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"Simple Man" Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Your family will feel extremely loved by you for serving them these homemade Southern buttermilk biscuits. Taste and Texture, taste and texture, great biscuits gotta have both!

These biscuits These biscuits are my go to biscuit recipe as they are light, fluffy, and moist with tangy butter flavor.

Buttermilk biscuits are a southern staple. They're perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and they're easy to make at home. The key to making light and fluffy biscuits is to use buttermilk. This homemade version is my favorite. You can add a little bit of sugar to the dough for a little sweetness, but you can leave it out if you prefer.

The other secret to perfect biscuits is to not overwork the dough. Be careful not to knead it too much, or your biscuits will be tough. Just give it a light mix until everything comes together, then let it rest for a few minutes before shaping into biscuits. Once they're baked, enjoy them hot from the oven with a pat of butter. Yum!

buttermilk biscuits stacked on a white plate

MOOD MUSIC (beats to pair with homemade biscuits)

I'm a simple guy. I like my biscuits simple and good.

INGREDIENTS FOR Southern-style BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

  • All-purpose Self Rising Flour
  • Cake flour
  • Buttermilk
  • Unsalted Butter
  • Sea Salt
  • Honey

HOW TO MAKE BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

These are easy to make, even for a non-baker like me and you won't need a biscuit cutter!

Mix the dry ingredients

Cut the cold butter into thin slices and add them to the batter. Either pinch them in by placing slices between your thumb and middle finger then literally snap your fingers flipping the butter into the mix. Alternatively mix in the butter using a pastry cutter.

Add the Wet Ingredients

Make a deep hollow in the flour mixture. Slowly add the buttermilk in. Mix delicately and add more buttermilk as needed for desired batter consistency.

Bake Biscuits

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a cast iron skillet or line a baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Using an ice cream scoop, place scoops of biscuit dough (batter) into the skillet.

Bake for 20 minutes. While biscuits bake, mix together honey with melted butter in a bowl. 

Serve the biscuits with the honey butter mix brushed on tops.

buttermilk biscuits stacked on a white plate

What To Serve With Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

Southern buttermilk biscuits pair well with a variety of dishes. Here are a few goodie options that are good partners:

  1. Gravy: Duh!!! Biscuits and gravy are an obvious classic Southern combination. Serve your buttermilk biscuits with creamy country-style gravy, such as sausage gravy for a hearty and comforting meal.
  2. fried chicken: The combination of crispy fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits is a match made in Southern food heaven.
  3. Jelly or Honey: Spread some jammy jam on those biscuits or drizzle them with your favorite honey.
  4. Soups and Stews: Dip those biscuits into a hearty stew or a big pot of beans for a fulfilling and satisfying meal.
  5. Fried Green Tomatoes: Pair your biscuits with Southern-favorite fried green tomatoes. The tangy, crispy tomatoes complement the buttery biscuits and add a delightful twist to your meal.
  6. Pimento Cheese: Spread some creamy and tangy pimento cheese onto those hot biscuits.

COOKING CONSIDERATIONS & TIPS FOR SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK BISCUIT RECIPES

Use a sifter to mix the dry ingredients

Be light-handed as you mix the batter. Over mixing the batter leads to heavy, thick, chewy and tough biscuits. We want light, flaky biscuits!

As you load the biscuits in the skillet make sure the individual scoops are close or even touching.

Make sure the butter you're using for the dough is super cold. I like to use frozen butter with mine. Cold butter doesn't melt until in the oven and leads to more air pockets on the biscuits which means lighter texture and fluffy biscuits.

Lard makes for even lighter biscuit. Because I like the flavor butter adds, I do half lard and half butter if adding lard.

Grated butter works great in this recipe. Just take a cheese grater and use the large hole side to grate the frozen butter into the flour mixture.

Flour type matters. I'm more a fan of soft wheat, lower gluten flours like White Lily. I also use self-rising which is the norm down South. Self-rising eliminates the need for baking powder. But if you're not using self-rising just use an all-purpose flour plus baking powder.

