Biscuits & Gravy Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar until evenly combined.

Cut in butter

Cut 3/4 cup (6 tablespoons plus 1/2 tablespoon) cold unsalted butter into roughly 1/2-inch cubes. Use a pastry cutter, two knives, or a fork to cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining (small lumps of butter will create flaky layers).

Add buttermilk and mix

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in 1 cup cold buttermilk. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the dough just comes together and is shaggy; do not overmix. If the dough seems too dry, add up to 1 to 2 tablespoons additional buttermilk.

Fold and pat

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently fold the dough over on itself 2–3 times to create layers, then pat to a rectangle about 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick. Use a 2.5–3 inch round biscuit cutter to cut biscuits straight down (do not twist) to preserve rise. Gather scraps, gently press together, and cut remaining biscuits — aim for 8 to 10 biscuits depending on cutter size.

Brush and bake

Place biscuits on prepared baking sheet so they just touch for taller sides or spaced apart for crispier edges. Brush tops with 2 tablespoons buttermilk or milk. Bake in preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, until tops are golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes on a rack before splitting.

Brown sausage

While the biscuits bake, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 lb pork breakfast sausage, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until well browned with small crispy bits, about 8–10 minutes. Drain excess fat if there is more than about 2 tablespoons, but leave roughly 1–2 tablespoons in the pan to help flavor the gravy.

Make a roux with sausage

Reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle 1/3 cup all-purpose flour evenly over the cooked sausage and fat. Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook the raw flour taste and coat the sausage; the mixture will become pasty and lightly toasted.

Add milk and thin

Gradually whisk in 3 cups whole milk, adding a little at a time and scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Increase heat to medium and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, whisking frequently so it thickens smoothly. If you prefer a thinner gravy, whisk in up to 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock while simmering.

Season and finish

Once the gravy has thickened to a creamy sauce that coats the back of a spoon (about 5–8 minutes), season with 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt (taste and adjust), and optional 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes for a touch of heat. If gravy becomes too thick, thin with a splash of milk or stock. Keep warm on lowest heat, stirring occasionally.

Serve

Split warm biscuits in half and spoon generous amounts of sausage gravy over each half. Serve immediately. Leftover gravy can be cooled, refrigerated up to 3 days, and reheated gently with a splash of milk to restore consistency.