Foolproof Flaky Biscuits (+ Video)
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that I may receive a commission at no cost to you if you use a link provided. All opinions shared are my own. You can review my full disclosure policy here.
The secret to Foolproof Flaky Biscuits is revealed! Find out how to get flaky, layered, buttery, tender biscuits you will swoon over!
One of my husband’s favorite breakfasts is biscuits and gravy. I don’t make it very often because I haven’t had the best luck and getting a tall, flaky biscuit worth making again and again. I have since learned the secret to flaky biscuits doesn’t necessarily lie in the recipe alone, but that the technique also helps get you those amazing, buttery layers! It really is foolproof!
I’m talking crisp exterior, peel apart layers, and a tender center! Did I mention these are oh so buttery?! Swoon! Slather on some apple butter, jelly or jam, butter and honey, whatever your pleasure, and enjoy these biscuits ASAP!
Let me show you how to get the foolproof flaky layers… First off, it’s really important to have COLD butter when you make biscuits (or pie crust) because when the butter melts, it creates pockets of air to help make those flaky layers. Also, don’t crumble them all away. Pea size butter pieces are ideal.
After you add the buttermilk and the dough comes together, roll it out into roughly a 6×9-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Then cut that rectangle into thirds.
Here’s the trick! Stack each third on top of one another and roll the dough into a 6×9-inch rectangle again. This helps ensure you get those tall, flaky layers!
Using a 2 1/4 or 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut 9 (maybe 10) biscuits and place them on a silicone lined baking sheet. Do your best to piece together the scraps and use up all the dough with the layering technique, without overworking the dough or melting the butter with your warm hands.
If any of the edges kind of stick down, I stretch them before baking to help make sure they will grow tall and flaky. You can see in the picture below that they are pretty thick to start with, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inches tall, and you can see some chunks of butter and layering before they even go in the oven.
Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on top and bottom. These are best enjoyed warm and crisp from the oven, but you can store leftovers in a zip-top bag for 3 or 4 days. I like to re-heat my leftover biscuits, one at a time, in the microwave for 10 to 12 seconds.
Foolproof Flaky Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter, cold, cut into Tablespoons
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, cold (or milk plus 1 tsp of lemon juice; allow to sit for 5 minutes before using)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until pea size pieces.
- Add the cold buttermilk all at once and form into a ball.
- Roll dough onto a lightly floured surface, into a 6x9-inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle into thirds.
- Stack each third on top of one another and roll the dough into a 6×9-inch rectangle again.
- Using a 2¼ or 2½-inch biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut 9 (maybe 10) biscuits and place them on a silicone lined baking sheet. Do your best to piece together the scraps and use up all the dough with the layering technique, without overworking the dough or melting the butter with your warm hands. (If any of the edges kind of stick down, I stretch them before baking to help make sure they will grow tall and flaky.)
- Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on top and bottom.
Notes
© DESSERT NOW DINNER LATER All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-create the recipe, snap YOUR OWN PHOTO and re-write the recipe in YOUR OWN WORDS, or link back to this post for the recipe.
Recipe from The Baker Upstairs
202 Comments on “Foolproof Flaky Biscuits (+ Video)”
I’ve never heard of stacking the layers – but it sounds like the perfect solution! Definitely giving this a try!
Yeah, it’s kind of a cheater method, but totally works!
Amber, these look great, can you freeze them and bake them the next day(for Thanksgiving)?
If you freeze them before you bake them, I’m sure they would be just fine. They may take 5 minutes longer to bake when you put them in the oven straight from the freezer. Just keep an eye on them. Let me know how they turn out!
Ok so I’m trying this now and the stacking great I didn’t use lemon juice because I don’t have any so oven warming up I let you know how they turn out.
Well they are a step up from drop biscuits that I haven’t made in 10 to 15 years. So first time Baker starting over they are great I prayed and thanked God they would come out good and they did. Thank you so much for ur knowledge.
I’m so glad it worked out for you Juliet! You can substitute white distilled vinegar for the lemon juice if you want to in the future. It just adds a bit of tanginess that you would get with buttermilk.
