Biscuits & Gravy Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Combine 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, and 1 teaspoon salt until evenly distributed.

Cut in butter

Add 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Do not overwork; a few visible butter bits yield flakiness.

Add buttermilk

Pour 1 cup cold buttermilk into the flour-butter mixture. Stir gently with a fork until a shaggy, slightly sticky dough forms. If dough is too dry, add up to 1-2 tablespoons cold milk; if too wet, add 1 tablespoon flour. Avoid overmixing to keep biscuits tender.

Turn out and fold

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle about 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick. Fold the dough over onto itself 2-3 times to create layers, then pat again to roughly 1-inch thickness.

Cut biscuits

Using a 2 1/2 to 3-inch round cutter, press straight down (do not twist) to cut 8 biscuits. Gather scraps, gently press to re-flatten, and cut remaining biscuits. Place biscuits on prepared baking sheet touching slightly for taller sides, or spaced for crisp edges.

Brush and bake

Brush tops with 2 tablespoons cold milk if desired for color. Bake in preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, rotating pan halfway, until tops are golden brown and biscuits are risen. Transfer to a wire rack and keep warm while you make gravy.

Brown the sausage

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 pound bulk pork breakfast sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage is browned with small crisp bits and most of the fat has rendered, about 6–8 minutes.

Drain excess fat (optional)

If an excessive amount of fat has rendered (more than about 3 tablespoons), carefully spoon off and discard enough to leave about 2–3 tablespoons in the pan. Leave the flavorful browned bits.

Make the roux

Sprinkle 1/3 cup all-purpose flour evenly over the browned sausage. Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes so the flour cooks and absorbs fat, coating the meat. This removes raw flour taste and thickens the gravy.

Add milk gradually

Slowly pour in 3 cups whole milk while stirring or whisking to prevent lumps. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. The gravy will thicken as it heats; this takes about 5–8 minutes.

Finish and season

Once the gravy reaches a thick, coating consistency, stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional for richness), 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes if using. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. If gravy becomes too thick, whisk in up to 1/4 cup additional milk to reach desired consistency.

Keep warm

Reduce heat to low and keep the gravy warm, stirring occasionally, until biscuits are ready. If making ahead, cover and rewarm gently over low heat before serving, adding a splash of milk if needed to loosen.

Split warm biscuits in half. Spoon a generous amount of sausage gravy over the bottom halves, top with the biscuit tops, or serve open-faced. Garnish with extra black pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

Servings: Split the recipe into 4 servings (each serving = 2 biscuits with gravy).