Description
This Best Flaky Biscuits recipe guides you through creating tender, buttery biscuits with a perfect flaky texture. Using simple ingredients like all-purpose flour, cold butter, and buttermilk, these biscuits come together with a few folding steps to develop layers, then baked to golden perfection. Ideal for breakfast or as a side to any meal, they deliver classic Southern-style biscuits that are crisp on the outside and soft inside.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 6 ounces unsalted butter, frozen (1 1/2 sticks)
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk (for topping)
Topping
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C) to ensure it’s hot and ready when the biscuits are formed and chilled.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and kosher salt until well combined.
- Incorporate Butter: Using a box grater, grate the frozen unsalted butter directly into the flour mixture. Quickly mix the grated butter into the flour using your fingertips until you achieve a coarse meal texture with visible bits of butter.
- Add Buttermilk: Pour in 1 1/4 cups of buttermilk and stir gently just until the dough comes together. The batter will look shaggy and loose, but avoid overmixing.
- Form Dough and Fold: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press it together into a 10-inch square. Fold the dough by folding it in half, then in half again to create layers and a square.
- Repeat Rolling and Folding: Lightly roll the dough out again to a 10-inch square and repeat the folding—fold in half, then in half again to build flaky layers.
- Roll and Cut Biscuits: Roll the dough lightly to a thickness of 1 inch. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter (round or square) to cut biscuits, pressing straight down and lifting without twisting for best rise. Gather scraps, gently re-form, and cut remaining biscuits.
- Chill Biscuits: Arrange the biscuits touching each other in a cast iron skillet or on a parchment-lined baking pan with sides for support. Chill in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 15 minutes to firm up before baking.
- Prepare for Baking: Brush the tops of the biscuits with 2 tablespoons of buttermilk and sprinkle with flaky sea salt for texture and flavor.
- Bake: Place the baking pan on the middle or upper rack of your oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the biscuits have risen and are golden brown on top.
- Serve: Enjoy the biscuits warm or at room temperature, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a comforting side dish.
Notes
- Use cold, frozen butter for maximum flakiness. The grated butter creates layers that melt during baking, resulting in flaky biscuits.
- Do not twist the biscuit cutter when cutting to ensure biscuits rise evenly and maintain layers.
- Resting the biscuits chilled before baking helps them keep their shape and improves texture.
- Folding the dough multiple times builds the flaky layers typical of Southern biscuits.
- You can substitute regular salt for kosher if necessary, but adjust the amount as kosher salt is less dense.
Keywords: flaky biscuits, buttermilk biscuits, Southern biscuits, homemade biscuits, flaky baked goods, easy biscuit recipe