Best Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits: No Food Processor

This is the best recipe for buttermilk biscuits. Even says, my southern mom! It is very easy to make and bake. I live in the north and use hard flour because it is the only kind available and they are still great. More info on Hard Vs. Soft Flour. If you like this Instructable, please vote for me in the FAT CONTEST. Thanks!

Step 1: Ingredients and Tools

The Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) of very cold butter (ignore the 8 Tbsp on the photo above)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoon salted butter melted to brush on when done

The Tools

• Stand mixer with a beater attachment
• 3-inch biscut cutter or a drinking glass with a 3-inch lip
• A rolling pin

Step 2: Preheat Oven to 425°

Preheat your oven to 425°.

Step 3: Mix Dry Ingredients

In the bowl of the mixer, combine:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Mix on low speed until combined. 30 seconds.

Step 4: Add Butter

**I have not seen a difference in the flavor of the biscuits when using salted or unsalted butter**

Take 16 Tbsp (Two sticks) of cold butter. Cut into 8 cubes.

Add two cubes at a time to the dry mix to a stand mixer that is using the beater attachment on speed 2. Continue until you have fully incorporated all 8 cubes. This is probably the most important step, so make sure the butter is fully incorporated.

Step 5: Add Buttermilk

After you incorporate the butter, you need to add the buttermilk.

Add 1 cup of buttermilk and mix until most of the dough is in a clump. Don't forget to shake the bottle before you pour it in. Also, it is normal for buttermilk to smell bad. And be a just a bit lumpy if you did not shake enough.

Step 6: Making the Layers

To make the biscuit flakey and have layers - fold the layers of dough. First, take the dough and roll untill it is 1 inch thick. Next, fold the dough in half and roll back down. Repeat 8 times and flour as needed.

Step 7: Cuting and Baking the Dough

Cutting the dough

To cut the dough I take a round cutter or cup with a 3-inch lip. Cut 3-inch circles out of the dough. When there is no more room to cut full circles, I re-ball the dough and repeat step 6 on the remaining dough. Then I cut full circles out of that. Repeat until no more dough is left.

Tip: Do not twist the cutter just press down. This is because twisting will seal the edges and make the dough have a harder time rising.

Baking the dough

Put all biscuits onto a baking sheet that has parchment paper. Make sure that they are touching each other.

Bake at 425° for 25-30 minutes. The time will depend on your oven. When you think they are done, take the biscuits out and open one up to see if it is still doughy.

Step 8: MORE BUTTER!!

Melt two Tbsp of butter.

Brush the butter onto all the biscuits. For optimal butter absorption, wait 30 seconds and then do a second coat of butter.

Step 9: EAT!!!!

Now you have a basket of delicious, flakey, buttermilk biscuits! If you liked this Instructable, please vote for me in the FAT CONTEST. Many thanks to Ann Stewart for the original recipe.

Comments

[offseidjr]

Good Instructable: Instructive and interesting!

[fizzy123]

Thank you.

[3wheels]

My biscuits didn't rise like th ones in your finished photo... Any thoughts?

[fizzy123]

Hmmm. They always did for me. What flour are you using?

[3wheels]

I also thought that the flour was the most likely culprit. But I used Robin Hood Flour which shouldn't be a problem. Thanks for replying - Michael

[fizzy123]

Ok. I used king authurs flour. But it should not make a difference.

[ahunt19]

You say “8 tablespoons—2 sticks” of butter. 1 stick of butter is 8 Tablespoons, so do you mean 1 stick of butter, or 2 sticks, which would be 8 ounces?

[fizzy123]

Sorry for the conflicting info. Will change to 16 Tbsp.

[QcCity]

Thanks for all the info! I just wonder if using alternate flour like spelt or Kamut which has less gluten would do? Also I guess it might be possible to get soft wheat berries and mill your own flour. I do mill my own flour to make bread.
The biscuits here seem so good and with so little sugar at that, great I cannot wait to try it.

[fizzy123]

Thank you! Trust me try are GOOD. I don’t know what flour with less gluten would do.

[AnandM54]

Delicious one !!

[fizzy123]

Thanks

[jessyratfink]

Those look perfect!

[fizzy123]

Thanks