Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Place a rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, fine salt, and granulated sugar until evenly combined.

Cutting the butter

Cut the very cold unsalted butter into 1/2-inch cubes. If using shortening, cut that into small pieces as well. Put the butter (and shortening) into the bowl with the dry ingredients.

Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. You can also pulse a food processor 6–8 short pulses to reach this texture. The pea-sized bits of butter are important for flaky layers.

Make a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture and pour in the cold buttermilk. Using a fork or a flexible spatula, gently stir just until the dough comes together and there are no large dry patches. The dough will be slightly shaggy and sticky; do not overmix.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands, gently pat the dough into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter (fold the far third over the middle, then the near third over that). Rotate the dough 90 degrees, gently pat back to 1-inch thickness, and repeat the fold 1–2 more times (total of 2–3 folds). This builds layers without overworking the dough.

After the final fold, pat the dough to about 3/4- to 1-inch thickness. Use a 2.5-inch round biscuit cutter (or a floured glass) to cut biscuits straight down without twisting. Press scraps together gently—do not overwork—and cut remaining biscuits.

Place the cut biscuits on the prepared baking sheet either close together (touching) for taller sides or spaced apart for crisper sides. Arrange them so that the layers align vertically.

Bake in the preheated 450°F (230°C) oven for 12–15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the centers are cooked through. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color if your oven has hot spots.

Remove the biscuits from the oven and immediately brush the tops with the melted butter. Sprinkle with a pinch of coarse or flaky sea salt if desired.

Let the biscuits cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then serve warm. Biscuits are best the day they are made; to reheat, warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–8 minutes.