The Flakiest Southern Biscuits

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I've been on I’ve been on a biscuit quest for quite some time—several years, actually. I’ve played, tested, tweaked, and finally landed on a method I love most. This is my (current) final answer for the perfect biscuit: soft and flaky on the inside, a little crunchy on the outside, and a good rise. Because let’s be honest... don’t we all want a tall biscuit?

I’ve picked up a few tricks along the way. I’ve tried the frozen grated butter thing—it works! But truthfully, I don’t always have butter hanging out in my freezer. If you do, go for it. If not, here are some other tricks that work well for me:

Flaky Southern Biscuits

Tips for Better Biscuits

• Freeze your butter briefly: Grate or cube it, then pop it in the freezer while you prep the other ingredients (or while you make your coffee). The colder, the better. You can freeze it longer, but even a few minutes in a pinch does make a difference.

• Don’t overwork the dough: Mix just enough to bring it together. Too much handling = warm dough and less rise.

• Cut into squares: I skip the biscuit cutter. Squares give you a perfect rise every time—no re-rolling scraps or lumpy stragglers.

• Let them touch: Place the biscuits close together in the pan to help them rise taller.

• Freeze before baking: Once they’re cut and in the pan, pop the whole thing into the freezer while the oven preheats. Keeps everything cold and fluffy.

• Freeze any leftovers: We usually make a half batch of biscuits, but if you have any leftovers, you can place them in the ferezer and easily reheat in the oven

Buttermilk Notes

If you’ve got buttermilk, use it. If not, make a quick substitute:1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes before using.a quiest for teh past

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The Flakiest Southern Biscuits

Biscuits for 2

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter, plus more for topping (optional)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder

• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 6 tablespoons buttermilk, plus more for topping

Family Biscuits

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, plus more for topping (optional)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup buttermilk, plus more for topping

Instructions

1. Grate the butter or cut it into small cubes and place in the freezer.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine.

3. Using a pastry blender, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. (Alternatively, pulse together in a food processor.)

4. Add the buttermilk and gently bring the dough together on a work surface. Knead just enough to incorporate any dry bits—don’t overwork it.

5. Shape the dough into a rough rectangle. Lightly roll it out, using a small amount of flour if needed.

6. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter, rotate 90 degrees, and roll out again.

7. Repeat the fold, rotate, and roll process three more times for extra flakiness.

8. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into square biscuits. If the edges are uneven, trim them before cutting into squares.

9. Place the biscuits into a small baking dish or close together on a pan—they’ll rise better when touching.

10. Transfer the pan to the freezer while you preheat the oven.

11. Preheat oven to 450°F.

12. Just before baking, brush the tops with buttermilk.

13. Bake for 15–17 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Baking time may vary based on size.

14. Brush with melted butter after baking, if desired.