If using baking soda or baking powder go with an aluminum-free one for best flavor. Rumford is what I use. Note the highly popular Clabber Girl has aluminum.

Serve these buttermilk biscuits with your favorite fried chicken recipe. I like jerk fried chicken or buttermilk fried chicken wings. These are also great with fried pork chops. Also include Southern sides like green beans, collard greens, or pinto beans if eating these for dinner or lunch. A light salad like this cherry tomato and basil salad.

hands holding biscuit up

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Making This Southern Biscuit Recipe

What is the best flour for Southern biscuits?

When it comes to Southern biscuits, I prefer using a lower protein all-purpose flour. White Lily is a popular brand but not always easy to find. Don't worry as you can make any brand work as far as I'm concerned. The key is using cold butter regardless of flour and not overmixing.

How do you get that golden brown crispy crust on top?

I simply brush the top of the biscuits with melted butter for the last few minutes of cooking.

What makes Southern Biscuits different?

In the South, for our Southern buttermilk biscuit recipes, we use soft wheat flour,which has both lower gluten and protein count. The lower properties result in a lighter more fluffy texture.

Are These Biscuits Good For Leftovers?

Yes you can enjoy these the next day! Just be sure to store leftover biscuits refrigerated in an airtight container.

MORE BREAKFAST OR BRUNCH RECIPES

Candied Bacon

Pancakes with Berry Compote

Strawberry Oatmeal

Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal

Tex-Mex Migas with Brisket

Southern Shrimp and Grits

Buttermilk Waffles

make this homemade buttermilk biscuits recipe

Southern buttermilk biscuits are the perfect comfort food. They’re absolutely delicious, easy to make, and always a hit with family and friends. Plus, they go well with just about any type of meal or topping you can think of. If you haven’t tried making southern buttermilk biscuits before, now is the time. This recipe is simple and straightforward, so you can easily whip up a batch for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Give them a try today!

If you make this homemade Southern buttermilk biscuit recipe or any other from the site, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.

You can also keep up with my food exploits as well as original recipes! You can find me on InstagramFacebookTwitter, and Pinterest. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated monthly playlists.

buttermilk biscuits stacked on a white plate

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Homemade Southern buttermilk biscuits with that classic tangy butter flavor and light, fluffy texture with a moist center.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: southern
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 500kcal
Author: Marwin Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose self rising flour
  • 1 cup cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

  • Sift the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the cubes of butter to the flour mixture. Make a well in the center of the flour.
  • Give the buttermilk a good shake then slowly add ¾ of the buttermilk into the well. Mix delicately and add remaining buttermilk if needed.
  • Grease the bottom of a cast-iron skillet with butter or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Using an ice cream scoop place scoops of the batter into your skillet.
  • then place scoops on a greased skillet or baking sheet.
  • Bake the biscuits at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes. While biscuits bake, mix honey with a tablespoon of melted butter in a bowl.
  • Remove the biscuits and brush the tops with the honey butter mixture.

Notes

Use a sifter to mix the dry ingredients
Be light-handed as you mix the batter. Over mixing the batter leads to heavy, thick, and chewy biscuits.
As you load the biscuits in the skillet make sure the individual scoops are close or even touching.
Make sure the butter you’re using for the dough is super cold. I like to freeze mine. Cold butter doesn’t melt until in the oven and leads to more air pockets on the biscuits which means lighter texture.
Lard makes for even lighter biscuit. Because I like the flavor butter adds, I do half lard and half butter if adding lard.
Flour type matters. I’m more a fan of soft wheat, lower gluten flours like White Lily. I also use self-rising which is the norm down South. Self-rising eliminates the need for baking powder. But if you’re not using self-rising just use an all-purpose flour plus baking powder.
If using baking powder go with an aluminum-free one for best flavor. Rumford is what I use. Note the highly popular Clabber Girl has aluminum.

Nutrition

Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 879mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 854IU | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 1mg
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