Homemade Southern Buttermilk Biscuits (Super Simple!)
These are the flakiest and most delicious Southern Buttermilk Biscuits…because we all need an easy comfort food for breakfast! These biscuits are really something special, made with buttermilk, sour cream (our super secret ingredient), a few simple pantry staples, and layered with butter.
Let’s Talk About This Recipe
These biscuits are actually the very first recipe we ever published!
It seemed only right. They’re a staple on our breakfast table, and occasionally our dinner table too. (Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner?!)
The original biscuit recipe my mom started with belonged to her great-grandmother! It didn’t change much as it was handed down over the decades (including the dough bowl they were mixed in and the cast iron griddle pan they were cooked on) until my mom started serving these in her restaurant in 1995.
Lard was a definite no-no! So, she tinkered with the recipe, testing and changing ingredients (flours, leavenings, fats, liquid), methods of mixing, and different types of pans for baking until she reached the version we have now. Her patrons were her first test subjects. And they loved giving feedback!
Today, these are a perennial favorite with our friends and family – and our readers too!
These biscuits are amazing fresh out of the oven, slathered with a little butter and maybe some Homemade Raspberry Jam or Homemade Strawberry Jam!
If you’re also a sourdough fan, in addition to being a biscuit lover, you can check out our Sourdough Biscuits. They are just as good as these, but completely different at the same time.
What Are Biscuits Exactly?
The term, “biscuit” can mean different things depending on where you live. In the U.S., a biscuit is a savory bread made without the addition of yeast and (typically) served at breakfast. Since there is no yeast, the raising agent in this recipe is actually a blend of baking powder and baking soda…which make this recipe fall into the category of quick-breads.
If you’ve ever made our Irish Soda Bread, Bacon Cheddar & Chive Scones, or even our classic Banana Nut Bread, those all fall into the same category as a biscuit. The term quick-bread simply means that the bake is leavened with baking soda and/or baking powder instead of yeast!
Why You’re Going To LOVE These Buttermilk Biscuits
- There’s no lard! 😉
- Seriously buttery, tangy, flakey, and mouth-wateringly delicious!
- So easy to make!
- A recipe that’s tried and true and perfected over generations.
- Every bite is soft and tender with just a bit of tang.
- Makes a terrific breakfast sandwich!
Grab These 7 Simple Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – Using plain all purpose flour is the way to go here. The protein content gives the dough the structure it needs.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder – Leavening agents that have different purposes here, baking soda reacts with the acid in the buttermilk and sour cream to produce some leavening even before these biscuits make it into the oven; and baking powder is responsible for the primary rise once they are in the oven.
- Salt – A bit of extra salt is necessary to enhance the flavor. Without it, these biscuits will be bland.
- Salted Butter – Adding richness, tenderness, flavor, and structure, butter is what gives these biscuits their flaky layers. It’s also responsible for the crispy edges. The salt in the butter further enhances the flavor.
- Sour Cream – This is our secret ingredient! Sour cream really kicks up the tang in the buttermilk adding a layer of flavor that makes these biscuits so good.
- Buttermilk – The classic ingredient for buttermilk biscuits, buttermilk is the liquid that activates the gluten in the flour as well as adding flavor to the dough.
Here’s How To Make Delicious Buttermilk Biscuits Step-by-Step
Step 1: Make the dough
Whisk together the buttermilk and the sour cream. Refrigerate.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Carefully grate the frozen butter into the flour. From there, gently toss to combine. Don’t squish!
Add the buttermilk mixture and stir until just combined. Don’t overwork the dough!
Step 2: Fold the dough
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll to 1/2 inch thick. Fold the top third of the dough down. Then, fold the bottom third of the dough upwards. Repeat rolling and folding 3 more times.
Step 3: Cut and bake
Cut the dough into desired shape and place in a lined sheet pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.
– FAQ’s & Troubleshooting –
Through many recipe tests, we found that a combination of baking powder and baking soda creates a better rise and texture in the biscuit. The addition of baking soda helps counteract the acidity in the buttermilk and sour cream, creating better layers and an extra fluffy biscuit.
Over the years, we have changed how we add the butter to find the best way to achieve flakey layers, a crunchy crust, and buttery goodness. We finally discovered that grating the butter helps it distribute more evenly through the dough.
