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A no-fail Southern buttermilk biscuit recipe that will have them thinking you are a pro, even if this is your first time ever making biscuits.
Weekend hot breakfasts don't get any simpler or more delicious than luscious 3 Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, brushed to perfection with sweet cream butter. Feed your crowd with pleasing and belly-filling warm biscuits in just about 30 minutes.
When I wake Saturday mornings, the typical routine is to get in a cup or two of coffee, then jump in the truck with the family and hit some garage sales. Y'all know how I love my Junkin'. Breakfast generally happens after we make our way to all of the sales, either at home or stopping out somewhere. If I am peppy and manage to peel myself out of bed before everybody else, 3 Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits are easy enough to whip up in 15 minutes and refrigerate up to the bake step. It sure makes for a fast and hot breakfast upon returning home.
Every American kitchen needs one...or both. Biscuit flour sack tea towels, made in the USA. Click images for pricing.
So, the bit about only stirring the dough 15 times, well I really do mean it. That is, unless you are partial to tough biscuits...
Honey, butter and jelly, egg and American cheese, or homemade pimento cheese (my favorite). Breakfast in versus breakfast out is much more fun and frankly much more appealing to me. 3 Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits are hard to argue against. This recipe yields 9 to 10 2 1/2" biscuits, or 7 to 8 3 1/2" biscuits. The biscuits re-heat well, either in the oven or in the microwave, without compromising the texture. I also add no salt, instead allowing both the flavor and any salt to come from the butter alone, so choose a quality salted sweet cream butter right out of the gate. Any additional salty fix comes from whatever you choose to 'dress your biscuit' with.
Oh, how I do love a hot buttered biscuit with a spoonful of homemade Pimento cheese...
You will almost always hear me sing the praises of cast iron, from a quality Dutch oven to a well made skillet. Smithey Ironware skillet #12, the best you can buy, made right here in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Click images for pricing.
When rolling out the dough, don’t press down too hard or overwork the dough. It's scary how easy layer upon buttery layer of biscuit perfection really is to achieve.
I would not have dreamed of attempting biscuits before mastering this method. Not only was I intimidated by any and all forms of baked breads, but it is a 'Southern thing' and something I definitely did not grow up eating. Biscuits, that is. I am here to attest to the fact that not only are these not difficult, but they are also super economical if you want to be that Mom who fakes Chic-Fil-A or McDonalds bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits for your kids. Throw in some crispy homefried potatoes, and they'll believe anything you tell them. Thing is though, with these biscuits, YOU control what goes in and what goes on. That by itself is a nourishing thought.
A tip or two I had to learn the hard way...I specify frozen butter. That is for a reason. What I have learned is that the butter cannot be cold enough. Grate the frozen butter into the bowl, mix with the flour, and then re-freeze for 10 to 12 minutes right in the bowl. And speaking of flour...self-rising. This will not work the same using all purpose flour with baking powder added. It just won't. And the buttermilk...WELL CHILLED! And, a bonus tip. I mean, when have you ever known me not to interject more...? HONEY. If you like your biscuits to have some sweetness, not real sweet, rather just something, add 3 tablespoons of honey at the step you stir in the buttermilk.
A 4 piece stainless steel biscuit cutter set with pretty fluted edges, made in USA. I have gifted this set twice now alongside a rolling pin and sack towels as housewarming gifts. Click image for pricing.
Ingredients
Ingredients for 3 Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
- 1/2 cup butter, 1 stick, frozen re-freeze for 10 minutes after grating/mixing with flour
- 2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup well chilled fresh buttermilk leave in refrigerator until ready to use
Optional
- 3 tablespoons honey, absolutely optional just lends the smallest amount of sweetness and elevates the butter - think sweet and salty
Instructions
The Method
- Preheat oven to 475°.
- Prepare a cast iron skillet with butter and set aside.
- Using the largest holes on a box grater, grate frozen butter into a medium bowl. Toss together grated butter and flour and re-freeze for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Make a well in center of mixture. IF using honey, add it to the bowl now but wait to stir. Add buttermilk. NOW stir 15 times but NO MORE. Dough will be very sticky and somewhat stringy.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly sprinkle flour over top of dough. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle (about 9 x 5 inches). Fold dough in half so short ends meet. Repeat rolling and folding process 4 more times.
- Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2-inch floured round cutter, reshaping scraps and flouring as needed.
- Place dough rounds into cast iron skillet, making sure their sides just touch. Bake at 475° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Brush with melted butter or with honey or both straight out of the oven. Refrigerate leftovers for re-heating.
It's been a long time I actually pulled out a piece of paper to take notes on a blog post. Thanks for this. You've earned yourself a new reader!
Hi, I know these biscuits will taste great because I learned to make biscuits just like this when the shelter in place order for NYC started. I will try your honey tip when next I make biscuits.
Definitely going to make these! One question is I am out of self-raising flour and have not been able to find it. How much baking powder / baking soda would you add to all purpose flour in this recipe? Thanks for sharing!
Fino, yes, yes DO make these! If you are unable to get hold of self rising flour, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt. SIFT all together 3 times so the baking powder is very well distributed. And remember that once you make your well to add your buttermilk, ONLY stir 15 times. I know it sounds crazy but the 'coming together' of this dough does affect the integrity of the finished biscuits. I'd love to know how these turn out for you, so check back and give an update or rate the recipe using the stars 🙂
Ohh my goodness! Totally going to make these!!! I do have a question tho. In the past, I've made buttermilk biscuits with buttermilk I've made. 1 cup of(2% milk) or cream+ 2 tablespoons of white vinegar) in a pinch it works. (Sometimes the store I go to doesn't have it) would this work?!?
Donna, yes please, DO make these! I also make my own buttermilk when a recipe say calls for only a cup and I do not want leftovers sitting in my fridge. Here is how my Grandmother taught me, and it's much like what you have outlined; 1 tablespoon white vinegar in a 1 cup glass measurer. Then, fill milk to the 1 cup mark, so it's kind of a scant cup of milk I guess. Stir and then allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. The time sitting gives the milk the opportunity to curdle slightly and then the liquid takes on both buttermilk-like texture and taste. Donna, should you make these, please send me a photo and rate how you liked the recipe using the stars. Your feedback would mean a lot for other readers and for me!
What is selfrising flour?
Faye, self rising flour is flour that has a leavening agent already added. I am not brand-loyal per se, but have had great results with White Lilly brand. I like it because it is available in small bags. If you wanted to make your own, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt. SIFT all together 3 times so the baking powder is very well distributed.
These were great!
These look amazing, thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
https://michielskitchen.com/
Michiel, thank you so much for the compliment and for dropping by Not Entirely Average. I am afraid the recipe was a 'necessary solution' when the quarantining began and readers were writing and asking for adaptable recipes. I hope you do not mind, but I checked out Michiel's Kitchen...I think I need to immediately make your recipe for cacio e pepe. Your recipes all look divine and your photography is immaculate. Well done. Well done.