Is there really anything better than a soft and buttery biscuit fresh out of the oven? Though biscuits are fairly simple to make — and only require a few pantry staples that you likely already have on hand — getting the exact proportion of ingredients is key! In developing this recipe, I tested so many different variations so I could get just the right amount of moisture, butter, and flavor in the final product.
Homemade biscuits are super quick and easy to make. Just remember to keep all of your ingredients cold and to be careful that your dough doesn’t stick to the counter when rolling it out.
Start by preheating your oven to 425℉.
Prepare the egg wash by whisking together 1 egg with 1 Tbsp of water in a small bowl until it forms a homogeneous mixture. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl, if mixing by hand), whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and granulated sugar until well combined.
Using the paddle attachment, with the mixer on low speed, add in the cubed, chilled butter. Continue to mix for about 5 to 8 minutes, until only small pea-sized pieces of butter remain.
Slowly pour in the buttermilk and continue to mix at low speed just until the dough comes together. It should be shaggy with lumps of dough, but without any patches of dry flour.
Empty the biscuit dough out onto a floured surface and form it into a rectangular shape about 8” by 10” using your hands and a floured rolling pin.
Cut the rectangle into four equal rectangular sections and stack them one on top of the other. This process of forming layers is called “lamination”, which will increase the flakiness of your biscuits!
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
Remove the dough from the fridge and form it into a rectangle using your hands. Continue to roll it out into a rectangle that is, again, about 8” by 10” and between ½” and ¾” thick.
Flour a circle cutter (I recommend one between 2.5″ and 3″ in diameter) and cut out your biscuits. Very importantly, do not twist the cutter! Doing so can prevent your biscuits from puffing up in the oven.
Reform and re-roll out the dough, as needed, to make the final few biscuits. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Using a pastry brush, lightly paint the tops of each biscuit with egg wash and then bake them in the center of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. They will puff up and be nice and golden brown on top.
Serve them warm or allow them to cool to room temperature and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. I recommend eating the biscuits within 48 hours for optimal freshness!
The Best Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
- 4 tsp granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½" cubes
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp buttermilk
For the Egg Wash
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 Tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉.
- Prepare an egg wash by whisking together 1 egg with 1 Tbsp of water until the mixture is homogeneous. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl, if mixing by hand), whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar until well combined.3 cups all-purpose flour1 Tbsp baking powder½ tsp baking soda1 ½ tsp kosher salt4 tsp granulated sugar
- Using the paddle attachment, with the mixer on low speed, add in the cubed, chilled butter. Continue to mix until only small pea-sized pieces of butter remain (about 5 to 8 minutes).¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½" cubes
- Slowly pour in the buttermilk and continue to mix at low speed just until the dough comes together (it should be shaggy with lumps of dough, but without any patches of dry flour).1 cup + 2 Tbsp buttermilk
- Empty the biscuit dough out onto a floured surface. Using your hands and a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a rectangular shape about 8” by 10".
- Cut the dough into four equal rectangular sections and stack them on top of one another. (This process — called “lamination” — helps form layers in the dough, increasing the flakiness of biscuits.) Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set it in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Once again, using your hands and a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a rectangular shape about 8" by 10" that is between ½" and ¾" thick.
- Using a floured circle cutter (I recommend one that is 2.5" to 3" in diameter), cut out biscuits from the dough without twisting the cutter (otherwise the biscuits may not puff up properly in the oven). Reform and re-roll out the dough, as necessary, to cut out remaining few biscuits.
- Set the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using a pastry brush, lightly paint the tops of each biscuit with the prepared egg wash.
- Bake in the center of the oven until they have puffed up and the tops have turned a nice, golden-brown color (about 12 to 15 minutes).
- Serve warm, or allow to cool completely. For later serving, store in airtight containers and enjoy within 48 hours for optimal freshness.