The answer is a resounding YES!!! While leavening and butter all create a light and fluffy biscuit, the real secret to delicious layers is folding the dough.
If your biscuits are tough, this is because the dough has been over-worked. Try handling the dough as little as possible, even when you are re-rolling to avoid this!
Craving more? Here are a few recipes you may like:
When you make these Homemade Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.
Happy Baking!
x, Caylie
Homemade Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour*
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup salted butter, cold
- 1 cup sour cream, cold
- 1 ¾ cups buttermilk, cold
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425℉.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk together sour cream and buttermilk.
- Refrigerate until needed.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Grate butter into flour and toss gently to combine.
- Stir in buttermilk mixture just until mixed. DO NOT OVERWORK!
- Turn out onto floured surface. (It's ok if the dough is a little rough and ready. It will come together as you fold it.)
- Roll into a rectangle that is about ½ inch thick.
- Fold the top third of the dough down.
- Fold the bottom third up over the top.
- Repeat rolling and folding 3 more times (for a total of 4).
- Roll into a 10 inch x 12 inch rectangle that is ¾ inch thick.
- Use a 3½ biscuit (or cookie) cutter to cut out biscuits.
- Gather and re-roll scraps, being careful not to overwork the dough, until all dough is used.
- Place biscuits, sides touching, on prepared sheet pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Notes + Tips!
- Make sure the buttermilk, sour cream, and butter are cold! It gives you the best biscuit, promise!
- Don’t over work the dough! The more you work it, the less tender and flakey it’s going to be.
- Don’t skip folding the dough. This step is crucial for all those delicious layers! If you just dump, roll, cut, and bake, the biscuits will still taste good, but they will be heavy.
- Use a sharp cutter to cut the biscuits. Otherwise, you risk compressing the dough.
- Make sure the biscuits are touching in the pan! This will allow them to rise much better.
- After extensive testing, we determined that nearly equal results can be had by baking in a parchment lined sheet pan or a cast iron pan.
Tools You May Need (affiliate links)
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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I found your recipe this morning. Cut the recipe in half, as it is only I whos is gonna eat. I am amazed & they’re still in the oven. Cannot wait to eat them. Looking into the future, this will forever be my buttermilk biscuit recipe.
Hi Jessica! We’re SO glad to hear that! These are our absolute favorite biscuits. I hope you enjoyed them! Happy holiday’s! Xo, Caylie
I thought some baking soda had to be used in a recipe with buttermilk but I see this recipe only contains baking powder. Your thoughts?
Hi Kathleen! You are absolutely right. As a general rule, acidic ingredients call for baking soda rather than baking powder. The only real difference in the two is that baking powder already has the acid (cream of tartar) added to it. The reason I use baking powder is because when I originally wrote this recipe, I used self-rising flour which was readily available where I lived. However, we moved; and self-rising flour was not available. To make self rising flour, you simply take all purpose flour and add salt and baking powder to it. That’s why is baking powder. You are welcome to substitute baking soda, but remember to cut the amount. Since it doesn’t have the extra additives that baking powder does, you only need 1/4 as much. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thank you for this lovely recipe. I’ve been looking for something like this to learn how to make bisquit s for years. I can’t wait to try it. Sounds delicious.
Hi Denise! We’re so glad to hear that you’re excited for this recipe! My mom has been baking these biscuits my whole life, and I promise they’re the very best! Let us know if you need anything and how these biscuits turn out for you. Xo, Caylie
Thanks so much for this recipe! My Dad always made the biscuits on Sunday mornings; when he passed unexpectedly no one knew how he did it because he didn’t use a recipe. These look so much like his. I can’t wait to try them!
Hi Rebecca! I’m so glad you found these and that it reminds of your father. We really hope you enjoy these just as much as we do! Let us know if you have any questions about the recipe. Xo, Caylie.
Absolutely adore your site Tracy!! Will never forget the visit we had with you in FL and your rolls!! What was that flour? Still can’t find it in Walmart!! 😩😩 I think you had to order it!!
So glad I found your blog!!!
Nothing like Southern cooks!!! We were ALL trained from the best in the world!!!
Charlotte,
I’ll add links to ingredients that might be hard to find in the Delta.
Thanks Traci. Can’t wait to see more of your blog.
Loved your memories!