Butter Swim Biscuits

This butter swim biscuit recipe is simple, effective and foolproof. And its dayum good y’all. No folding or kneading necessary like my big mama did with her buttermilk biscuits.

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Jump To Recipe Variations

• Blueberry Lemon Butter Swim Biscuits
• Original Butter Swim Biscuits
• Peach Cobbler Butter Swim Biscuits
• Strawberry Shortcake Butter Swim Biscuits

Butter Swim Biscuit Ingredients

• Unsalted Butter: In our testing, we used unsalted here but salted is fine. Just leave out most of the salt in the dry ingredients.
• All-Purpose Flour: If you ran out of all-purpose, whole wheat can be used but it will be a bit heartier. You can also grab self-rising. Just leave out the baking powder and salt boos. Use a 1:1 ratio gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour if needed. Just be sure it contains xanthan gum, which helps with structure and texture.
• Salt: Remember to leave out or just add a little if you use salted butter.
• Baking Powder: As a swap, use a mix of 1/4 teaspoon baking soda with 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar instead.
• Full-fat Buttermilk: As a swap, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to 2 cups of milk. Stir it together, then let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it curdles.

How to Make Butter Swim Biscuits

Preheat, Prep and Mix

Pour and Spread Your Batter

Slice and Bake

PRO TIP: Give the pan a spin halfway through the bake so the biscuits bake up and brown evenly.

Blueberry Lemon Butter Swim Biscuits Variation

Ingredients

Blueberry Jam

• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
• Pinch kosher salt

Biscuits

• Butter Swim Biscuit ingredients above but you can go up to 1/4 cup of sugar added to the base
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract 
• ¾ teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Lemon Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

1. Combine blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt in a small saucepan and place over medium low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries have burst and cooked down with most of the liquid reduced into a thick jam, about 7 minutes. (The mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.) Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes. 
2. Place the oven rack in the bottom third position and preheat to 450°F. 
3. Add the butter to a 9×9-inch baking dish* and place it inside the oven until the butter melts, about 5 minutes. 
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Add the buttermilk, lemon extract, and zest, and gently stir together until almost combined. Fold in the fresh blueberries. Drop in teaspoonfuls of half of the blueberry jam and fold gently twice. (If you fold more, the entire batter will turn blue.) 
5. Remove the pan from the oven and pour the batter into the hot butter. Use a spatula to spread the dough evenly into the pan. Dollop teaspoonfuls of the remaining jam on the surface of the dough, then run a knife through the dough, cutting it into 9 even squares. 
6. Bake until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown and crispy, and the edges are bubbling with butter, about 30 minutes. (If your biscuits are getting too brown on top, but still undercooked in the middle, cover them with foil for the remainder of the time.) 
7. Remove from the oven, (remove the foil, if using) and let sit for 5 minutes.
8. Whisk glaze ingredients together, then spoon over warm biscuits. Slice and enjoy warm!

Strawberry Shortcake Butter Swim Biscuits Variation

Ingredients

• Butter swim biscuit ingredients above but you can go up to 1/4 cup of sugar in the base
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces strawberries, diced 

Vanilla Glaze and Garnish

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract 
• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• Whipped Cream or Whipped Topping

1. Place the oven rack in the bottom third position and preheat to 450°F. 
2. Add the butter to a 9×9-inch baking dish and place it inside the oven until the butter melts, about 5 minutes. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and gently stir together until almost combined. Fold in the strawberries until just combined. 
4. Remove the pan from the oven and pour the batter into the hot butter. Use a spatula to spread the dough evenly into the pan. Run a knife through the dough, cutting it into 9 even squares. 
5. Bake until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown and crispy, and the edges are bubbling with butter, about 25-30 minutes. (If your biscuits are getting too brown on top, but still undercooked in the middle, cover them with foil for the remainder of the time.)
6. Remove from the oven, (remove the foil, if using) and let sit for 5 minutes. 
7. Whisk all the glaze ingredients together, then spoon over warm biscuits. Slice, and serve warm!  Add whipped cream to each piece served individually.

Peach Cobbler Butter Swim Biscuits

For Peach Cobbler Swirl

• 12 ounces frozen peaches*, thawed, diced
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For Biscuits

• ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1 tablespoon teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Combine diced peaches, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice in a small saucepan and place over medium low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced and thickened and the peaches have cooked down and turned jammy, about 10-14 minutes. (The mixture will thicken slightly as it cools.) Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes. 
2. Preheat the oven to 450°F and set the rack in the middle position. Add butter and cinnamon to a 9×9-inch baking dish and place it inside the oven until the butter melts, about 5 minutes. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and both sugars. Add the buttermilk and vanilla, and gently stir together until almost combined. Fold in the ¾ of the peach cobbler mixture. 
4.  Once the butter has melted, remove the pan from the oven and carefully pour the batter into the hot butter. Use a spatula to spread the dough evenly into the pan. Pour the remaining peach cobbler mixture and spread on top. Run a knife through the dough, cutting it into 9 even squares. 
5. Bake until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown and crispy, and the edges are bubbling with butter, about 25-28 minutes. 
6. Place the pan back in the oven and bake until the top is crusty and golden brown, about 25-28 minutes. 
7. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Slice and enjoy warm! 

*Notes

• You can opt for canned peaches instead of frozen, just make sure to drain well. 
• You can use an 8×8-inch baking dish, but cook the biscuits 3-5 minutes longer to ensure the middle is cooked through. 

Recipe Tips

1. Be Gentle: When mixing the dough, be gentle. Over-mixing will make your biscuits tough.
2. Use Room Temp Buttermilk: Cold buttermilk can re-solidify the butter, and we want it nice and melty.
3. Get it Hot!: Preheating the dish with the butter in the oven is gonna give us those perfect, crisp edges that make this recipe so special.
4. Square Up: Cutting the dough into squares in the dish not only gives you perfect portioning help, it also ensures that each biscuit has plenty of that bomb melted butter.

Recipe Help

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