Homemade Southern Biscuits are easier to make than you think, and you can make them perfectly on your first try. In fact, you can make them in five easy steps. This is a quick and simple recipe for biscuits at home that bake up perfectly golden on the outside, flaky and buttery on the inside every single time.
This is a great recipe for all of us to have under our belt, but if you're a lady hailing from the South, it's pure necessity. It requires few ingredients, and in less than 10 minutes, you'll have homemade Southern biscuits baking up mile-high in your very own oven.
SOUTHERN BISCUIT INGREDIENTS
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cold, Unsalted Butter
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda
- Milk
It doesn't take much to make Southern Biscuits at home. The base is a mixture of flour, along with two leaveners -- the baking powder and baking soda -- and salt.
Butter serves as the fat, making them flavorful and tender and milk is the liquid that brings it all together and binds the dough. If you happen to have buttermilk on hand that needs to be used, make these Buttermilk Biscuits instead!
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE SOUTHERN BISCUITS
Now, let's move on to our 5 easy steps for making Homemade Southern Biscuits from scratch.
- Mix dry ingredients.
- Cut in the butter.
- Stir in the milk.
- Pat out the dough and cut the biscuits.
- Bake.
1. MIX YOUR DRY INGREDIENTS
Your homemade biscuits will begin with a mix of dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda, and salt. Add the ingredients to a large mixing bowl, and whisk to combine.
2. CUT IN THE BUTTER
Once your dry ingredients are mixed up, it's time to cut in the butter. But first, you must cut the butter.
Cut the butter into small cubes and scatter across the bowl, then cut the butter into the dry ingredients.
You can do this using a pastry blender, or two knives if you want to be super old-fashioned about it. Continue working until it resembles small peas scattered throughout the mix...obviously, they won't be green.
WHY COLD BUTTER FOR BISCUIT DOUGH?
One of the most important ingredients in Homemade Southern biscuits is the butter, and more specifically, the temperature of the butter. When working butter into a pastry dough (which essentially what homemade biscuits are), it is important the butter is cold. Very cold.
The cold butter helps to create little steam pockets throughout the makeup of the dough, in turn, creating layers and one heck of a flaky homemade Southern biscuit.
Moving on to step three.
3. ADD THE MILK
Milk is all you need to bind the ingredients and form the dough. Add the milk, and stir with a sturdy, wooden spoon until evenly incorporated. If the spoon didn't fully do the trick, just get in there with your hands and lightly knead a few times to bring it all together.
4. CUT THE BISCUITS
Lay the biscuits out on a floured work surface and pat them into a rectangle or dough round, about 1" thick. From here, you can either cut the biscuits into 2" squares using a knife or using a round cookie cutter.
You can re-combine the scraps up to two times to get the most out of your dough.
5. BAKE
Biscuits bake at a high temperature so be sure to preheat your oven before you get started. This way, you can be confident it is reading true to temperature when it comes time to bake.
Place your Homemade Southern Biscuits on a baking sheet prepared with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and let 'em go in the oven until they are golden-brown, flaky perfection.
If baking is your thing, slamming out some homemade potato hamburger buns for your next burger night will win the day after you've served these biscuits for breakfast!
For some more southern breakfast goodness, check out our savory Cheese Grits.
USE HOMEMADE SOUTHERN BISCUITS FOR...
These Homemade Southern Biscuits can be served at numerous occasions, at just about any time of day. You can bake up a big batch over the weekend, freeze what's left behind, and reheat them on the weekdays for a quick-fix breakfast.
Use them to serve up the crowd-pleasing breakfast favorite Biscuits and Gravy, top them with Southern Tomato Gravy, or serve them on the side of just about any comfort food dinner. In fact, we dressed up this very recipe and transformed it into Red Lobster's famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits for a savory, dinnertime side dish! Or, keep it simple and top them with a little extra smear of butter and a drizzle of honey and call it dessert.
This is everything you need to know to get those perfect homemade Southern biscuits right on your very first go-round, and one you'll be able to put to good use for a lifetime! They're quick, easy, and perfect for big family breakfasts or even breakfast on the go. Biscuits are portable, you know? However (or wherever) you should choose to consume them, please, enjoy.
