3 Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits

4.02 from 54 votes

3 Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits are 'no-fail Southern perfection' that will propel you to pro, even if this is your first time baking them!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Bread, Breakfast

Cuisine: American, Southern

Servings: biscuits

Author: Jenny DeRemer

Cost: $0.29 per biscuit

Equipment

2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) butter FROZEN; re-freeze for 10 minutes after grating/mixing with flour
2 ½ cups self-rising flour
1 cup buttermilk WELL CHILLED; fresh; leave in refrigerator until ready to use
3 tbsp honey optional - lends the smallest amount of sweetness while enhancing the salty profile of the butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 475°.
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Alternatively, the biscuits may be baked in an ungreased cast iron skillet.
Measure out self-rising flour into a large mixing bowl. Using the largest holes on a box grater, grate frozen butter into the flour. Toss together and re-freeze for 10 to 12 minutes. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.
Make a well in center of your flour mixture. IF using honey, add it to the bowl now but wait to stir. Add buttermilk into the well. NOW stir 15 times but NO MORE. Dough will be very sticky and somewhat stringy.
Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Your floured surface must also be with self-rising flour. Lightly sprinkle additional 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. This action is what's going to yield flakey layers.
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 onto prepared baking sheet, making sure their sides just touch. No touch = no high rise. Bake at 475°F for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Brush with melted butter or with honey or both straight out of the oven, or use to assemble your favorite biscuit sandwich.

Notes

Use COLD Butter

Use COLD Buttermilk - Milk or any other milk substitute is not recommended.

Self-rising Flour - use self-rising flour and work on a floured surface of self-rising flour. This method will not work by substituting all-purpose flour with baking powder added.

Store Leftover Biscuits - in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 48 hours. Alternatively, place any leftover baked biscuits into a zippered freezer-safe bag and store them in your freezer for up to 90 days.

Nutrition