Biscuits and Gravy is the ultimate Southern comfort breakfast food, and you can whip up a batch at home just as good as any restaurant rendition.
Below, you'll find a simple recipe for authentic homemade biscuits and gravy, featuring how-tos for buttery homemade biscuits and a fool-proof sausage gravy to top them off.
ABOUT BISCUITS AND GRAVY
Traditional biscuits and gravy feature breakfast biscuits smothered by a creamy, country gravy (usually milk-based) that is speckled with savory pork sausage.
Serve biscuits and gravy on their own for breakfast, or alongside a pair of sunny-side-up eggs and a bowl of creamy grits for an A.M. Southern feast. However, biscuits and gravy don't have to be just for breakfast, you know?
Turn this Southern delicacy into a dinnertime treat for a quick-fix meal any night of the week. You could even sub in ground beef for the pork, if needed. Although, for an authentic rendition of biscuits and gravy, it's pork sausage all the way.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE BISCUITS
Making the biscuits from scratch for biscuits and gravy can be intimidating for new bakers, however, fear not. Biscuits are simple and straight-forward to make, not to mention, they come together fast. If you have buttermilk on hand, feel free to use it up in these perfect Buttermilk Biscuits!
- Mix the dry ingredients.
- Cut in cold butter.
- Add the milk and stir to form dough.
- Cut biscuits and bake.
1. MIX DRY INGREDIENTS
The dry ingredients are a simple mixture of all-purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder, and salt. The ingredients are whisked together and it's time for the butter.
2. CUT IN THE BUTTER
Homemade biscuits need cold, unsalted butter. Cold butter is essential in creating a beautiful, flaky biscuit. The butter is cut into tiny cubes that will later be cut into the dry ingredients
Then, using either a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse peas.
3. ADD THE MILK AND STIR
Next, it's time to add the milk. You'll need a sturdy spoon for this step. The easiest way to mix in the milk is to pour it over the mixture, and using a wooden spoon, stir until the milk is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
At this point, if all of the dough hasn't quite come together, that's okay. Gently knead the dough by pressing it outward, folding it over itself, and pressing it outward again until it comes together.
4. CUT AND BAKE
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and pat it out until about 1" thick. Then, cut into the desired shape and bake!
The biscuits will bake for about 15 minutes until they reach a perfect golden brown.
This will give you just enough time to whip up a batch of creamy sausage gravy for your homemade biscuits and gravy.
HOW TO MAKE SOUTHERN SAUSAGE GRAVY FROM SCRATCH
- Cook the sausage in a large pan on the stovetop.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir.
- Slowly add the milk.
- Simmer until thickened.
1. BROWN THE SAUSAGE
Sausage gravy starts with the pork sausage. Brown the sausage in a skillet until fully cooked.
2. SPRINKLE IN THE FLOUR
Then you'll sprinkle over the flour and stir until it coats the sausage. Most gravies call for a roux (a mixture of butter and flour), however, there is no need for any additional fat in the skillet. The pork breakfast sausage will provide plenty.
3. SLOWLY ADD MILK
For a perfect, creamy sausage gravy, add the milk one big splash at a time, stirring until smooth after each addition. Once the gravy begins to resemble a pudding-like texture, you can add the rest of the milk.
4. SIMMER
A brief simmer will allow the gravy to thicken up, and all that's left is to pull those biscuits straight out of the oven, split them open and smother them to your liking.
With this recipe, you can easily (and quickly) whip up and enjoy a mile-high, made-from-scratch biscuit smothered in a savory sausage gravy in the comfort of your own home. Please, enjoy!
5 MORE CARBY 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!
- Red Lobster Biscuits are practically indistinguishable from the restaurant's coveted biscuit recipe, baking up a beautiful golden brown with all the buttery, garlicky, cheesy flavor you'd expect from a Cheddar Bay Biscuit.
- 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!
Homemade Biscuits and Gravy with Sausage
Ingredients
For the Biscuits:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for working with dough
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- ¾ cup whole milk
For the Gravy:
- 1 pound pork breakfast sausage
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk warmed*
- ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
FOR THE BISCUITS:
- Preheat oven to 400° and have ready a cookie sheet lined with either a sheet of parchment paper or a Silpat.
- For the biscuits, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the butter, and using a pastry blender, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse, small peas.
- Pour the milk over the mixture and using a wooden spoon, stir until the dough comes together. If necessary, using floured hands, knead gently until the dough comes together.
