How to Bake Your Best Biscuits Ever

There are few things more delicious and comforting than homemade biscuits. Since today is National Biscuit Day, we’re perfecting our biscuit baking skills! Learn the technique with the step-by-step guide below, then try it out with our classic recipe. Just make sure your butter is cold, mix with a light hand, and you’ll have perfect, flaky-fluffy biscuits every time. (Tip: you can use the same method to make scones !)

 

Mix the dry ingredients In a large bowl, using a fork, stir together the dry ingredients, such as flour, salt and baking powder.

Toss in the butter Add cold butter cubes to the flour mixture and toss well with a fork to coat the butter well.

Cut in the butter Using a pastry blender or two butter knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter pieces are the size of small peas.

Add the cold liquid Add the liquid component (usually milk, buttermilk or cream) and stir with the fork just until the ingredients are combined.

Bring it all together Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Using a gentle touch, with your hands or a rolling pin, pat the mixture into a disk or rectangle.

Cut & bake Using a biscuit cutter or a large knife, cut the dough into the desired shapes and bake.

 

Buttermilk Biscuits

 

1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz./235 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups (6 oz./185 g) cake flour, plus more as needed

4 tsp. baking powder

1 Tbs. sugar

1 1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup (1 stick/4 oz./125 g) plus 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) cold buttermilk

 

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

In a bowl, using a fork, stir together the all-purpose and cake flours, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Add the butter and toss it well to coat it with the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter just until the mixture forms coarse crumbs the size of small peas. Pour in the buttermilk and mix with the fork just until the flour mixture is moistened and a slightly stiff, shaggy dough is formed.

 

Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface and press it gently a few times until it clings together. Using a light touch or a lightly floured rolling pin, press or roll the dough into a round about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Using a 3-inch (7.5-cm) biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut straight down and lift to punch out each biscuit. Cut them as close together as possible for a minimum of scraps. Pack the scraps together and reroll them to cut out more biscuits. You should have about 16 biscuits.

 

Place hte biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Bake until the biscuits are firm to the touch and golden, 15-18 minutes.

 

Remove the biscuits from the oven and let them cool slightly on the baking sheet. Serve warm. Makes 16 biscuits.

 

Find more foolproof recipes for everyday baking in our cookbook, Bake Good Things.