Buttermilk Biscuits
These are my big Mama's buttermilk biscuits made the old-fashioned way, a Southern staple! Fluffy, tender, and easy to make!
Servings: 12 biscuits
Calories: 168kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising flour Big Mama's brand of choice is Martha White
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons shortening cold in large chunks
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted plus more for preparing pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Set rack in upper third position. Prepare 9-inch round baking pan by brushing bottom with melted butter.
- In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, and salt and stir to combine. Create a well in the center of the flour.
- Using your hands, add cold shortening into the middle of the flour mixture and start mixing into the flour, keeping in larger pieces, about the size of a nickel.
- Pour in cold buttermilk and use a fork to mix until you have a shaggy dough. Do not overmix. Flour your hands and turn dough onto lightly floured surface (it’s okay to have small unmixed flour at the bottom of the bowl) and gently bring dough together until more cohesive.
- Turn the biscuit mixture onto a kitchen board. Work together with your hands on the board until a dough consistency forms and add flour as/if needed.
- Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough into a round of ½ thickness. (You should see streaks of shortening peeking through the dough.) If dough sticks as you roll it out, add a little flour to your dough and/or board.
- Use a 2-inch biscuit cutter (or a cleaned out back of a can) to cut out 12 biscuits. Place in prepared pan. The biscuits will fit snugly and the sides will touch.
- Bake until biscuits have risen and are light golden brown, about 15-18 minutes then brush biscuits with melted butter. Serve warm and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Tips for making the best buttermilk biscuits
- Don't Overmix: When combining the buttermilk with the flour, be gentle and mix only until everything comes together. Overmixing can lead to tough biscuits, and you want them to be as soft as a cloud.
- Rolling Matters: Aim for a uniform thickness when rolling out your dough to ensure even baking. Whether you like them thick or thin, consistency is key.
- Sharp Edges: Use a sharp biscuit cutter to ensure clean cuts. This helps the biscuits rise uniformly. Avoid twisting the cutter, as this can seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising properly.
- Biscuit Placement: For biscuits with softer edges, place them touching each other on the baking sheet. If you prefer crispy edges, space them apart.
Nutrition
Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 0.4mg