5 MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits are extra tender, super flavorful, and equipped with layers for days! Add this recipe to your biscuit repertoire!
- Homemade Biscuits and Gravy features homemade biscuits and the best recipe for scratch-made sausage gravy — a creamy white gravy speckled with black pepper and pork breakfast sausage!
- Easy Drop Biscuits with Cheddar and Chives are great for a quick weeknight side dish, and an all-time savory favorite to pass around the table!
- Homemade Garlic Bread is quick and easy to make, and a wonderful accompaniment to pasta night! Featuring a simple spread made up of butter, oil, garlic, and Parmesan cheese.
- Easy Homemade Cornbread feeds a crowd and makes for one impressive presentation ballooning out of its cast iron pan, and always bakes up tender and moist!
Southern Homemade Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for working with dough
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- ¾ cup whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° and have ready a baking sheet lined with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk to combine.
- Scatter the cubes of butter across dry mixture, and using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the cubes are the size of peas.
- Add the milk and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. Lightly knead the mixture a bit with your hands (only if necessary) to bring it all together.
- Transfer the dough to a work surface dusted with flour and pat out so that it is 1" thick. Cut into 2" squares or use a biscuit cutter to form the biscuits. You can re-work the scraps up to two times to make more biscuits.
- Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden-brown. Serve and enjoy.
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Iryna says
I've never made biscuits myself, but now I see how easy it is. They look so crispy and absolutely perfect.
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you, Iryna! Yes, so easy!!!
Annissa says
My husband is a southern boy and these biscuits look just like the ones his Aunt Shirley would make. What a perfect batch--tall and flakey!
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you, Annissa!
Traci says
I love to make biscuits… And just think, baking season is pretty much HERE! Yay! Just pinned this beauty 🙂
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you so much, Traci!
Shanika says
Wow, these biscuits did something to my heart! Being a Southern girl at heart, I must say YUM! These look delicious! Pinned!
Kelly Anthony says
Aw, yay! Thank you so much Shanika!
Sandi says
These golden biscuits look mouthwatering. Can't wait to try them.
Kitty says
These biscuits look amazing! So flaky! Do you freeze them before or after baking?
Melissa Belanger says
Could these biscuits be any fluffier? NO. They're amazing!!
Kelly Anthony says
Ha! Thank you, Melissa!
Gloria says
Nothing beats the taste and aroma of homemade biscuits. These look perfect. A great addition to any soup, chili or salad. If you are like me, I would eat this for breakfast with some jam.
Jeannette (Jay Joy) says
I love that they can be frozen for when it's just our immediate family, but be perfect for when we have visitors for breakfast as you mentioned!
Danielle Wolter says
I can almost taste the buttery deliciousness of these biscuits. They look so flaky and perfect! I totally need to learn how to make biscuits - Adding these to my list of must makes!
Amanda says
I have a total weakness for biscuits, and these look amazing! The texture looks so fluffy and delicious. I'll have to make these over the weekend.
Linda says
Oh my! Those biscuits look so flaky good. I love waking up to this kind of scenes - freshly baked homemade biscuits for breakfast. Can you pass me the butter, please?
Stine Mari says
OMG what flaky perfection this is!! I need to try this recipe asap, it just looks too good to miss. Pinning it for later!
Jacqueline Debono says
Your homemade biscuits look fabulous. I've never made this kind of biscuit myself but it seems easy so definitely want to try my hand at making them!
Kacie Morgan says
I've never tasted Southern biscuits before but I'm hearing a lot of positive stuff about them lately. Perhaps I need to try out your recipe!
Kelly Anthony says
I think so 😉 Thank you so much, Kacie!
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
I love biscuits, but have never attempted to make them at home. I love the step by step process and can't wait to give it a try!
Tanya says
Could I cook these in my cast iron skillet instead of cookie sheet?
Kelly Anthony says
Absolutely 🙂 That's actually my husband's preferred method!
April says
I love when biscuits bake up golden on the outside. Look great and almost always taste tremendous! Great recipe as always.
Krista Price says
I've never attempted home-made buiscuits before, but now that I know how easy they are I'm definitely going to be adding them into my mental recipe archive. Thanks for sharing!
Luci says
All great tips. I'll have to try this recipe out the next time I make biscuits.
