How to make the BEST Homemade Butter Biscuits

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Wake up to homemade Butter Biscuits this weekend! All you need are 5 ingredients and less than 30 minutes to have these flaky, buttery homemade biscuits on the table. Makes 12 biscuits, but can easily be doubled or tripled.

A butter biscuit filled with peach jam on a white plate in front of a bowl of biscuits

Who doesn’t love a fluffy biscuit to serve for breakfast, brunch or dinner?

This Butter Biscuit recipe has been a long time coming, and I’m so happy to be sharing them with you today because they are the perfect biscuits.

You can make them for a variety of occasions. In fact, we served them with a Thanksgiving meal not too long ago.

Why we love this recipe:

Flaky and buttery on the outside but pillow-soft on the inside, these homemade Butter Biscuits are a total dream to eat and enjoy.

You can serve them for breakfast, brunch or dinner. They pair with most anything. And they’re ready really quickly, too!

We like to serve ours with jam in the morning, but you can also easily turn them into Boudin Breakfast Sandwiches, too.

While they take a little of technique and some quick hands, I promise these biscuits are something you’ll want to make for your family again and again!

In the market for breakfast items? Check out my Breakfast Recipe Index for more ideas!

Ingredients to make homemade biscuits in bowls and plates on a marble surface with a blue geometric towel

What you’ll need to make this recipe:

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Glass bowls
Glass measuring cup
Box grater
Sharp knife, a biscuit cutter or a pastry cutter/bench scraper
Nonstick baking mat
Sheet pan

Let’s talk ingredients!

In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.

Here’s what you’ll need:

All-purpose flour—this serves as the base for our biscuit recipe. I keep unbleached AP flour in the house, but you can use the regular kind, too.
Sea salt—a fine-grain kosher salt is my favorite for a baked good like this.
Baking powder—this is our leavener, and it will rise the biscuits as they bake in the oven. Make sure yours is fresh, and also confirm that you’re not using baking soda because they’re different things.
Unsalted butter—this is integral for making butter biscuits. You’ll need a full stick for the biscuits themselves and a little extra to brush ‘em with.
Milk—this is the liquid that goes into our biscuit dough. I like to use whole milk because it yields the most flavor, but you could easily use a lower fat milk, too.

Collage showing how to put together biscuit batter with butter

Make the Butter Biscuit dough

Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a sheet pan with parchment or a nonstick baking mat. Melt the extra tablespoon of butter in a bowl. You’ll use this to brush the tops of the biscuits, and it will help them brown.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. This includes the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir.

Grate the butter directly into the flour mixture. A box grater or cheese grater is excellent for this. Mix with a rubber spatula or your hands to coat the butter in the flour mixture.

Collage showing how to mix and turn out biscuit batter

Pour in the milk, and stir juuuuuust until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Be careful not to overmix, as this will affect its rise in the oven!

It’s OK there to be some loose flour here. Don’t stir it too much—just until the mixture starts coming together.

If the mixture is too dry? Add additional milk to it incrementally. I suggest measuring in extra by the tablespoon because this ensures that the mixture doesn’t get too wet.

Collage showing how to fold biscuit batter to get extra fluffy biscuits

How to shape biscuits

Flour a flat, clean surface in the kitchen. Flour your hands, too.

Turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Sprinkle additional flour on top of the dough before patting it into a 1” tall rectangle.

Fold the dough into thirds, bringing the short sides to meet in the middle like you would a tri-fold pamphlet or a letter.

Gently pat the dough into another 1” tall rectangle.

Cut into squares (as shown here) or rounds with a sharp knife.

If using biscuit cutters, do not twist them as you cut into the dough. It will affect the rise!

Transfer to the prepared sheet pan, and brush the tops with melted butter.

Bake for 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Collage showing how to shape and prepare biscuits before baking

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

Homemade Butter Biscuits are an excellent choice for entertaining.

Why? They’re versatile and can be served at dinner or breakfast or brunch. You can also pair ‘em with a lot of different recipes!

Here are a few tips and tricks to make it as easy as possible:

Make the dough early. Follow the instructions up until the baking. Cut them, place them on a baking sheet and pop them into the freezer for a week in advance. Bake the biscuits straight from the freezer before serving!
Set out the toppings beforehand. Since these work for both breakfast and dinner, the world is your oyster. Make sure to have softened salted butter as a topping and jams for breakfast.
Serve in a basket with a cute tea towel to keep them warm.
Serve ‘em alongside brunch with your favorite brunch recipes, like fruit salad, baked bacon and mimosas! (Or have a mimosa bar for guests to enjoy!)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is butter biscuits made of?

These buttery biscuits are made with butter, flour, baking soda, salt and milk. You don’t need much to make these taste amazing!

What do you eat butter biscuits with?

You can eat these biscuits with so many things! We like them with jam, in a more sweet application, though you can add bacon, egg and cheese to make them into a savory breakfast sandwich.

What is a buttered biscuit?

It’s a delicious baked good from the South!

A stack of buttery biscuits in a serving bowl

Quick tips and tricks for making the best buttery biscuits

Have the right tools. This biscuit cutter* (affiliate link) is my favorite to use for biscuits if I want them to be round. If you don’t have one, use a drinking glass and a paring knife to cut out the biscuits.
Serve it with fun toppings. These biscuits are great for dinner and breakfast. Soften butter to go with ‘em. Serve them with jams for breakfast.
Make the biscuits in advance and pop them into the freezer. Bake them straight from the freezer right before it’s time to enjoy them!
Double or triple the recipe. These biscuits are excellent for sharing, so make more than you need!

12 biscuits

Butter Biscuits

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Wake up to homemade Butter Biscuits this weekend! All you need are 5 ingredients and less than 30 minutes to have these flaky, buttery homemade biscuits on the table.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
1 tablespoon baking powder (14g)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt (4g)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (113g) + 1 tablespoon extra for brushing
¾ cup milk (184ml)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Set aside.
Melt the extra tablespoon of butter in a bowl. Set aside.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
Grate the full stick of butter directly into the flour mixture with a box or cheese grater. Mix with a rubber spatula or your hands to coat the butter in the flour mixture.
Pour in the milk, and stir gently until just combined. The dough should start to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Be careful not to stir it too much or the rise will be affected.
Flour a flat surface or countertop. Flour your hands, too.
Turn out the dough onto a floured countertop. Sprinkle flour on top of the dough, too.
Pat the dough a 1" tall rectangle, working quickly, then fold it into thirds, bringing the short sides to meet in the middle, like you would a tri-fold pamphlet or a letter.
Gently pat the dough into another 1" tall rectangle, and cut into squares with a sharp knife.
Place on the prepared sheet pan. Brush the tops with melted butter.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown in the preheated oven.
Enjoy with softened butter, jams and more!

Notes

How to freeze: Once the biscuit dough has been made and cut, place them on a parchment-lined sheet pan and transfer to the freezer. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag to store for up to 3 months.

How to bake from frozen: Preheat the oven, as specified above. Place the frozen biscuits on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until golden brown. They will take a little longer to bake than the fresh biscuits, but not so much longer that it will make a huge difference.

How to store leftovers: When the biscuits are completely cool, transfer to a plate and wrap in plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature for 2-3 days. Toast in the oven or toaster oven to crisp up the exterior again if desired, or eat at room temperature.