Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

I’ve been cooking my way through some of my grandma’s recipes. I don’t remember her ever baking these biscuits, nor eating them, but I came across her rich tea biscuit recipe and decided to give it a go. They didn’t work. I made hockey pucks. I’m from Canada, we know our pucks. These, we could’ve knocked around the ice and I’m sure they would’ve held up. After a few tweaks, though, Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits inspired by Grandma have found their way straight into my heart!

I was convinced it was just me, maybe I needed colder butter, maybe I over-mixed it, maybe I should have chilled it (I definitely should’ve chilled it). So, I asked my cousin, nope it hadn’t worked for her either. One night, as I was watching Joanna Gaines make her biscuits on Magnolia Table, this little voice inside me told me I needed to revisit my grandma’s recipe. Man, am I ever glad I did!

These biscuits are rich and pillowy soft! They have a slightly crispy exterior, just the way I like my biscuits and enough chew to make them filling. I should know, I’ve tested and eaten enough over the last few weeks while perfecting this recipe! Now, it’s your turn! Follow along as I share my tips and tricks!

How to make Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

I tried this recipe four times and in full disclosure, I’ve made a lot of tweaks. I started with the flour, I decided to use self-rising flour instead of all-purpose. Reduced the baking powder just slightly and switch my grandma’s cream of tartar for baking soda. I also added an egg and reduced her original amount of sugar by half. There isn’t much left of her original recipe, but know it’s definitely inspired by her!

Before you even pull the ingredients out to make these biscuits, pop a stick of butter in the freezer. Then gather all of the dry ingredients and mix them together until well combined. Grate the frozen butter and cut it into the dry ingredients, using a pastry cutter, until the mixture is crumbly. Make a little well and add the beaten egg and buttermilk and mix until just combined. It’ll be a sticky dough. Cover and chill for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Now, we’ll laminate the dough, all this means is that you’re making layers. So, on a flour-dusted counter, very gently and quickly pat the dough into a rectangle about 6″ x 10″. You’ll fold one end in and then fold the other end over the top of that one. Think of the way a bill is generally folded. The bottom comes up about 1/3 of the way and then the top folds down over the bottom, creating a folded letter that fits into a standard envelope. Make sense?

Turn the dough 90 degrees or a 1/4 turn. Pat out the dough and do it again. Always working quickly so that the dough doesn’t have time to warm up. Repeat the process about 3 or 4 more times. Pat it out once more to a half-inch thick disk and cut out the biscuits and place them close together on a cookie sheet. I always use stoneware. Bake them and then brush each biscuit with butter when finished.

Tips and Tricks

Below are a few of the tips and tricks that I’ve learned along the way, either by research or my own experience, hopefully they’ll help you create the very best biscuits!

1. Use cold butter: The butter has to be super cold. When the biscuits hit the oven the little bits of butter melt and create steam which helps puff your biscuits up.
2. Don’t over mix: Mix the egg and buttermilk into the butter/flour mixture until just combined. I prefer to use a wooden spoon and mix until the flour is all wet and the dough is sticky.
3. Chill the dough: After mixing the dough, stick it back in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes, do NOT skip this step. The dough needs to be cold when it goes into the oven.
4. Create layers: For flaky layers, folding is a must. After patting the dough out into a rectangle letter fold it to create three layers. Turn the dough, pat it out again and repeat the process four more times. This creates those layers that the butter will puff up!
5. Hands off: The heat from your hands can warm up the dough, so work quickly, you don’t want to handle the dough for very long. If you feel like the dough is too warm, just pop the biscuits back in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking.
6. Don’t twist the cutter: Seriously, I know how tempting this is, but don’t do it. Push and pull straight up. If you twist the cutter your biscuit won’t rise as well.
7. Make sure the oven is hot: Only bake these when your oven reaches 400 degrees F and is HOT. Biscuits need immediate heat to help get that rise started.
8. Brush with butter: When the biscuits are done baking brush the tops with melted butter to soften those edges just ever so slightly.

We’ve definitely graduated from pucks to delicious fluffy biscuits. Honestly, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about these biscuits. I know this will become a weekly tradition in our house. After one taste, I think you may just join me!

If you love Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits, check out these other delicious baked recipes, I’m sure they’ll hit the spot:

• Fergasa Bread (Green Onion and Cheddar Buttermilk Bread)
• Mini Cheese Biscuits (Jim n Nicks Copycat)
• Family Irish Bread

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Finally, if you get a chance to make this or any other recipe on the blog and want to share. Please feel free to tag @candyjarchronicles or use #candyjarchronicles on Instagram, so I can see your post. I’d love to see what you’re cooking in your kitchen!

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