Foolproof Flaky Biscuits + Video
The secret to Foolproof Flaky Biscuits is revealed! Find out how to get flaky, layered, buttery, tender biscuits you will swoon over!
One of my husband’s favorite breakfasts is biscuits and gravy. I don’t make it very often because I haven’t had the best luck and getting a tall, flaky biscuit worth making again and again. I have since learned the secret to flaky biscuits doesn’t necessarily lie in the recipe alone, but that the technique also helps get you those amazing, buttery layers! It really is foolproof!
I’m talking crisp exterior, peel apart layers, and a tender center! Did I mention these are oh so buttery?! Swoon! Slather on some apple butter, jelly or jam, butter and honey, whatever your pleasure, and enjoy these biscuits ASAP!
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Let me show you how to get the foolproof flaky layers… First off, it’s really important to have COLD butter when you make biscuits (or pie crust) because when the butter melts, it creates pockets of air to help make those flaky layers. Also, don’t crumble them all away. Pea size butter pieces are ideal.
After you add the buttermilk and the dough comes together, roll it out into roughly a 6×9-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Then cut that rectangle into thirds.
Here’s the trick! Stack each third on top of one another and roll the dough into a 6×9-inch rectangle again. This helps ensure you get those tall, flaky layers!
Using a 2 1/4 or 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut 9 (maybe 10) biscuits and place them on a silicone lined baking sheet. Do your best to piece together the scraps and use up all the dough with the layering technique, without overworking the dough or melting the butter with your warm hands.
If any of the edges kind of stick down, I stretch them before baking to help make sure they will grow tall and flaky. You can see in the picture below that they are pretty thick to start with, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inches tall, and you can see some chunks of butter and layering before they even go in the oven.
Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on top and bottom. These are best enjoyed warm and crisp from the oven, but you can store leftovers in a zip-top bag for 3 or 4 days. I like to re-heat my leftover biscuits, one at a time, in the microwave for 10 to 12 seconds.
Foolproof Flaky Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon & level)
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into Tablespoons
- ¾ cup (177 ml) buttermilk, cold (or milk plus 1 tsp of lemon juice/white vinegar; allow to sit for 5 minutes before using)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until pea size pieces.
- Add the cold buttermilk all at once and form into a ball.
- Roll dough onto a lightly floured surface, into a 6×9-inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle into thirds.
- Stack each third on top of one another and roll the dough into a 6×9-inch rectangle again.
- Using a 2¼ or 2½-inch biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut 9 (maybe 10) biscuits and place them on a silicone lined baking sheet. Do your best to piece together the scraps and use up all the dough with the layering technique, without overworking the dough or melting the butter with your warm hands. (If any of the edges kind of stick down, I stretch them before baking to help make sure they will grow tall and flaky.)
- Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on top and bottom.
Video
Notes
- Store any leftovers in a zip-top bag for 3 or 4 days. I like to re-heat my leftover biscuits, one at a time, in the microwave for 10 to 12 seconds.
Did you make this?
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LOVE these biscuits. But, now all I have is self-rising flour. How would I sub that for the AP flour? HELP!
Hi Cynthia! Glad to hear you are enjoying the biscuits. As for the substitution, I can’t say for sure, but I think you would just omit the baking powder since self-rising flour already has it in there. You may even want to omit the salt if your the self rising flour has salt in it already too. Check the ingredients and do your best. From what I’m reading it may not be as tender and might require extra liquid because it’s a higher protein flour.
1st time I rolled them 2nd time I just “pat” the dough – night and day! The patted dough was exactly what I was looking for! The rolled dough didn’t give me the height or texture I wanted! If rolling isn’t working try patting it! I also threw some raisins in – terrific
Nice! Thanks for sharing your experience with the recipe.
Excellent recipe! I have tried many biscuit recipes and this is the first that looks and tastes exactly the way biscuits should look and taste. I love these and I’m not even the biggest fan of biscuits in general. Made my 13 YO son a chicken biscuit with one of these and he not only inhaled it within a couple of minutes, he also went back and ate a plain one with gusto. And did I mention they’re delicious? I used powdered buttermilk mix and it worked great. Highly recommend either that or real buttermilk–it makes a big difference with the flavor. Thanks!
Wonderful! Thanks for your review!
Oh my these are so easy and delicious.. I froze some on a cookie sheet before baking too use later on.. I also added grated cheddar cheese on some. So good!
I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying this recipe and making it your own. Thanks for your review Virginia!
Really enjoyed this recipe. Made them the 1st time to top a home made pot pie. The 2nd time I cut them in 3″ x 3″ squares for breakfast sandwiches. Incredibly buttery, nice crisp out side and fluffy crumb inside. Just one question I roll them to about 3/4 thick and seem to be a bit thin. What do you suggest for a thickenss? Everything is cold, tools, milk, butter even the bowl. Thoughts?
Hi Mark! Glad you are enjoying this recipe. As far as thickness goes, you can try cutting them 1 inch thick, but if your baking powder is old, that may be the culprit. It should be replaced every 6 months.
Followed your recipe to the last drop. Delicious!!!
So glad you enjoyed the biscuits!
Hi Amber! Thank you for the recipe. Since I haven’t made biscuits in a while, my first batch turned out a bit rough on the edges. The dough was just too moist despite all my mixing and measuring two cups.
I had to add extra flour to get it drier but that’s not ideal. Any tips on how to nail that flour-to-moisture ratio?
If they seemed really wet, I would just add less buttermilk next time. Start with 1/2 cup and start mixing together with a spoon and go from there, adding a little extra buttermilk at a time until it balls up. Hope this helps!
I love these biscuits! I baked them in a cast iron skillet today and the bottom had such a lightly crisp texture ❤️🥰Best recipe!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these biscuits Theresa. Thanks for sharing how they turned out in a cast iron skillet.
After adding the buttermilk I use a dough wisk to mix. Dough comes together beautifully.
Great tip! Thanks for sharing.
Wow!! This recipe is great!! Just have to make them bigger and they will be like the Pillsbury Flakey Grand Biscuits!! Thanks for the awesome recipe!!
So glad you enjoyed these biscuits Pat! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with the recipe.