I have a confession to make. I’ve been known to pop open a tube of refrigerated biscuits and pop them in the oven on more than one occasion. Granted, I love the convenience but if I’m being completely honest, I’ve never enjoyed their texture or chemically taste. I’ve had good biscuits before and once you’ve tasted the real deal, it’s really hard to enjoy the store bought kind. Curious to find out how easy it is to make homemade buttermilk biscuits from scratch? Keep reading to find out how.
Are you like me and have the crazy idea in your head that it would be hard to make them? Well I have great news! It’s not hard to make them at all. It only takes a few minutes to get them into the oven, less than ten minutes! Yes you read that right, less than ten minutes, actually it’s closer to five minutes! Plus this recipe uses common everyday ingredients that you can easily get your hands on if your don’t already have them.
If you have self rising flour on hand it will take you even less time to bake up a batch of biscuits. But if you’re on the frugal side like I am, you probably just have all purpose flour on hand and not self rising flour. There’s absolutely no need to go out and purchase self rising flour, because you can easily make your own in the exact amount you need.
To Make Self Rising Flour: Use this basic formula, to every one cup of flour add, 1½ teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk together to combine and, voila…you have self rising flour! Easy peasy, right?
How To Make Light & Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits From Scratch:
To make buttermilk biscuits you will need a large mixing bowl, round cookie cutter, and a cast iron skillet. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, use a round baking dish instead. Just make sure it’s oven safe because the biscuits bake up in a really hot oven.
The biscuits are baked at 500°F. So get your oven going first thing so it’s good and hot and ready when you finish making the biscuits.
Start by making the self rising flour right in your mixing bowl. Whisk together 3 cups flour, 4½ teaspoons baking powder, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Use your hand and create a well in the center of the flour.
Add the Crisco and place it in the well.
Get some of the Crisco on your hand and use it to grease the cast iron skillet; set it aside. This 10.5 inch Pre-seasoned Cast Iron Skillet is perfect for baking biscuits! I use this pan more often than just about any other pan in my kitchen. I love the versatility of being able to use it both on the stove top and in the oven. From pancakes and grilled cheese sandwiches to baking buttermilk biscuits, this pan is a real workhorse in my kitchen. The best $20 I ever spent!
Pour the buttermilk into the well in the mixing bowl.
Use your hand to squish together the Crisco and buttermilk, pulling in a little flour at a time from the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Once the Crisco is broken up, start swirling your hand around the bowl, in a circular motion, pulling in more and more flour to combine with the Crisco and buttermilk.
Continue to do this until a soft dough forms in the center of the bowl. The dough comes together very quickly in just a couple minutes.
Once the dough has come together, grab a little flour from along the edge of the bowl and sprinkle some of the flour onto your work surface.
Transfer the dough from the mixing bowl onto your floured work surface.
Fold the dough over onto itself about a half a dozen times, flouring the dough if it sticks to your hands. Don’t overwork the dough, fold it over onto itself just until the dough holds together.
Pat out the dough with your hand to about a ¾ inch thickness.
Sprinkle the top of the dough with a little more flour from the mixing bowl.
Cut out biscuits using a round cookie cutter.
Repeat the process of folding the remaining dough and patting it out to ¾ inch thickness and cut out more biscuits.
Place the biscuits onto the prepared skillet.
It’s ok to have the biscuits touching each other.
Place skillet in the oven and bake biscuits for 10-15 minutes until the biscuits are a light golden brown along the top edges.
Keep a close eye on them as they bake; every oven is different. Start checking biscuits after about 8 to 10 minutes. My biscuits took 14 minutes to bake up to perfection.
Serve biscuits with softened butter if desired.
TIP: If you’re not getting fluffy biscuits, check the expiration date on your baking powder, you won’t get fluffy biscuits if your baking powder has been sitting in your pantry too long.
My favorite way to eat biscuits? Warm from the oven with butter melting into their soft fluffy centers and a drizzle of honey. Yummy-yummy-yum-yum!
Also delicious with your favorite jam or jelly or covered in sausage gravy! Use them to make breakfast sandwiches with bacon, eggs and cheese. Or use them to mop up sauces on the bottom of your dinner plate. These biscuits turn out light and fluffy with a tender crumb that totally melts in your mouth! No dense hockey pucks here! And they are a million, gazillion times better tasting than any canned refrigerated biscuits from the supermarket!
Buttermilk Biscuits
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- round cast iron skillet
- round cookie cutter
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 4½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp Crisco
- 1½ cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 500°F.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Use your hand and create a well in the center of the flour.
- Add the Crisco and place it in the well.
- Get some of the Crisco on your hand to grease the cast iron skillet, and set it aside.
- Pour the buttermilk into the well in the mixing bowl.
- Use your hand to squish together the Crisco and buttermilk, pulling in a little flour at a time from the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Once the Crisco is broken up, start swirling your hand around the bowl, in a circular motion, pulling in more and more flour to combine with the Crisco and buttermilk.
- Continue to do this until a soft dough forms in the center of the bowl. The dough comes together very quickly.
- Once the dough has come together, grab a little flour from along the edge of the bowl and sprinkle some of the flour onto your work surface.
- Transfer the dough from the mixing bowl onto your floured work surface.
- Fold the dough over onto itself about a half a dozen times, flouring the dough if it sticks to your hand. Don't overwork the dough, fold it over onto itself just until the dough holds together.
- Pat out the dough with your hand to about a ¾ inch thickness.
- Cut out biscuits using a round cookie cutter.
- Place the biscuits onto the prepared skillet.
- Place skillet in the oven and bake biscuits for 10-15 minutes until the biscuits are a light golden brown along the top edges.
- Serve biscuits with softened butter if desired.
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This post was originally published September 2022 and republished with updated photos, recipe notes, and new content May 2024.
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These biscuits are amazing! And the recipe was incredibly easy to make. These biscuits will definitely be served up on my Thanksgiving dinner table.
I’m totally coming to your place for Thanksgiving! What time did you say dinner will be served?