Flaky Mile High Biscuits
These buttermilk biscuits are incredibly tall, flaky, soft, and oh-so-buttery! This is the only fool-proof biscuit recipe you will ever need!
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.
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.