Biscuits & Gravy Recipe

Preheat and prepare

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

Combine dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt until evenly distributed.

Cut in butter

Cube 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter and use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips to cut it into the dry mixture until the mix resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining (about 6–8 turns). Work quickly so butter stays cold.

Add buttermilk

Pour 1 cup cold buttermilk into the flour-butter mixture. Using a fork or spatula, fold just until the dough comes together and is shaggy. If dough is too dry, add up to 1/4 cup additional buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time until it holds together but is still slightly sticky.

Turn out and pat

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press and fold the dough over itself 3–4 times to create layers, then pat to about 3/4-inch thickness. Do not overwork.

Cut biscuits

Use a 2.5–3 inch round cutter (or a floured glass) to cut out biscuits, pressing straight down without twisting. Gather scraps, gently pat out and cut additional biscuits until dough is used. You should get about 8–10 biscuits.

Bake

Place biscuits close together on the prepared baking sheet (edges touching for taller sides) or spaced slightly apart for crisper sides. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted butter. Bake in preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, until golden brown on top and cooked through. Remove and let cool slightly on a rack.

Brown the sausage

While biscuits bake, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 pound bulk pork sausage, breaking it into bite-size pieces with a spoon. Cook, stirring, until browned and no pink remains, about 6–8 minutes.

Drain excess fat (if needed)

If the sausage releases an excessive amount of grease (more than ~3 tablespoons), carefully spoon off and discard all but about 2–3 tablespoons of fat in the skillet. Leave browned bits in the pan.

Make roux

Sprinkle 1.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour evenly over the sausage and fat. Stir continuously for 1–2 minutes to cook the raw flour taste and coat the sausage. The mixture will thicken slightly.

Add milk and simmer

Gradually pour in 2.5 cups whole milk while stirring to combine. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. The gravy will thicken over 4–6 minutes.

Finish and season

If you want a richer gravy, stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, tasting and adjusting as needed. If gravy becomes too thick, thin with up to 2 tablespoons hot water or additional milk and simmer 1–2 minutes more. If too thin, simmer a few minutes longer to reduce and thicken.

Keep warm

Reduce heat to low and keep the gravy warm, stirring occasionally, while biscuits finish if needed.

Split warm biscuits in half horizontally. Spoon a generous portion of sausage gravy over the bottom half, then top with the biscuit crown. Garnish with chopped chives or parsley and a few grinds of black pepper. Serve immediately with hot sauce on the side if desired.