I used to think making buttermilk biscuits was all about popping open one of those scary Pillsbury dough tubes. Then I looked around online and found so many recipes for making them at home from scratch. What!? A few ingredients you probably already have on hand and about 20 minutes later, you can have steaming hot, crusty-on-the-outside-flaky-soft-on-the-inside biscuits. I love eating them with chili or soup or for breakfast with butter and jam. Just recently I made them with brunch alongside a delicious baked eggs with spinach and mushroom dish.
Easy Buttermilk Biscuits
Makes about 12 biscuits
12 TBS (1 and a half sticks) unsalted butter (cold)
3 cups of all-purpose flour (I’ve made this with gluten free flour and it’s also pretty good)
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 ¼ cups buttermilk (cold)
1. CHILL FAT: Cut butter into 1/2 –inch pieces and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
2. MIX DOUGH: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper (I use a Silpat). Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in food processor until combined. Add chilled butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal (I just whisk it all in a large bowl and use a pastry cutter. You could also use your hands quickly but make sure the butter stays nice and cold which is what makes those flaky layers).
3. KNEAD DOUGH: Stir in buttermilk until combined. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly, 8-10 times, to form smooth, cohesive ball. Roll dough into 9-inch circle, about ¾ inch thick (I literally pat it down with my hands into something that looks like a circle).
4. CUT BISCUITS: Using a 2 ½ -inch biscuit cutter dipped in flour (I use a cup dipped in flour), cut out rounds and arrange upside down on prepared baking sheet. Gather remaining dough and pat gently into circle. Cut rounds from dough and transfer to baking sheet.
5. BAKE BISCUITS: Baking until biscuits begin to rise, about 5 minutes, then rotate pan and reduce over temp to 400 degrees. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.