These are the best flaky biscuits I have ever made. Every one should try it!
I just love all your biscuit tips, Amber! These really do look like the perfect flaky, buttery biscuit and I’m drooling over all that golden flaky goodness! Can’t wait to try these!
Thanks Sarah! Your whole wheat biscuits looked mighty fine! I need to convert to whole wheat, I’m just so comfortable with my white flour. 😉
i am going to try this recipethis week. Do you have a recipe for a good gravy to go with these? Thank you.
Sounds great Linda! I don’t currently have a recipe for gravy on my blog, but this one from Ree Drummond looks delicious, maybe start with less pepper and add more to your taste. Some people like a peppery country sausage gravy, and some don’t: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sausage-gravy.html
Fantastic! Thanks for the stacking tip! Can’t wait to try it. I found a really great way to get the perfect texture for the butter is to freeze the butter and then use a a large box grater to shred the frozen butter.
You’re welcome! I hope you get the chance to try it! Thanks for sharing your tips!
I love the stacking tip in this post! I love homemade biscuits and definitely need to give that a try. These look so delicious, Amber!
Thanks Danielle! It’s a fun trick to get the layers. 🙂
Great idea about grating the frozen butter! I just made this recipe and can’t wait to try them after bthey bake!
I am such a sucker for biscuits and yours look so flaky and perfect! Loved all your tips and step-by-step photos 🙂
Biscuits (or carbs rather) are my downfall! Butter and bread = LOVE! Thanks Kelly!
Another method Iv used instead of cutting the dough and stacking is to roll out then fold into thirds, then roll again and fold into thirds. This technique made very flaky biscuits.!!!
Yes, that’s the method I was mimicking, but it looked like the edges didn’t get as many layers in the photos, so I cut mine to ensure the layers were in every corner of the dough. 🙂
I do it that way. Makes a difference. Also I rub the butter into the flour between my fingers making flat pieces of butter instead of the more rounded pieces that you get with a pastry blender.
Eager to try this! I can bake ANYTHING – except a decent biscuit. :)) Thanks.
Well, this should work every time! I hope you like it!
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing. In case you wanna try them wholewheat: I changed 1 cup of the regular flour for 1.5 cups of whole-wheat flour and instead of regular buttermilk I used almond milk+1tbsp of lemon. They were still really good.
Hi Laura!
Thanks for sharing how you made the recipe your own! So glad it turned out wonderfully!
I have tried MANY BISCUIT RECIPES, techniques, adding a touch of my own something to them to try to come up with THIS VERY RECIPE! PERFECTO!! Italians say, ” Mama mia”! 😉
The taste, texture, ingredients and instructions are PERFECT! Thank you for sharing! I WILL DO THE SAME!
Glad you enjoyed this recipe Charlotte! Thanks for taking the time to rate and share your experience.
These biscuits are AMAZING. I teach a Foods 1 class in high school and I decided to use your recipe for rolled biscuits in our quick breads lab. The recipe I have used before was alright, but nothing special. Your biscuit recipe was “on point” as my high school students would say. They were so proud of themselves and took pictures and sent snapchats and made crazy sounds as they ate them. 60 students all gave your recipe 2 thumbs up! Thank you so much for posting this – I will be back to your site for more recipes. They will be visiting your site tomorrow for their Lab Write up!
Jill,
Your comment has totally made my day! I’m SO thrilled that your students enjoyed the biscuits so much! Thanks for your support! I hope you find more recipes that would work well in your classroom!
Best wishes, Amber
Can you freeze these for using later? Like as in make ahead for Thanksgiving? I have made these a ton of times and love them! Just hoping to save some time for myself on the actual day of my dinner I’m hosting
If you freeze them before you bake them I’m sure they would be just fine. They may take 5 minutes longer to bake when you put them in the oven straight from the freezer. Just keep an eye on them. 🙂 Glad you like them so much Mandi!
never made biscuits before and i am gong to use this recipe for christmas brunch! question, do i use salted or unsalted butter? does it matter?
