Flaky Mile High Biscuits
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These buttermilk biscuits are incredibly tall, flaky, soft, and oh-so-buttery! This is the only fool-proof biscuit recipe you will ever need!
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Why you’ll love Flaky Mile High Biscuits
- All the flaky layers. These buttermilk biscuits are extra tall, extra buttery, and extra flaky – the 3 most important elements in a great homemade biscuit!
- So much better than store-bought. You can say goodbye to the canned stuff and skip the artificial preservatives! You only need six simple pantry staples to have warm, freshly baked biscuits with crisp golden bottoms and soft, fluffy centers to elevate any meal.
- Freezes beautifully. Biscuits freeze like a dream, keeping in the freezer for up to 3 months. And you can bake the biscuits directly from the freezer (no thawing required), perfect for entertaining, holiday prep, or even baking a few of them at a time alongside a quick family dinner!
Key Ingredients
Flour
All-purpose flour provides the base for the biscuit dough
Leavening agents
Baking powder and baking soda serve as the leavening agents to give the biscuits their rise, yielding light, airy volume and height
Salt
Enhances flavor and strengthens the dough’s gluten structure
Unsalted butter
Cold, unsalted butter is key for tender, flaky layers
Buttermilk
Cold buttermilk adds the necessary moisture to activate the leavening agents and provide a subtle tangy flavor
How to make Flaky Mile High Biscuits
- Prep the baking sheet. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy clean up.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Add the cold butter. Work in the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks crumbly.
- Add the liquid. Stir in the cold buttermilk using a rubber spatula until the dough comes together.
- Fold and shape. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, kneading and folding it over a few times to create flaky layers. Then roll the dough into a 1 1/4-inch thick rectangle.
- Cut out rounds. Press straight down with a floured biscuit or cookie cutter, avoiding any twisting, to cut out about 10-12 rounds. Pro tip: if planning for leftovers, flash freeze the biscuits here before transferring to an airtight, resealable freezer bag.
- Freeze. Place the biscuits onto the baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
- Bake. Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter and bake at 450°F for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve. Serve warm, split open with a pat of butter, or spread with fruit jam, jelly, or marmalade.
additions and variations
- Meat: cooked and crumbled bacon (or sausage) or diced ham
- Cheese: shredded sharp cheddar, gruyere, or parmesan cheese
- Herbs: chopped fresh chives, rosemary, or thyme
- Seasonings: garlic powder or black pepper
FREEZING AND STORAGE
Storage
Leftover biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for 5-7 days.
Reheating
Reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.
Freeze before baking
Place the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper, freezing for 1 hour until solid. Transfer the biscuits to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date, and freeze up to 3 months. Bake as directed directly from the freezer, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time as needed.
Freeze after baking
Let the biscuits cool completely. Wrap each biscuit tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, then transfer the individually-wrapped biscuits to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date, and freeze up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.
More favorite biscuit recipes
Tools For This Recipe
Flaky Mile High Biscuits: Frequently Asked Questions
A quick and easy buttermilk substitute is creating your own buttermilk with whole milk and something acidic such as lemon juice or distilled white vinegar. Add 1 tablespoon acid (lemon juice or vinegar) to 1 cup milk, letting it stand for 5-10 minutes.
A sharp knife should do the trick using a downward motion. Using a dull rim, such as a glass or mason jar, can prevent the biscuits from rising.
This process will keep the butter from melting, resulting in a higher rise and flakier layers.
Yes! Biscuits are very freezer-friendly, flash freezing once assembled (before baking) and storing in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Leftover biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for 5-7 days.
Flaky Mile High Biscuits
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 ½ cups cold buttermilk
For baking
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
- Add cold butter, using your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add buttermilk and stir using a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.
- Working on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 3-4 times until it comes together.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1 1/4-inch thick rectangle.
- Cut out 10-12 rounds using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter.
- Place biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet; place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Remove biscuits from freezer and brush tops with melted butter. Place into oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve warm.
Equipment
Notes
- Cold butter is key. When the cold butter melts in the oven, it will release steam and push the dough to form those favorited airy, flaky layers and a high rise.
- Use buttermilk. While adding a slightly tangy flavor, buttermilk is a key ingredient here contributing to the flavor, texture and rise. Using milk will lead to more neutral flavors along with flat and dense biscuits.
- Make a buttermilk substitute. You can make a buttermilk substitute at home by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.
- Avoid overworking the dough. Knead the dough just until it comes together. Overworking the dough can lead to dense, dry biscuits.
