Southern Style Buttermilk Biscuits

These homemade buttermilk biscuits have fluffy, flaky layers and are delicious every time. They take just 35 minutes to make with just 6 ingredients!

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (aluminum free) baking powder, not baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup very cold butter
1 cup + 3 Tablespoons cold Buttermilk
a little bit of milk from the fridge, and an egg, for brushing after

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425°.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Stir until well-combined.
Cut the cold butter into cubes and add it to the bowl. Use a pastry cutter (or the back of a fork) to work it in until coarse crumbs form). Create a hole in the middle of the dry mixture and add the cold buttermilk and honey. Use a silicone spatula to gently stir until just combined. Don’t overmix. It will be crumbly.
Add the dough to a floured surface and create a rectangle with your hands about 9 inches long.
Fold the left side into the middle, then the right side. (See process shots.)
Rotate the dough so that it’s horizontal. Gently flatten into a rectangle again, and repeat the same folding process 2 more times.
Form into a 10 x 7 inch rectangle about 1-inch thick.
Use a 3-inch cookie cutter to cut 6 circles. Do not twist the cutter, it will seal the edges and prevent airflow which will hinder them from rising. Lightly flour the inside of the cutter in between. I like to store them in the fridge as I cut them to prevent them from getting too warm.
Roll the dough back out until it’s 1 inch thick again and cut 2 more biscuits. You should end up with about 8 biscuits total.
Butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet and place the biscuits inside so that they are almost touching. The close proximity makes them rise better. You could also place them close together on parchment paper on top of a baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Beat together the egg and a bit of milk to make a simple egg wash and brush the finished biscuits with the egg/milk wash.
Store in an airtight container or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze leftover biscuits.

Notes:
– Ensure the baking powder is labeled “aluminum free”, this is an extra precaution to avoid a chemical aftertaste, (although I don’t taste one with regular baking soda, some are more sensitive to this aftertaste than others).
– 1 Tablespoon baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon baking soda may also be used.
– To properly measure the flour, take a spoon and scoop it into the measuring cup as opposed to dipping the measuring cup into the flour. Use the knife to level off the top. This is important to have an accurate measurement.
– Alternatively, you can weigh the flour. 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour is equal to 300 grams. Be sure to subtract the measuring cup from the weight.
– Salt: Non-iodized salt is best for baking. (Table salt is generally supplemented with iodine, which can generate a bitter taste in baked goods.) I use Redmond Real Salt for all of my baking and cooking recipes. (Enter code ‘COZY’ for 15% off!)
– Butter: I use salted butter for this recipe but feel free to use unsalted. Land O’ Lakes or Cabot Butter are my preferred brands. If you have frozen butter, you can shred it and incorporate it into the dough instead of refrigerated butter.
– Don’t overmix the dough or it will become too dense and won’t be as flakey and soft.
Buttermilk Substitutes:
4 tablespoons milk + enough sour cream to make a cup.
2 tablespoons milk + enough plain yogurt to make a cup.
1 tablespoon white vinegar + enough milk to make a cup. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
1 tablespoon lemon juice + enough milk to make a cup. Let sit for 10 minutes. It’ll look curdled. Stir to combine.
Make-Ahead Method:
– Method #1: Prepare the dough and cut the biscuits. Refrigerate for up to 2 days prior to baking. Alternatively, you can prepare the dough and complete the folding steps, cover the dough with plastic wrap and cut the biscuits prior to baking.
– Method #2: Make dough and cut biscuits as outlined. Flash freeze on a baking sheet for 2 hours, then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Let them defrost in the fridge overnight, then bake as outlined.
Storage:
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Refrigerated biscuits retain more moisture and therefore taste better when reheated (vs. storing at room temperature).

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