Caroline says
We do enjoy biscuits now and then and these look so good. Great tips for making them too.
Cathy says
These look so deliciously moist and perfectly flaky, so making these!!
Kelly Anthony says
You won't regret it 😉 Thank you, Cathy!
Christina | Christina's Cucina says
I was just in Tennessee and had the most delicious biscuits! Yours look and sound fabulous! Must try!
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you, Christina!
Natalie says
Looks so delicious! I love homemade biscuits! Perfect for brunch ♥
Chichi says
These look super crispy and delicious. Thanks for the tips.
Renu says
This has my name written on it. What a perfectly baked biscuit. The crust, the texture and that pic with syrup,just yum. want to grab it straight.
SARAH says
Can one use 2% milk instead of whole??
Kelly Anthony says
I think that would be fine 😉
Saima says
I love how adaptable these biscuits are! Can be had for breakfast, dinner or dessert! What could be better than that? And they look so golden and inviting!
Aleta says
I really don't think there is anything better than biscuits when it comes to chili or stew. Yours look amazing. I love your directions, super easy to follow, and your photography is beautiful 🙂
Veena Azmanov says
I love making biscuits especially now in winter even more because my kids love eating it with their soup. This looks so perfect. Love how wonderfully flaky and crisp the top surface looks.
Analida Braeger says
I would probably burn my mouth from impatience. I adore biscuits. Slathered in butter, sopping in strawberry, with gravy. What a versatile food. Thanks for sharing.
Farwin says
They look so buttery and flaky. Simply amazing! We love to have some with soups but they will be eaten any time 🙂
Jennifer says
OMG...these biscuits are AMAZING!!!!! I will never buy biscuits again because these are the best!!!
Sherri says
You definitely can't beat homemade biscuits! They are great to serve with so many things, but my favorite is just by themselves with lots of BUTTER! 😉 Your biscuits are simply mouthwatering!
Elizabeth Leaver says
I don't think I've made biscuits since I was at school, and I can't work out why because I love them! These look fab,
and such great tips as well. There's a reason they say cold hands make the best pastry!
Kelly Anthony says
So true! Thank you, Elizabeth!
Anne Lawton says
These do look like perfect Southern Biscuits! Flakey and buttery. Thanks for sharing.
Krista Price says
I made these for breakfast this morning and holy moly - they're incredible. They're super buttery, flaky and soft. Not a thing I would do differently! Thank you for this recipe!
Ruchi says
Golden brown beautiful color and those biscuits look so flaky! Must have recipe!
Lesli Schwartz says
Nothing like the aroma of freshly baked southern biscuits in the kitchen! These look amazing!
Kelly Anthony says
So true! Thanks, Lesli!
Gloria says
You don't have to ask me twice. I am a bread lover. I could make a meal of freshly baked biscuits slathered with butter (and I have)LOL!!
Danielle Wolter says
i def need to learn how to make biscuits. love them so much and have never made them! these are such great tips and I'm going to be saving this for later 🙂
Taylor Kiser says
These look so perfect! They look so flaky and delicious!
Heidy L. McCallum says
I'm a picky Southern Girl about my biscuits, but I have to tell you these look wonderful. I'm going to have to make these and take some to my Grannie this weekend. Have a great day.
Jill says
Loving how tall and flaky these biscuits look. Absolute perfection!
Calleigh K says
I love these... baked to perfection. They look so flaky and yummy, definitely on my list this weekend.
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you so much, Calleigh!
Andrea @ Cooking with Mamma C says
These look so flaky and buttery! GAH! I need some of these biscuits, pronto!
Stine Mari says
Those are some sky high biscuits! They look so incredibly flaky and buttery, how absolutely YUM!
Byron Thomas says
I'm loving the simplicity of these biscuits! I have tried to make biscuits before, but have trouble achieving that flaky, layered look. I'm going to try the two knife technique and keep my warm hands away from that cold butter as much as possible. I'll report back my findings! 🙂
Maman de sara says
I make something similar with buttermilk, yours look flaky and tempting!
April says
When you say homemade Southern buscuits I get super excited because they always turn to be the best thing on the table for me. And this recipe is so good I can't wait to try it!