If you want to enjoy a truly flaky, and delicious homemade buttermilk biscuit, this is it! These homemade buttermilk biscuits are quick and easy to make, with ingredients that you probably have at home already.
Homemade buttermilk biscuits are a favourite breakfast item in my home because of how versatile and easy-to-make they are. You can change up the add-ons in this recipe and make different types of buttermilk biscuits.
For example, I made these homemade buttermilk biscuits with shredded cheese and deli turkey slices. You could make them without any add-ins, or you could try add-ins such as ham, bacon, raisins, or onions.
The key is to make these homemade buttermilk biscuits with cold butter. Keeping the butter and biscuit dough cold before baking will ensure a light and fluffy buttermilk biscuit that your family will enjoy.
1. What are Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits?
Buttermilk biscuits, also known as southern style biscuits are a type of quick bread. They are very different from British biscuits.
2. How are Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits made?
Buttermilk biscuits are made by cutting very cold butter into a basic flour/salt/sugar/baking powder mix. Then some buttermilk is added to help tenderize the gluten in the dough. The acid in the buttermilk gives the biscuits their soft, flaky and tender texture.
3. Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits vs. Scones
Scones and buttermilk biscuits are quite different. The base ingredients of flour, baking powder, sugar, salt butter are the same for both scones and biscuits.
However, scones are denser and richer than buttermilk biscuits because they contain eggs and/or heavy cream. (You can check out my delicious lemon scone recipe). While buttermilk biscuits contain buttermilk which makes them light, fluffy, and flaky.
If you live in Canada, then you’ve most likely heard of Tea biscuits. The tea biscuit recipe is very similar to a buttermilk biscuit recipe. The difference between both recipes is that milk is used in the tea biscuit recipe, while buttermilk is used in the buttermilk biscuit recipe.
4. Frequently Asked Questions
What does butter do in biscuits?
Butter adds flavor and promotes flaky layers in biscuits. For the best results cold butter should be used. To prevent the butter from warming up too quickly, a food processor , grater or pastry cutter can be used to break the butter down in to small enough pieces in the dough.
What makes homemade biscuits rise?
The combination of ensuring that:
(1) the dough is made with chilled butter,
(2) the dough is refrigerated after cutting out the shapes, and
(3) the oven is preheated prior to baking;
helps homemade biscuits puff up beautifully and rise during baking
Why are my biscuits chewy?
Biscuits can get chewy if you knead or handle the dough too much. Kneading the dough too much will overdevelop the gluten, which will result in a tough or chewy biscuit.
What is the secret to light fluffy biscuits?
There are a few things that can help to keep your biscuits light and fluffy:
(1) Make sure you use cold butter to make the dough
(2) Ensure your oven is hot enough (i.e. at the recommended temperature). The heat will create steam which encourages the biscuits to puff up while baking
(3) Try substituting half of the all-purpose flour with cake flour
(4) Do not knead or handle the dough too much. Kneading the dough too much will overdevelop the gluten, which will result in a tough or chewy biscuit.
Can buttermilk biscuits be frozen?
Yes, buttermilk biscuits can be frozen. First, ensure the biscuits have cooled completely. Then wrap individual biscuits in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, before freezing. The biscuits should keep for at least 3 months.
Will you be making these Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits? If so, please let me know how they turned out and if you have any questions.
Delicious & Fluffy Turkey and Cheese Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Ingredients
- 510 g all purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 226 g unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cup buttermilk see instructions below on how to make buttermilk substitute at home
- 175 g deli turkey slices – cut in small pieces
- 155 g shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F
- Add flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and baking soda to the food processor
- Pulse until all the dry ingredients are well combined
- Add very cold cubed butter to the food processor, and pulse until it looks like coarse sand
- Pour the flour mixture into a bowl, then add the diced turkey and shredded cheese
- Toss all the ingrdients until well combined
- Add cold buttermilk to the mixture and mix until it just starts to come together (it will look scraggly at this point)
- Turn it all out onto a floured surface
- Pat the mixture down and then fold about 3-4 times until the dough starts to come together (Note that you do not need to knead the dough)
- Next, pound the dough with the rolling pin until it starts to flatten
- Then roll until you get to your desired thickness.
- Cut out your desired shape with a knife, bench scraper or cookie cutter
- Place the cut out shapes onto a parchment lined baking sheet
- Chill in the fridge for 15-30mins
- After the cut outs have been resting the fridge for 15-30mins, bring them out of the fridge and brush them lightly with cold buttermilk
- Bake at 375F for the first 15mins then reduce to 350F for the last 10 mins
- Once the biscuits are baked, bring them out of the oven and let them cool
Video
Notes
- Remember to flour the surface if the dough starts to stick.
- Also, ensure the dough stays cool to the touch. If it starts to warm up, promptly place the dough in the fridge to chill for 15-20 mind before continuing
2 Comments
Anita
April 17, 2021 at 8:46 am
The buttermilk biscuit looks so good! Love the step by step and video tutorial! Esp love the detail explanation on how this recipe differs than scones , and others !
ooluwole
April 17, 2021 at 4:32 pm
Thanks Anita! Happy you enjoyed the blog and video tutorial. Hey, let me know if you try out the recipe and let me know how it goes!