The Best Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits Recipes

FLAKY BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut butter in with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it resembles bread crumbs. Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups buttermilk.
• Put biscuit dough onto a floured surface and sprinkle a bit of extra flour on top. Cut out 16 biscuits with a biscuit or cookie cutter and place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with remaining buttermilk.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on top, about 10 minutes.

EXTRA-FLAKY SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450° (500° if using a convection oven).
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
• Cut cold butter or shortening into dry ingredients with a pastry blender.
• (Mixture will resemble coarse crumbs, with no large chunks of butter.) If butter gets very soft at this point, refrigerate mixture for 20 minutes.
• Add 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, stirring just to moisten all ingredients.
• Dough should be soft and moist; add remaining 1/4 cup as needed.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead gently about 10 times, or just untl dough holds together.
• Roll or pat dough into a 14-by-10-inch rectangle.
• With short side nearest you, spread top two-thirds of dough with 3 tablespoons soft butter, leaving bottom third, closest to you, unbuttered.
• Fold dough into thirds (like you would fold a letter) by pulling bottom third up over center and then pulling top third over middle.
• Turn dough so short side faces you.
• Pat into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle.
• In same manner, spread again with 3 tablespoons soft butter and fold letter style.
• Turn once more in the same manner.
• Pat into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle; spread with remaining 3 tablespoons soft butter and fold up.
• Work quickly and gently so as not to overwork dough.
• Pat dough into rectangle 3/4-inch thick on floured surface.
• Cut into squares with a sharp chef's knife.
• Place on pan, 1 inch apart.
• Lightly brush tops with melted butter.
• Bake in center of hot oven about 20 minutes (about 12 minutes in convection), until golden brown and firm.
• Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

BEST BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Sift flour and baking soda together in a large bowl; cut in shortening with a knife or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the mixture and stir in buttermilk until a soft ball forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 to 3 minutes. Roll dough out to a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle.
• Cut biscuits out with biscuit cutter and transfer to a baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until tops are light brown and sides begin to darken, about 10 minutes. Remove biscuits to cool completely on a wire rack.

FLAKY BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Steps:

• Brush softened butter on a sheet pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a large glass measuring cup measure the buttermilk. Add the shortening. With an immersion blender on high, blend the shortening into the buttermilk until smooth.
• Using a box grater, grate the cold butter into the flour. Toss until all of the pieces are coated. Lightly pinch the butter pieces into the flour.
• Lightly coat your work surface with nonstick cooking spray, then flour. (The spray keeps the flour in place.) Add the buttermilk/shortening mixture to the flour/butter mixture. Gently mix the dough with a rubber spatula until there are no dry bits of flour left. The dough should be slightly sticky.
• Transfer dough to the prepared work surface. Lightly coat your hands with flour and gently press the dough with the palms of your hands to form it into a smooth flat rectangle, 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle the dough with flour, then fold it into thirds (like a letter). Pat the dough out again, sprinkle with a little flour, and fold it into thirds again. Turn the dough 90 degrees (this time folding in the open ends first.) Repeat one more time. Dough should no longer be sticky.
• With a floured 2- or 2 1/2- inch biscuit cutter, cut out dough rounds. Flip the rounds over so that the smooth sides that were against the work surface face up and place on the prepared pan, 1-inch apart. Stack the scraps and press and cut again. Refrigerate until cold, about 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bake until the tops are golden brown and crisp, about 16 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving hot.