Biscuits With Honey-butter Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven for a slightly golden top.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt until evenly combined.

Cut the cold butter: Using a box grater or a pastry cutter, grate or cut 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) very cold unsalted butter into the flour mixture until the pieces are about pea-sized. If using a grater, pulse gently after grating to distribute; if using a food processor, pulse 6–8 times. The mixture should look coarse with visible butter bits.

Add cold buttermilk: Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in 1 cup cold buttermilk. Using a wide spatula or a fork, fold the mixture together until large, shaggy clumps form and most of the flour is incorporated. Do not overmix; the dough should be slightly sticky but hold together.

Turn out and fold: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, gently fold the dough over itself 3–4 times to build layers (press down, fold, rotate 90°, repeat). Pat the dough into a rectangle about 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick. If the dough is too sticky to handle, dust lightly with flour — avoid adding much more flour which will make biscuits tough.

Cut biscuits: Using a 2.5-inch round biscuit cutter (or a floured glass), press straight down without twisting to cut biscuits. Recombining scraps: Gently gather scraps, press together once, and cut remaining biscuits. Aim for 8 medium biscuits. Place them on the prepared sheet so they slightly touch for taller sides or spaced apart for crispier edges.

Brush and bake: Optional — brush the tops with 2 tablespoons heavy cream for extra browning. Bake in the preheated 450°F oven for 12–15 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through, until the tops are golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.

Prepare honey-butter: While the biscuits bake, combine 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) softened unsalted butter with 3 tablespoons honey and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt in a small bowl. Stir vigorously with a spoon or small whisk until smooth and spreadable. Taste and adjust salt or honey to preference.

Serve: Split the warm biscuits in half and spread each with a generous amount of honey-butter. For a melty finish, place open-faced halves briefly under the broiler for 30–60 seconds (watch closely) or simply let the warm biscuit melt the honey-butter naturally. Serve immediately.

Storage: Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes. Store honey-butter in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and bring to room temperature before serving so it is spreadable.