It doesn’t matter. Personal preference. Enjoy!
I used salted and they were delicious.
Can you freeze after baking?
I haven’t tried it, but I think others have with success.
Ok to double the recipe or do you suggest 2 batches?
You can double it, just try not to over work the dough. 🙂
Made these for Christmas breakfast and they were amazing! Thanks for sharing!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Mary! Thanks for your review!
Is it 1 tbsp of double action baking powder ?
Yes ma’am!
Just made these and they are fantastic! Thanks so much for the recipe and the tips. This will be the only biscuit recipe I use from now on!!
Aw! I’m so glad you like it Carol!
I’ve used this recipe twice and it’s a hit with the family. Thanks!
That’s so great! Thanks for your review Steph!
First time biscuit baker and my family loved them! Made them as biscuits and gravy breakfast feast
Glad they were a hit! Biscuits and gravy is so good. Great way to use them!
As a southerner my Mom always told me to buy White Lily self-rising flour. I’ve always used shortening too. Can’t wait to try this recipe with butter and layering it.
Hi Kathy! I bet you make a wonderful biscuit, if you’re from the south. I hope you like these too!
Are you sure the measurements are correct or did I do something wrong? I followed your directions and my biscuits are sort of flat and some of the butter melted on the bottom of the pan under the buscuits. Other receipes use 6 TBL butter and that seems like it might be better vs your 1/2 cup. What did I do wrong????
1/2 cup butter is 8 Tablespoons, so only 2 more Tablespoons than the 6 Tablespoons you are seeing in other recipes. You could try using only 6 Tbsp of butter if you want to, or try cutting the butter into slightly smaller pieces. You don’t want them too fine or you will get crumbly biscuits though. I’m guessing the pieces were kind of big or not cold enough if they melted on the bottom of the biscuits. I hope you can get it to work for you, there are many who have had great success with this recipe. Good luck!
Thank you so much…I may try again!!
I moved to Germany two years ago, and while they have a huge assortment of delicious homemade breads here, biscuits are hard to come by! So… I really hate baking, but when I had a biscuit craving, I had no choice. I tried many recipes which ranged from being bland and totally tasteless to “just okay.” Then I found this. WOW! These biscuits are buttery, a little sweet, crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside.
They are not only the best I’ve ever personally made, but… dare I say it?… they’re best biscuits I’ve ever eaten!
I make a triple batch and freeze them. They take only a few extra minutes to bake after being frozen, and they’re still just as delicious. Thank you so much for this recipe!
What great news! I’m so happy you enjoy this recipe so much Sheri! Thanks for your coming back to share your experience!
hi Amber, u have demonstrated very nicely..can u tel me how much time andat what degree celcius to preheat and bake
Preheat and bake at 232 degrees celcius. Check after 10 minutes.
Thank u Amber.. I have already made these biscuits.. it turned out awesome.. bookfold method i learnt from Vahchef, but ur tips are really awesome.. using curd and using chilled dough chilled butter really helped to make delicious cookies..Hats off.. Thank you..
Thanks for your feedback Mercy!
ohw i cant wait to make it.. please reply asap.so that i can start making these biscuits..Thank u:-D
Hello Amber: I made the recipe but they were not so soft and fluffy as they are in the recipe, I think I miss you egg to the recipe… I confirm please?
(Sorry for my English I am speaking… I am Colombian, I am also wife mother and Mormon… a hug)
I love you blog
Hello Maribel! So nice to hear from you! There is no egg in this recipe. The only thing I can think of is the flour was measured wrong or the altitude difference effected the recipe. Try 2 Tablespoons less butter (so only 6 Tablespoons or 85 grams – I hope I did the conversion right) and weigh your flour. 2 cups is 260 grams. I hope this helps!
I just made these this morning. I was out of buttermilk and lemon juice, so I used Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar instead. I used my food processor because I do not have a cutter. I made sure I didn’t overwork the dough. They turned out great, very tender. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
That’s good to know! Thanks for sharing your review Lorie. So glad they turned out well for you!