The Easiest Biscuit Recipe | Best for Beginners
When I first started my baking journey, all I really wanted to learn to do was biscuits. Now, looking back, I realize that the biscuits were the gateway baked good to a much bigger journey! I wanted an easy biscuit recipe that made fluffy biscuits with flaky layers.
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Biscuits seem so simple, yet, they can be surprisingly difficult to master. Today, I am going to be sharing this easy homemade biscuit recipe.
I mastered this recipe years and years ago, and, it’s the only biscuit recipe I use except when making sourdough biscuits (which is an adaptation from this very recipe). These really are the best biscuits and a great recipe for beginners.
It’s hard for me to imagine a life without biscuits. Since my childhood, biscuits have been a major part of my memories on the weekends. Both my parents make great biscuits, so, I had to figure them out for myself, if I was going to be able to keep having them, ha ha!
This recipe turns out great every single time! Once you have these smothered in sausage gravy, you will be hooked!
I remember trying to make biscuits and failing over and over. I just couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. Finally, I realized I was trying too hard! Biscuit dough doesn’t like to be fussed with too much. I needs to be brought together quickly and in the oven.
This recipe is so simple, yet, so delicious! It’s one of those recipes you will find yourself making over and over again. It uses simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.
For this recipe you will need
Unbleached All Purpose Flour
You can use freshly milled flour. I do often. I use freshly milled soft white wheat for a tender biscuit.
This is the grain mill I use: Nutrimill Grain Mill
You can also use self-rising flour and leave out the baking powder.
Cold Butter
I prefer to grate my cold butter and then cut it into the dough using a pastry cutter. You can do this with your hands or a fork as well, however you don’t want to warm up the butter so a fork or pastry cutter works best.
Cold butter makes flaky biscuits. So, forego room temperature butter.
Baking Powder
Baking powder is the leavening agent for the biscuits.
Salt
I use Redmond’s Real Salt for all of my baking. A good quality sea salt will work well.
Milk/Buttermilk
You can use whole milk, skim milk, milk substitute, or buttermilk. The recipe is very forgiving.
Full ingredient measurements in recipe card below.
Step by Step Instructions for making these Easy Biscuits
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Mix the dough
In a large bowl, add your flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well to combine.
Grate the cold butter using a box grater into the dry ingredients.
Use a pastry cutter or pastry blender to mix the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs and you can see small pieces of the butter throughout.
NOTE: You can use a fork or your hands to work the butter into the flour if you do no have a pastry cutter. A fork is preferred as your hands will warm the butter.
You could also cut the butter in using a food processor.
In a measuring cup measure the milk.
Add the milk/buttermilk and mix with wooden spoon or fork just until combined and a soft dough forms. Do not over mix as this will lead to a tough biscuit.
Shape the Biscuits
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Turn the dough a few times. Roll it out to 1/4-1/2 inch thick using a rolling pin. Cut biscuits out with a round biscuit cutter or mason jar lid.
This recipe makes 7-8 biscuits with a standard sized biscuit cutter depending on how thick you roll them out.
Place biscuits on greased baking sheet or parchment paper lined baking sheet. I prefer to use a cast iron skillet. I like to put it in the hot oven to preheat before adding the biscuits making for a nice bottom crust.
These are my favorite Cast Iron Skillets: 10 inch Cast Iron Skillet
Bake the Biscuits
Brush tops with olive oil or melted butter.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
After 10-12 minutes check the biscuits, if they feel firm, they are done. All ovens are different.
If the tops aren’t brown enough, you can set the broiler until golden brown. Be sure to set a timer! They will burn quickly under the broiler.
Serving Suggestions
These biscuits are best piping hot with butter and jam or with gravy and sausage! It’s hard to stop eating them once you start, though! You’ve been forewarned ha ha!
Serve hot biscuits with an egg as a breakfast sandwich.
Open up while hot and slather with honey butter for the best treat!
This is the best biscuit recipe to whip up on a weekend for a big breakfast. The come together quickly and are sure to please the family!
Storage Tips
Store your biscuits, once they cool, in a bread bag or airtight container. They will last for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze the cooled biscuits in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
To reheat the biscuits, set your oven to 300 degrees F, place the biscuits in while the oven preheats. Once it’s preheated, they will be good and hot!