- Transfer to a large floured work surface, sprinkle the top with more flour and pat the dough into a round about 1” thick. Using a 2” round cutter, cut out as many biscuits as you can. Form the dough into a round once more and cut rounds of whats left.
- Bake on center rack for 15 minutes, or until golden brown across the top.
FOR THE SAUSAGE GRAVY:
- In a large saute pan over medium-high heat add the sausage, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon and saute for 7-10 minutes until cooked through.
- Add flour and stir to coat. Add the milk, a generous splash at a time, whisking after each addition until all of the milk has been incorporated.
- Allow the sauce to bubble for 5-7 minutes, just until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Halve the biscuits, spoon gravy across the top, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
David @ Cooking Chat says
I definitely saw a lot more biscuits and gravy living in KY than I do back here in New England! Haven't tried making myself, you do a good job of breaking it down.
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you, David! It is definitely a Southern tradition 🙂
Claudia Lamascolo says
i just had this out recently and loved it! My husband loves biscuits and gravy thanks for posting this I would have never attempted it on my own this looks a heck of alot better than what we had!
Amy says
You can never go wrong with biscuit and gravy right? I love a good home made biscuit. Thanks for sharing tips about cold butter too. Great to know!
Kelly Anthony says
Never!
Liz says
This is one of my husbands FAVORITE Things. Clearly I'll have to give this a try!
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you, Liz!
Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites says
Yum! This is comfort food at it's best! Those biscuits are perfection!
Catherine Brown says
Those look devine! Perfect biscuits and perfect gravy! I haven't made this in quite a while so thanks for the reminder!
SHASHI AT SAVORYSPIN says
Living in Atlanta, I couldn't agree more with breakfasts at Southern establishments! Your biscuits look downright droolicious! So tender, so flaky, so melt-in-ma-mouf good!
Natalie says
I love biscuits and gravy! Looks so delicious!
Farwin says
They looks so delicious and perfect! Love a good biscuit and gravy.
Jere Cassidy says
I grew up on biscuits and gravy, you just can't find any better comfort food than that. Love your photos.
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
I've heard of this but never seen a recipe so I can try it for myself now. It looks delicious!
Kahee says
I’m blown away by the simplicity of this recipe (both biscuits + sausage gravy). Made both under 15 minutes and it tastes amazing! Thanks so much for sharing!
Sharon says
Biscuits and gravy are the perfect comfort weekend food breakfast. This thick gravy recipe is great poured over flaky biscuits.
Tamara Andersen says
One of the best memories from childhood is my grandmother letting me help her make biscuits and gravy... I don't indulge often, but when I do, I love them! Yours look delicious, and I love the clear instructions you provide. YUM!
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you, Tamara!
Eva says
I had never heard of this combo before and what was I missing! There is nothing I don't like in this recipe. To me, it would be more of a dinner option to be honest, but in the end it's not the time of the day when you eat something that really matters...
Alyssa says
These biscuits are so flaky! I've had trouble getting the right texture with biscuits in the past, but I love this recipe.
Veena Azmanov says
Love your recipe. So unique and perfect and I am drooling.
Gail says
These biscuits must be soo comforting and delicious! I would douse that gravy over everything!
Jenni LeBaron says
I love a classic breakfast dish like this! We are big fans of eating this as breakfast for dinner also.
Amy Dong says
There aren't many dishes as hearty and comforting as homemade biscuits and gravy! Love how your biscuits look so flaky-delicious!
Sophie says
I have had a chance to stay in a countryside lodge with an elderly couple few years ago and I loved the biscuits and gravy they prepared. Your recipe looks exactly the same. Time to try this and amaze my guests.
Aline says
BEST. BISCUITS. AND. GRAVY. RECIPE. ON. THE. INTERNET!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks, Kelly!!! My family loved these beyond words - there were just sounds followed by empty plates ahahah
Kelly Anthony says
Thanky you so much, Aline! 🙂 I'm so glad you loved them!
Lina says
I am 100% Italian, both parents born, raised and married in Italy - so I didn't grow up knowing much about Southern foods, but my goodness Kelly, I am drooling over this biscuit and gravy recipe! For sure this would be fantastic for breakfast, but my family loves breakfast for dinner too, so yeah I'll be making this for dinner soon as I shop for the breakfast sausage! By the way, your entire recipe site is pretty much drool-worthy!