How To Make Foolproof Flakey Buttermilk Biscuits!

Don’t be afraid!

These are foolproof flakey buttermilk biscuits. I had such an aversion to making pie crusts, biscuits, and bread! “Oh the horror.” Read On!

Good News!

I have since conquered all three and they are all not that hard if you know the tricks. In this post I will show how easy it is to make a flakey biscuit and most of the tips will also apply to pie crusts. I tackle bread in other posts.

Here is an easy hamburger bun that covers some tips to bread making.

A Few Tips Before We Start

1.Cold! Keep it cold! Don’t let it get warm

2. Cold, Cold, Cold, Don’t worry about butter lumps! Don’t over handle and keep it cold!

3. When you cut the biscuit just use an up and down motion. If using a knife don’t pull it and if your using a cutter don’t turn it. It seals the edges and prevents some of the rise and layers.

Let’s Make This Foolproof Flakey Buttermilk Biscuits

First, put a stick of unsalted butter in the freezer, then get everything else ready.

• Mix 2.5 cups AP flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp kosher salt (if using salted butter use only 1/4 tsp), and 1/4 tsp cream of tartar* in a mixing bowl then put it in the freezer with the butter.
• measure 1 cup of buttermilk and into the freezer. I am being extra carful to make sure everything stays cold so it is foolproof.
• The butter should be hard. Quickly grate the butter with a box grater then back to the freezer.
• Heat your oven to 425 degrees

*the cream of tartar is optional but it helps with the rise. Since my biscuits came out so great I won’t even try them without it.

Work Fast and Don’t Overwork The Dough

Dump the grated butter into the flour mixture and stir with a cold fork until it looks like large crumbs about 10 seconds. Pour in the buttermilk and stir it until the dough comes together.

Dump onto a floured surface and quickly knead until the dough is uniform.

Back to the freezer.

Laminating

Take your dough and gently and quickly flatten the dough to a rectangle about 3/4-1 inch thick. Fold the dough in half turn it 90 degrees and repeat. Back to the freezer

Do this two more times. Back to you know where….. This helps create layers like making a crossant.

Cut! Bake! Then…..Eat!

Flatten the dough to about 1 inch to make a regular biscuit. I was making smaller biscuits for sliders so I flattened it to about 5/8 inch so it was proportional. I used the can above as my cutter.

Big Tip! When cutting just push down. if using a knife just straight down and up, don’t pull the knife. if using a cutter don’t turn it. It will seal the edges and prevent layering and limit rising.

Place your cut biscuits on a baking sheet. If your cutting round biscuits quickly gather the scraps, flatten and cut more biscuits.

Bake in 425 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown. If you want brush with melted butter.

Try These Great Recipes With These Biscuits

Old Style fish fry. Better than Arthur Treachers

Spicy Authentic Cajun Shrimp recipe. My favorite shrimp dish.

The best all beef meatloaf. Very awesome trick!!!!