Mile High Perfect Best Homemade Biscuits Recipe (2024)

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I have spent a long, long, lonnnnnnnnnnnng time searching for and perfecting the best homemade biscuit recipe. And I am happy to report that it was well worth the wait and the effort!!

My quest began in college. I moved to Utah from North Carolina to go to school, and I quickly discovered one staple food that Utah does not have: fluffy, buttery, golden biscuits. I tried a few recipes here and there without much luck, and eventually resigned myself to the frozen dough variety.

Fast forward about 4 years: it’s 2010, I’m pregnant, and all I can think about is grape jelly. Grape jelly and North Carolina buttery biscuits. So the search begins again. But more frantic this time, because… well, I’m pregnant and having cravings. Duh.

I made a new biscuit recipe (or two) every single Sunday morning from the middle of my first trimester until the end of my second trimester, when I finally pulled together this biscuit recipe, the very best homemade biscuit recipe. And even then, the biscuit-making didn’t stop! I ate biscuit after glorious, buttery biscuit until baby arrived. It was a good time.

So here we are, over 4 years later and back in North Carolina, and I’m still sticking to this recipe. And through the many batches, I’ve picked up a few easy tips that I think are worth sharing. Biscuits are really so incredibly easy to make if you have an idea of what you’re doing and what to expect.

Tip #1: Don’t try to make biscuit dough look smooth and elastic like bread dough. You’ll end up over-mixing, which will make your biscuits tough and not fluffy. Plus, you’ll fail at achieving your own unrealistic expectation. Lumpy, bumpy, and even a few cracks are just fine and will make your biscuits incredibly fluffy.

Tip #2: Biscuit making is a hands-on activity. DON’T reach for the mixer! You use a bowl and wooden spoon for a little bit in the beginning, but for the most part, you want to use your hands for both mixing and pressing the dough into a somewhat-level layer.

Tip #3: The biscuit dough should be pressed as level as you can (but don’t stress over making it perfect) to about 1 1/2 inch thickness. You want the dough to be THICK! But DO make sure you have a cutter that will be taller than the dough. More info on that in the next step…

Tip #4: Don’t twist the cutter!!! Twisting it seals off the edges of the biscuit which will prevent it from baking up high and fluffy! Use the sharpest cutter you possibly can (be sure that it’s taller than the dough), and press straight down, pull straight up.

Tip #5: Cut as many biscuits as you can from the first roll-out. You can still cut more biscuits by re-forming the scraps and cutting them, but they won’t bake quite as well. Aside from being VERY cracked all over, they aren’t as soft as the first batch will be. So maximize the dough you cut from that first roll-out!

You’ll know you’ve created the perfect fluffy biscuit when you see slightly golden edges with beautiful, soft insides once you pull apart those buttery, flaky layers! Perfect for spreading something yummy on the inside! While I’m still a grape-jelly-and-biscuits fan, the cravings ended with the pregnancy.

So what do I like on my biscuits now? Well. Butter. Of course. Gobs and gobs of salty, sweet cream butter! I have fallen madly, deeply, truly in love withLAND O LAKES® Butter with Canola Oil Butter. It’s perfect for spreading, even right out of the refrigerator. Which is perfect for me, because I only remember to soften butter in advance like .0023% of the time.

So, to sum up: the perfect biscuits. Cold spreadable Butter with Canola Oil. And our Homemade Apple Butter. My job here is done.

Mile High Perfect Best Homemade Biscuits Recipe (10)

Mile High Perfect Biscuits

Yield: approximately 10 4-inch biscuits

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 3/4 c. buttermilk (the cheat version is okay)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 1/4 cup cold water, divided*
  • 1 stick cold or frozen butter, cubed

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder.
  3. Create a well in the middle of the bowl. Add the buttermilk, egg, shortening, and 2 tbsp of the cold water into the well. Use a wooden spoon to start mixing and "cutting" to form a dough. Take care to not over-mix.
  4. Add the cubes of butter, and use your hands to knead the butter into the dough (no more than 7-8 times). Some of the butter will incorporate to help moisten the dough, but mostly you want the butter to REMAIN in small chunks throughout the dough. This will make the biscuits fluffy.
  5. Turn dough out onto a non-stick surface (use cooking spray if you need to, but try to avoid using flour which will dry the biscuits out). Press into a 1 1/2 inch layer, making it as level as you can.
  6. Use a round cutter to cut biscuits out. Place each one on the prepared cookie sheet, edges touching each other.
  7. Sprinkle salt over top of the dough.
  8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until outer edges start turning golden brown.
  9. Serve warm! Or store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 2 days. However: best fresh!

Notes

This is totally optional, but I also like to add a "pat" of butter on top of each biscuit before baking and generously salt the biscuits as well. If you are luck enough to live near a Bojangles, you'll understand when I say that taking this extra step makes them taste a lot like a Bo's biscuit!

*The remaining 2 tbsp cold water is to keep on hand if your dough seems too dry. Add the water 1 tbsp at a time if needed.

