Biscuits & Gravy Recipe

Preheat and prepare

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

Dry ingredients

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

Cut in butter

Grate or cut 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter into the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Work quickly so the butter stays cold.

Add buttermilk and form dough

Make a well in the center and pour in 1 cup cold buttermilk. Gently stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix; the dough should be slightly sticky but cohesive. If dough is too dry, add up to 1 tbsp additional buttermilk.

Fold and pat

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over itself 3 to 4 times to create layers, then gently pat or roll to about 3/4- to 1-inch thickness. Avoid kneading extensively.

Cut biscuits

Using a 2- to 2.5-inch round biscuit cutter (or a floured glass), cut biscuits straight down without twisting. Gently press scraps together and re-cut to make a total of 8 to 10 biscuits (yielding 2 for a full order or 1 for a half). Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet close together for taller sides or spaced apart for crisper sides.

Bake

Brush tops lightly with 2 tbsp melted butter. Bake in the preheated oven 12–14 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through if your oven bakes unevenly.

Finish

Remove from oven and brush again with any remaining melted butter. Let the biscuits rest on a rack for 5 minutes while you prepare the gravy.

Brown sausage

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 lb bulk pork sausage, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook 6–8 minutes until fully browned and no pink remains. You want rendered fat in the pan; if the sausage is very lean, add 1 tbsp butter.

Make the roux

Reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle 1/4 cup all-purpose flour evenly over the cooked sausage and fat. Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook the raw flour taste, coating the meat and fat. Do not let the flour darken.

Add milk and cream

Slowly pour in 2 cups whole milk while stirring to combine and break up any lumps. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional) for a richer gravy. Increase heat to medium and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. The gravy will thicken as it heats; simmer 4–6 minutes to reach a creamy consistency.

Season generously

Season with 1 tsp kosher salt and 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, stirring and tasting. Adjust salt and pepper to preference — pepper should be prominent in a 'peppered' gravy. If gravy becomes too thick, thin it with up to 2 tbsp hot water or additional milk, stirring until smooth.

Keep warm

Reduce heat to low and keep the gravy warm, stirring occasionally, while biscuits finish or until ready to serve.

Split the warm biscuits horizontally. Place each bottom half on a plate, spoon a generous amount of peppered sausage gravy over each (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup per biscuit for a full, hearty portion). Top with the biscuit tops or serve open-faced.

Garnish with 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately while biscuits are hot and gravy is steaming.