I hope you will give this simple recipe a try! There is nothing quite like a hot biscuit on a Sunday morning!
Easiest Biscuit Recipe
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 pastry cutter OPTIONAL
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 stick cold butter grated
- 1 cup milk/buttermilk
Instructions
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl.
- Grate the butter into the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter, your hands, or a fork to incorporate until the mixture becomes crumbly.
- Add milk/buttermilk.
- Mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Turn dough onto floured surface. Turn a few times. Roll out until 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
- Cut biscuits out with biscuit cutter or mason jar lid. This recipe makes 7-8 biscuits depending on how thick you roll them out.
- Place on prepared baking sheet. Brush with olive oil or melted butter.
- Bake in a 400 DEGREE F oven for 12-15 minutes.
- Check after 10-12 minutes. If the biscuits feel firm, they are done.
- ***If tops are not brown enough, put under broiler for just a few minutes***
I made the easy biscuits and we loved them. I don’t always have buttermilk on hand so thank you for letting us know how to improvise. Thanks Mary for all the work you put into this and your simple instructions.
I used to cook/bake/can a lot then had brain injuries post lung transplants and can only do super simple easy stuff. THANK YOU for explaining why you do the tips/tricks and why they work. So wonderful!
My husband does the kneading. He grumbles the whole time and it’s rather funny! As if he thought a fairy made all his meals all these years and it took no work! Funny guy!
How funny! Thanks for sharing!
When using fresh milled, is the flour measurement the same? I’m used to working with weight, rather than volume and I’m still trying to figure out how to incorporate fresh-milled flour into recipes. Thanks!
I find it to be different slightly. I typically use a bit more fresh flour than store bought. I think the reason is that store bought floured gets packed down and fresh flour is much more airy and light. As far as weight, it would be the exact same.
Omg YES I have never been able to make good biscuits and I been trying for 51 yrs lol This was simple super quick and so good. I added cheddar cheese and bacon I also used the bacon drippings and the same pan to bake them in Sit the shredded cheddar and chopped bacon in freezer with butter and buttermilk I made my own buttermilk with milk and vinegar then sat it in the freezer while i did the rest. I also just did everything all in one bowl I added frozen butter and buttermilk at the same time at end stirred just until combined then pulled onto cutting boarded i did not need them at all i shaped into round cut into biscuits then baked so so very good
We loved these biscuits this morning. Soo easy to make. I did leave them in oven longer and ended up going to 450 to brown them. Will be my go to recipe for biscuits!
Super easy. Super Yum!!
Thank you.
I done know why I did wrong. The butter from the biscuits melted into the pan and they didn’t rise the instructions were so clear I have no idea what I did wrong
Was your butter cold before adding it to the flour mixture? If it was, I would suggest putting the dough after it is mixed into the fridge for 30 minutes for the butter to firm back up before baking.
Amazing, I added a tablespoon of sugar.
What an easy straight forward recipe! There simply no way for me to mess them up! :)) My mom felt like biscuits for breakfast and I found this recipe which will be my go to for now on! THANK YOU SO MUCH! My biscuits were soft flaky deliciousness! The whole family enjoyed them!
Oh, that’s awesome! I’m so glad to hear that!
Mary Rose, these were the easiest instructions to follow! However, just a few tips for anyone using something other than milk and needing to double batch this. Bad idea for me to try to do this for a party but I did. Needed to double, so I just doubled it and used 1c milk and 1c almond milk. Instead of just adding both cups, I think instructions should say: “add milk gradually.” I think b/c the almond milk is so watery, 1c was too much. Thankfully I had added more butter-for that extra butteriness, and ended up having to add more flour, but then turning it onto a floured surface explosed more wet flour so had to keep adding. Maybe when doing double batches, literally only make one batch at a time to ensure the right consistency? Fingers crossed! They’re in the oven!
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful post with us.
Beginner? Then proceeds to tell me to pull out a pastry cutter. Come on lady.
So sorry about that! I will make a note on the recipe right away that you can use your hands or a fork.
Hi, I was wondering if the recipe calls for 1/2 stick(1/4 cup) of butter or 1/2 cup? Do you use unsalted butter?
I use 1/2 a stick and prefer to use salted but unsalted works just as well.