- Use a floured biscuit cutter. Flouring the biscuit cutter beforehand will prevent sticking. Avoid twisting the cutter as the biscuits may slope and rise unevenly.
- Freeze before baking. Although biscuits can be frozen before or after baking, freezing before baking is preferred to preserve texture and for optimal freshness.
Did you make this recipe?
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Can you freeze these before they’re baked?
I did a few changes, 3 cups all purpose flour and 1 cup cake and pastry flour,1/2 pound butter cut into small pieces,4 tsp baking powder,1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cane sugar,if doing raisin biscuits,1 tsp pink salt, Mix these together,ADD 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons butter milk,or make your own with kefir and lemon juice….I used my mixer with the dough hooks till most of flours was incorporated,then floured my work space and finished working it all to gather, rolled it out and cut into rounds that fit into my muffin tins,,This made about 22-24 biscuits,,Baked them 13 min at 445 F
Just the best! I keep coming back to this recipe.
My favorite recipe but I cut in squares ..no waste or re rolling. Also I might make in am and stick on frig for later. I do not waste energy pre heating oven for so long.I don’t use extra butter on top.A brush of milk will brown them fine
Will it be the end of the world if I skip the freezer step? I have a small freezer and it’s packed to the brim with venison and other meat – no room for a sheet pan of biscuits.
I put mine in the frig
What a dreamy biscuit! This was my first effort making biscuits…ever.
I only had a cup of buttermilk so used 2% lactose free as well.
I saw this recipe along with the “Biscuit Pot Pie” recipe on the site.
I have been looking for a fluffy tall biscuit recipe and this one is fantastic! Our family had a biscuit cook off, and I won with this recipe. I did add 2 tsp of sugar and 1 extra tsp of baking powder.
I’ve made these several times. Perfect every time. Serve them at any meal
Redoing this since there is a typo in my other review…
These are mile high with tons of flaky layers!
I wish I could post a picture of mine….
To Paula Adams, it sounds like you’re twisting the cutter instead of cutting straight down.
When you twist, you close off the layers and the biscuits won’t rise properly.
Fail safe and delicious Mike high biscuits!!
This is my go to every time I make biscuits and always a huge hit!
Thank you for posting ❤️
These are THE BEST biscuits I’ve ever made or eaten! Don’t skip putting them in the freezer, that’s essential! So easy and fast to make.
Warm out of the oven, smeared with more butter and Trader Joes raspberry jam is simply sheer joy! I’m going to have a group of friends over just for these with a pot of coffee, guaranteed smiles all around!
Tender – check. Flaky – check. Tasty – double check. Mile high? Not so much. What am I doing wrong? Long time biscuit maker understanding cold butter, not handling the dough much. I’ve followed this recipe to the “T” twice and both times the biscuits really didn’t rise much. – maybe 1/2″. The second time I used brand new baking soda and baking powder as an added precaution. Am I expecting too much with the “mile high” description?
Play with the thickness. I did three different, and the over an inch thick is legitimately what you need to do. Also, don’t twist when pulling up from dough.
Quick question, all I have is salted butter so how much salt should I decrease it by do you or anyone think? Thanks so much
If you use salted butter, just omit it out of the recipe
So I have been a fan of buttermilk biscuits for decades. I’ve tried several different recipes over the years, but was always disappointed in not being able to achieve a flaky texture. THIS RECIPE IS GOLDEN. As suggested, do not over-mix. When cutting the biscuits do NOT twist the biscuit cutter as this creates a bond between the top & bottom. Your biscuits will not rise properly and could be lopsided. YUM!
Absolutely hands up the best biscuit recipe I’ve made to date…and I’ve tried over ten different recipes in the past few months. This is now my weekend go to recipe!! Thanks a million for sharing…my boys send you hugs.
Absolutely the most tasty and EASY real southern biscuits ever!! Thanks for sharing. I make these at least 4 times a month and they don’t last two days!!
These were the best biscuits I’ve ever made. I prepared them in the morning and left them in the freezer until dinner time. Baked them at 400 for about 25 minutes and they were perfect. For my household of two a dozen biscuits never get eaten while they are nice and fresh so now I know I can make a batch and freeze the and bake when I want.
Oh yes, these are fabulous and exactly what ya need for a yummy breakfast! Easy enough too.
Grew up on homemade biscuits.Love it.
Hi Chungah! This is my go-to biscuit recipe I find these to be the most amazing out of all the others I’ve tried so, thank you! do you have any idea what the weighted measurements should be? I make my butter so it is a bit harder to measure, unlike the packaging that has the sizes at the store.
Hi, do you think using almond flour would work?