Biscuits & Gravy Recipe

Preheat and prepare

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

Combine dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt until evenly combined.

Cut in butter

Add 1/2 cup very cold diced unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter remaining (some larger bits are fine for flaky layers).

Add buttermilk

Make a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture and pour in 1 cup cold buttermilk. Stir gently with a fork until the dough comes together. Do not overmix; the dough should be slightly shaggy and sticky.

Fold and pat

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over itself 3–4 times (this creates layers), then gently pat it out to about 1-inch thickness with your hands or a rolling pin. If dough is too sticky, sprinkle with a little flour, but keep it moist.

Cut biscuits

Use a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter (or a floured glass) and press straight down without twisting to cut out biscuits. Gather scraps, gently press to 1-inch thickness, and cut additional biscuits until dough is used. This should yield about 8–10 biscuits depending on cutter size.

Brush and bake

Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet so sides touch for taller biscuits or spaced apart for crispier sides. Brush tops with 2 tablespoons buttermilk or heavy cream. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden brown on top and cooked through. Remove to a rack and keep warm.

Brown the sausage

While biscuits bake, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 pound loose breakfast sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. If sausage is lean and the skillet is dry, add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to help render fat and flavor.

Make the roux

Push the browned sausage to one side of the skillet (or remove most to a bowl leaving about 2–3 tablespoons fat in the pan). If there is less than 2 tablespoons fat, add the reserved 1 tablespoon butter and let it melt. Sprinkle 1/4 cup all-purpose flour evenly over the fat and sausage. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste but do not allow it to darken much.

Add milk and thicken

Gradually whisk in 2 cups whole milk until smooth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. The gravy will thicken over 4–6 minutes. If it becomes too thick, thin with up to 1/4 cup additional milk.

Finish and season

Stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream if using for a richer gravy. Season with 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt, tasting and adjusting to preference (sausage may already be salty, so add salt cautiously). Simmer 1–2 more minutes so flavors meld. If gravy is too thin, simmer a little longer; if too thick, add milk by tablespoon until desired consistency is reached.

Keep warm

Reduce heat to low and keep gravy warm while biscuits finish baking or until ready to serve. If gravy thickens while waiting, stir in a splash of milk and reheat gently.

Serve

Split warm biscuits and spoon generous amounts of sausage gravy over each half. Garnish with chopped parsley or a sprinkle of fresh thyme if desired. Serve immediately.