Southern-Style Buttermilk Biscuits
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Bring a touch of Southern warmth to your table with a basket of rich and flaky buttermilk biscuits—these feature a secret ingredient that makes them next-level tender.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Southern buttermilk biscuit recipes typically call for White Lily flour, a low-protein brand primarily available in the southern states that makes for ultra-tender, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits. I can’t find White Lily flour easily where I live, so I use a blend of all-purpose flour and cornstarch to get a similar effect. These buttermilk biscuits are rich, buttery, and flaky with a toasty golden crust. Plus, they’re easy to make. You can throw the dough together in 15 minutes and end enjoy the biscuits with your dinner less than fifteen minutes later.
These are traditional roll and cut biscuits. However, instead of using a biscuit cutter, I cut my biscuits into squares—it’s easier as you don’t have to deal with any scraps, plus, who says biscuits have to be round?! For an even simpler drop-and-bake method, see my recipe for drop biscuits.
Table of Contents
“These are amazing. Came together quickly for breakfast. My husband took a bite and gave me a high five. They’ll be a staple around here.”
What You’ll Need To Make Buttermilk Biscuits
- All-purpose flour: Provides the structure for the biscuits by forming gluten when mixed with liquid. Use the spoon-and-level method to measure to ensure accuracy.
- Cornstarch: Softens the dough’s proteins to produce a more tender biscuit.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Leavening agents that work together to create rise and fluffiness in the biscuits. Baking soda also reacts with the acid in buttermilk, aiding in leavening and improving color.
- Sugar: Adds a slight sweetness to balance the flavors and aids in browning.
- Cold butter: Provides fat which, when cut into the dry ingredients, creates flaky layers as it melts during baking. The cold temperature is crucial for achieving the desired flakiness.
- Buttermilk: Adds acidity that reacts with the baking soda for leavening, contributes to the biscuits’ tender crumb, and imparts a slight tanginess. If you don’t want to buy a whole carton, see my instructions for how to make buttermilk using milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a food processor.
Pulse briefly to combine.
Add the cold chunks of butter.
Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand with a few pea-size clumps of butter intact.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
Add the buttermilk.
Stir until the mixture comes together into a shaggy mass.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and bring together into a loose ball.
Gently pat the dough into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick.
Cut the dough in thirds.
Stack the pieces on top of one another.
Pat out into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick again. You can see in the photo below how this process creates layers in the dough, which makes for deliciously flaky biscuits.
Cut the dough into thirds again.
Stack the pieces up again.
Finally, pat the dough into a rectangle with a final thickness of about 3/4 inch.
Cut the dough into 12 small squares (these biscuits are on the smaller side).
Transfer the squares to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden. The biscuits are best served warm out of the oven (though a few minutes in the oven will revive slightly stale biscuits).
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, before baking, the biscuits can be frozen for up to three months. Place the unbaked biscuits on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to bake, there’s no need to thaw but they may require a few extra minutes in the oven.
To freeze leftover biscuits, first let them cool completely at room temperature. Then, wrap each biscuit tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container, removing as much air as possible before sealing. The biscuits can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to eat, reheat the biscuits directly from frozen in a preheated oven at 350°F until heated through.
Buttermilk is necessary for its acidity, which reacts with the baking soda to create a light and fluffy texture. However, if you don’t have buttermilk or don’t want to purchase a whole carton, you can make a substitute by adding 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup and then adding regular milk to the 3/4-cup line. Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes and it will be ready to use.
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Southern-Style Buttermilk Biscuits
Bring a touch of Southern warmth to your table with a basket of rich and flaky buttermilk biscuits—these feature a secret ingredient that makes them next-level tender.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch chunks
- ¾ cup buttermilk, plus a bit more if necessary (see note)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 13x18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Pulse a few times to mix. (Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl.)
- Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand with a few pea-sized clumps of butter intact. (If making by hand, "cut" the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter, two knifes, or your fingertips.) Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.
- Add the buttermilk and stir with a spoon or rubber spatula until the dough comes together into a shaggy mass. If the dough seems too dry, add a few more tablespoons of buttermilk. Do not over-mix.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with a bit more flour and bring together gently into a loose ball. Pat the dough into a rectangle about ¾ inch thick.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into thirds. Stack the pieces on top of one another and pat out into a rectangle about ¾ in thick again, flouring the surface lightly as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Cut the dough into thirds again. Stack the pieces on top of one another and pat into a rectangle with a final thickness of about ¾ inch.