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Mile High Perfect Best Homemade Biscuits Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes homemade biscuits taste better? ›

Buttermilk adds a tangy flavor to the biscuits and makes them slightly more tender. Butter: We use salted European butter in this recipe. It will work with unsalted or salted butter. I like the extra saltiness of salted butter, but you can reduce the salt to 3/4 teaspoon if you prefer.

What not to do when making biscuits? ›

5 Mistakes You're Making With Your Biscuits
  1. Mistake #1: Your butter is too warm.
  2. Mistake #2: You're using an inferior flour.
  3. Mistake #3: You use an appliance to mix your batter.
  4. Mistake #4: You don't fold the dough enough.
  5. Mistake #5: You twist your biscuit cutter.
Feb 1, 2019

What ingredient most caused the biscuits to rise? ›

US biscuits are made today with chemical leaveners. The basic recipe uses flour, baking powder, a fat ( butter or Crisco or lard), salt, and buttermilk. The acid in the buttermilk activates the baking powder, the heat of the oven melts the fat. The biscuits rise and are tender and flaky.

What kind of flour makes the best biscuits? ›

White Lily brand flour, especially the self-rising flour, is the gold standard among Southern cooks who make biscuits on a regular basis. White lily, self rising. I use it for everything except those thing I make using either cake flour or yeast. If I'm using yeast I use King Arthur flours.

What is the secret to high rising biscuits? ›

Whether you're making round or square biscuits, be sure you're using a knife or biscuit cutter, and that you're not twisting as you cut. It's important to create a clean cut that won't smoosh those outside layers onto one another, as that will bind the layers together and inhibit the puffing that creates height.

Is it better to use butter or Crisco for biscuits? ›

The butter version rises the highest — look at those flaky layers! The shortening biscuit is slightly shorter and a bit drier, too. Butter contains a bit of water, which helps create steam and gives baked goods a boost.

Which liquid makes the best biscuits? ›

*Substitute buttermilk, light cream, or heavy cream for the whole milk, if you prefer; use enough of whatever liquid you choose to bring the dough together readily, without you having to work it too much. The higher-fat liquid you use, the more tender and richer-tasting your biscuits will be.

What kind of flour do Southerners use for biscuits? ›

If you start asking around, any Southern chef, Southern Living Test Kitchen pro, or biscuit-making family member will swear by White Lily flour. Generations of bakers have claimed it as the secret to the perfect, flaky biscuit.

How long should biscuit dough rest before baking? ›

Cake flour, a low-protein flour that is available in supermarkets from Boston to Chicago, north to Seattle and down to Los Angeles, makes a fine biscuit. Standard Northern all-purpose flour does as well, especially if you allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes or so before cutting it out and baking.

How can I get my biscuits to rise higher? ›

To bake tall biscuits place you want to place biscuits next to each other, with edges touching on the baking sheet. If you separate the biscuits and bake them too far apart, they won't rise as tall. By placing the biscuits next to each other, they will be able to cling to each other helping them rise taller.

Should biscuit dough be cold before baking? ›

My thinking is that by starting with a colder dough (versus fresh / room temperature dough), the biscuits will hold a better shape and rise nice and evenly.

Is it better to use milk or buttermilk in biscuits? ›

Buttermilk adds a nice tang to the biscuit flavor and helps them rise better.

What are the two most important steps in biscuit making? ›

The two keys to success in making the best biscuits are handling the dough as little as possible as well as using very cold solid fat (butter, shortening, or lard) and cold liquid. When the biscuits hit the oven, the cold liquid will start to evaporate creating steam which will help our biscuits get very tall.

What makes biscuits rise and fluffy? ›

Fully incorporating the butter and flour guarantees tender, airy biscuits every time. Low-protein flours keep biscuits fluffy and light, never tough. Yogurt provides both hydration and structure, for biscuits that bake up straight and tall but moist.

What are 2 important steps when making biscuits? ›

The two keys to success in making the best biscuits are handling the dough as little as possible as well as using very cold solid fat (butter, shortening, or lard) and cold liquid. When the biscuits hit the oven, the cold liquid will start to evaporate creating steam which will help our biscuits get very tall.

What is the most important step in biscuit making? ›

Mixing. The multi-stage mixing method is preferred for its ability to produce consistent doughs which are not fully developed. Blending all dry ingredients to rub or cut the shortening into the flour until fat is fully distributed and pea-sized lumps are visible.

Are biscuits better with butter or shortening? ›

The butter version rises the highest — look at those flaky layers! The shortening biscuit is slightly shorter and a bit drier, too. Butter contains a bit of water, which helps create steam and gives baked goods a boost.

Why are my biscuits not light and fluffy? ›

For light and fluffy biscuits, steer clear of any flour made from 100% hard red wheat; this style is relatively low in starch and high in protein, readily forming gluten in a high-moisture dough. That's great when it comes to making chewy breads and pasta, but bad news for light and tender biscuits.

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