Biscuits And Gravy Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.

Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt until evenly distributed.

Cut in butter: Add 1/2 cup (1 stick) very cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until the largest pieces are pea-sized and the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with some larger buttery bits remaining (about 6–8 quick pulses if using a food processor).

Add buttermilk: Make a well in the center and pour in 1 cup cold buttermilk. Stir gently with a spatula until dough just comes together. The dough should be slightly shaggy and sticky; do not overmix or knead.

Shape biscuits: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself 2–3 times to create layers, pressing gently to form a roughly 1–1 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Pat or roll to about 1-inch thickness if you prefer taller biscuits. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter (or a floured biscuit cutter or glass), press straight down without twisting to cut biscuits. Re-roll scraps once and cut remaining biscuits (you should get about 8 biscuits total).

Bake: Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet so sides just touch for taller sides or spaced apart for crustier sides. Brush tops with 2 tablespoons heavy cream if using for extra browning. Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, until tops are golden brown and a toothpick into the center comes out clean.

Finish: Remove biscuits from oven and transfer to a rack. If desired, split warm biscuits and spread optional butter before topping with gravy.

Brown the sausage: In a large skillet (10–12 inch) over medium heat, add 1 lb bulk breakfast sausage. Cook, breaking up with a spatula, until no longer pink and small browned bits form, about 6–8 minutes. If the sausage is very lean and the pan is dry, add 1 tablespoon butter and let it melt before continuing to brown.

Remove excess fat: If there is an excessive amount of fat in the pan (more than 3 tablespoons), spoon off and discard most, leaving about 2 tablespoons of fat along with the cooked sausage. Keep the browned bits in the pan.

Make the roux: Sprinkle 1/4 cup all-purpose flour evenly over the sausage and fat. Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes so the flour cooks and begins to brown slightly — this removes the raw flour taste and helps thicken the gravy.

Add milk gradually: Slowly pour in 2 1/2 cups whole milk while stirring or whisking to avoid lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.

Simmer and thicken: Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the gravy thickens to a creamy sauce that coats the back of a spoon, about 5–8 minutes. If it becomes too thick, stir in up to 2 tablespoons hot water or additional milk to reach desired pouring consistency.

Finish and season: Stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream for silkiness (optional). Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust: add more salt or pepper as needed. Keep the gravy warm over very low heat, stirring occasionally. If it separates or becomes too thick as it cools, add a splash of hot milk and whisk until smooth.

Assemble: Split warm biscuits in half and place the bottoms on plates. Spoon a generous ladleful of sausage gravy over each biscuit bottom, then top with the biscuit top (or leave open-faced).

Garnish and serve: Dot with optional butter and sprinkle chopped fresh chives or parsley. Serve immediately with additional black pepper on the side.