- Dust the blade of a sharp knife with flour and cut the dough into twelve even squares (they will seem small). Transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until the biscuits are lightly golden on top and a rich, golden brown on the bottom. The biscuits are best served warm out of the oven (though a few minutes in the oven will revive slightly older biscuits).
- Note: If you’d like to make your own buttermilk, see my instructions for how to make buttermilk.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Before baking, the biscuits can be frozen for up to three months. Place the unbaked biscuits on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to bake, there's no need to thaw but they may require a few extra minutes in the oven.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 biscuit
- Calories: 179
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Sugar: 2g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Sodium: 148mg
- Cholesterol: 26mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This is the fourth biscuit recipe I’ve tried (have tried sam sifton’s, Melissa Clark’s and molly Baez’s) and this one is now my go-to! So fluffy, crispy, soft, and love the layers.
I’ve never been able to make good biscuits. Ever. I tried this recipe today, and I’m so proud! They’re delicious! Buttery, flaky, tender…now I can die happy. Lol. Thanks, Jenn!
Seriously the best biscuits I’ve made! A couple things I did different, for the newbies that are having trouble like I did. I grated the butter first, then put it back in the coldest part of my fridge (could also freeze), until it was ready to be mixed in. And the second thing I did was I folded the dough in half and patted out to a rectangle, turned, folded and patted again, turned, folded and patted again for about 6 times, give or take. I did that instead of cutting and stacking. Thank you for such an easy, excellent, recipe! I have become a fan!
Hey what does the cornstarch do for the biscuits? Ive never seen it in a biscuit recipe before so I was just curious. 🙂
Hi Chelsea, it helps to make the biscuits more tender. Hope that clarifies and that you enjoy if you make them!
I hope I have as much success as everyone who commented! Mine are in the oven now. Just 1 question- if you are able to find White Lily flour, what in the recipe changes? I have that on hand, so I used it, added the baking powder and baking soda etc. Just didn’t add the cornstarch – hope this wasn’t a huge mistake!
Hi Stacey, Typically I would tell people to replace the cornstarch with more flour. How did they come out?
Light, flaky, tasty biscuits that weren’t hard to put together at all with a food processor. Served with homemade sausage gravy. Thank you for breaking down the recipe with pics and instructions! Going to freeze the rest of the biscuits and share with my Mom.
Wow I’m shocked how great these are. Amazing thank you so much!
Hi Jenn, sorry in advance for the silly question, but are these buttermilk biscuits the same as scones? I’m in Australia and I’m not sure of the difference! Also what baking instructions would you recommend for frozen unbaked biscuits, would you bake it at the same temperature for a few minutes longer? Thanks heaps!
Not a silly question, Mel — I know there are some language differences between the US and Australia, so to clarify — these biscuits rely on acidity (from the buttermilk) to make them really fluffy and light whereas scones are more sturdy and dense. And yes, I’d bake the biscuits directly into the oven from the freezer. Keep the temp the same; they may just take a few extra minutes to bake. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks Jenn, wow I never knew these existed until now haha, can’t wait to try them this weekend. Will use the remaining buttermilk to make your Ranch dipping sauce recipe, love trying out your recipes, thanks again!
Delicious biscuits! I had leftover buttermilk after making your fried chicken last night and thought I would have a go at these. So quick to make and so delicious. I froze half of the dough, cut into squares, so will see later how it freezes but the biscuits fresh out of the oven with jam were really great. Loved the flakiness. 10/10.
I adore this recipe… But didn’t know if there was any difference once frozen. Did they have the same texture/taste as the fresh ones? I’m trying to prep food in advanced for vacation.
Hi Christy, The taste and texture should be just as good.
This is my go-to biscuit recipe. These are as close to my grandmother’s biscuits as I’ve ever been able to get. She would stock-up on White Lily flour for biscuits every time she visited her family in North Carolina. My kids love these & I make them pretty frequently. Also, thank you so much for including the weight for flour & butter. It saves me having to wash measuring cups & since I live in Europe, butter doesn’t come in 1/2cup sticks, so I don’t have to look up “how many grams in a TBSP of butter” every time!
LOVE these! Run don’t walk to your kitchen! First time through I made the recipe exactly as written. Delicious. So far I have used these for egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches, with jam and butter, and as a dinner accompaniment. Fabulous! They have also lasted 3 days in airtight container at room temp, great grab and go!