Buttermilk Biscuits from Scratch

My love for homemade biscuits cannot be overstated. I used to buy canned biscuits even though I always heard how easy it was to make biscuits from scratch. Then someone read my vegetarian biscuits and gravy recipe and laughed at me for using canned biscuits in my recipe pictures. That was the day I knew I had to make my grandma proud and bake up some buttermilk biscuits from scratch.

This recipe is pretty easy. The key is to treat the dough gently. Do not handle the dough too much or it will get very tough. Also, it is a baking sin to use a rolling pin on these or any other biscuits if you want them to be soft and fluffy.

Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits from Scratch

Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold, cut into chunks
• 1 cup buttermilk (alternatives here)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles course crumbs.
4. Slowly add the buttermilk and mix until it is just until combined. The dough should be very wet and sticky.
5. Add more buttermilk if the dough seems dry.
6. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
7. With floured hands, gently pat the dough until it is approximately 1/2 inch thick. Fold the dough 4-5 times, and then lightly press the dough down to 1 inch thick.
8. Use a biscuit cutter or round glass to cut into rounds.
9. Gently knead the leftover dough together and cut out more rounds.
10. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet, nearly touching for soft biscuits or spaced an inch apart for crispier sides. Closer biscuits will not rise as high as spaced biscuits.
11. Bake for 10-12 minutes until light golden brown.

These biscuits get easier and better each time you make them. They are so good warm with jam or smothered in gravy. Give them a try and let me know if you like this old-fashioned recipe.