Biscuits & Gravy Recipe

Preheat and prepare

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

Mix 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 combined.

Cut in butter

Grate or cut 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter into small pieces and work into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.

Add liquid

Pour in 1 cup cold buttermilk and stir gently with a fork until the dough just comes together. Avoid overworking; it should be shaggy but cohesive.

Form biscuits

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently fold it over itself 3–4 times to create layers. Pat or roll to about 1-inch thickness. Using a 2.5–3 inch round cutter, cut out 4 biscuits (re-roll scraps once). Place biscuits on prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Brush tops with 2 teaspoons heavy cream if using for a golden top.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven until risen and golden brown, about 12–15 minutes. Remove and keep warm while preparing gravy and eggs.

Brown the sausage

While biscuits bake, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound ground breakfast sausage and 1 tablespoon butter (if sausage is very lean). Break the sausage into small pieces and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Do not drain the pan; leave the rendered fat in the skillet (remove excess if there is more than 2–3 tablespoons).

Make roux

Reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour over the cooked sausage and stir to coat evenly. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes to remove raw flour taste but do not let it burn.

Add milk and simmer

Gradually whisk in 2.5 cups whole milk, adding a little at a time to incorporate smoothly. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. The gravy will thicken as it heats. If you want a richer gravy, stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream now.

Season and adjust

Once thickened to a creamy gravy consistency (coats the back of a spoon), season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust salt/pepper as needed. If the 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 gravy warm, stirring occasionally, while you cook the eggs and finish plating.

Cook eggs

When biscuits are nearly done, heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-low and add 1 teaspoon butter or neutral oil. Crack 2 large eggs into the pan and cook to desired doneness: sunny-side up 2–3 minutes (cover briefly to set whites), over-easy 3–4 minutes flipping once, or scramble to preferred doneness. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Assemble and serve

Split each warm biscuit in half. Place two biscuit halves (or a whole biscuit if preferred) on each plate to make 4 biscuits total. Spoon a generous amount of sausage gravy over the biscuits so they are well coated. Top with the two cooked eggs (one egg per serving or both on one plate as desired). Garnish with a pinch of cracked black pepper and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives if using. Serve immediately.