeze them unbaked.

      • Reply
  • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (17)

    • Rick S.

    Great made today for second time in a week. ((Freezing). Very easy and taste great. Definitely a lot better than canned and a lot cheaper. Will use recipe again.

    • Reply
    • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (18)

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      Happy to hear that Rick! Thanks for the feedback.

      • Reply
  • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (19)

    • Laura

    I made the biscuits last night. Good thing I didn’t add 4 cups of buttermilk (made half the recipe). That’s the only part that doesn’t change when you halve the recipe. I don’t bake often and sometimes don’t read recipes correctly! But they were definitely better than canned. And these were my first time making biscuits! Thank you.

    • Reply
    • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (20)

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      Wonderful, Laura!

      • Reply
    • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (21)

      • DS

      Hi Laura I am confused. Did you use 1 quart of buttermilk but halved all of the other ingredients?

      • Reply
  • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (22)

    • Adry

    Love this recipe loved the glaze even more

    • Reply
    • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (23)

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      The honey glaze is a must for the country fried chicken entree with biscuits!

      • Reply
  • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (24)

    • Suzanne M Cline

    These are exceptional biscuits!

    • Reply
    • Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (25)

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      Thank you, Suzanne! They have been the best in my experience!

      • Reply

Show more

Soft and Flaky Biscuit Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep biscuits soft? ›

We've got a clever trick that will keep your biscuits soft and chewy for longer. The solution is as simple as putting the biscuits in an airtight jar along with a small piece of bread (no more than half a slice). If you don't have an airtight jar, a zip-lock bag also works well.

Why are my biscuits soft and not crunchy? ›

If your freshly baked biscuits seem too soft after they're cooled, then they're either under baked, or there is too much liquid in the recipe. When stamping out biscuits with a cutter, you might find that they stretch as you transfer them to the tray with your hands, and become misshapen.

What makes homemade biscuits dry and crumbly? ›

If your biscuits come out hard and crumbly, it's most likely because the dough was overworked during the kneading process. To prevent that, mix your dough just until it comes together. You should still see bits of butter in your dough.

What kind of flour do Southerners use for biscuits? ›

White Lily brand flour, especially the self-rising flour, is the gold standard among Southern cooks who make biscuits on a regular basis. White lily, self rising. I use it for everything except those thing I make using either cake flour or yeast.

Does sifting flour make biscuits better? ›

Yes. If you sift flour, it becomes aerated and less dense. “A cup of flour sifted before measuring will weigh 20 to 30 percent less than a cup of flour sifted after measuring — a difference that can make a huge impact on the texture of finished baked goods,” Cook's Illustrated says.

What causes biscuits to go soft? ›

As the biscuits sit around, even in a tin, the sugar absorbs moisture from the air. Leave sugar in a bowl in the tropics, for example, and it will absorb so much water it will eventually turn into a liquid! As the sugar in the biscuit absorbs more moisture, it becomes softer and softer and less and less appetising.

Why are my biscuits not soft and fluffy? ›

Overmixing: If you mix the dough too much, the gluten in the flour can develop too much and create tough, hard biscuits. Be sure to mix the dough just until it comes together and avoid kneading or overworking the dough. Overbaking: Biscuits can become dry and hard if they are overbaked.

What makes biscuits spongy? ›

Fully incorporating the butter and flour guarantees tender, airy biscuits every time. Low-protein flours keep biscuits fluffy and light, never tough. Yogurt provides both hydration and structure, for biscuits that bake up straight and tall but moist.

What is the secret to a good biscuit? ›

Use Cold Butter for Biscuits

For flaky layers, use cold butter. When you cut in the butter, you have coarse crumbs of butter coated with flour. When the biscuit bakes, the butter will melt, releasing steam and creating pockets of air. This makes the biscuits airy and flaky on the inside.

Should you let biscuit dough rest? ›

Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. Gently pat out the dough some more, so that the rectangle is roughly 10 inches by 6 inches. Cut dough into biscuits using a floured biscuit cutter (or even a glass, though its duller edge may result in slightly less tall biscuits).

How do you make biscuits less hard? ›

If your biscuits are too tough…

If you do think this about your dough, fight the urge to add more dry ingredients — dough that isn't wet enough will bake into a hard, dry biscuit.

At what temperature should biscuits be baked? ›

A very hot oven is also key to good biscuits. My oven tends to run hot, so I put the temperature at 425°F, but if your oven is cool, you can go up to 450°F.

What does cornstarch do to biscuits? ›

The cornstarch lowers the protein of the flour, which produces a more tender biscuit. The heavy cream provides the fat that helps create the flaky layers in great biscuits.

How can I get my biscuits to rise higher? ›

Bake them close to each other.

Biscuits are an exception to this rule: Placing them close to one another on your baking sheet actually helps them push each other up, as they impede each other from spreading outward and instead puff up skywards.

Is bread flour or all-purpose flour better for biscuits? ›

all-purpose flour – this flour has plenty of gluten developing protein (10-12%), but not as much as bread flour, which makes it more suitable for many cakes, cookies, biscuits and pie dough. You will find bleached and unbleached versions.

Why is White Lily flour better? ›

Whereas conventional all-purpose flour contains a protein content of 12 percent, White Lily flour boasts a modest 9 percent, making it more similar to pastry flour than actual all-purpose. As White Lily flour hydrates, the gluten development will never reach the full potential of brands like Gold Medal or King Arthur.

Which of the following types of flour is used for biscuit making? ›

Self-Rising Flour: Self-rising flour as its name would suggest rises without the need to add any ingredients. It is a combination of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. It is convenient for quick recipes that require these ingredients, such as biscuits, pancakes, and certain breads.

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of self-rising flour for biscuits? ›

If you do not have self-rising flour, you can substitute it with all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Measure out 2 1/4 cups (270 gr) all-purpose flour, 1 TBSP baking powder, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Whisk the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl before adding the butter.

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