The Ultimate Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Let’s be honest for a second—growing up, the biscuits on our dinner table usually popped right out of a cardboard tube. And hey, I’m not judging! I still have a soft spot for those doughy little pucks. But there comes a time in every home cook’s life when you just crave the real deal. You know the ones I mean. Those sky-high, pull-apart Southern Buttermilk Biscuits that shatter into a million buttery, flaky layers the second you bite into them.

For the longest time, making homemade biscuits completely intimidated me. My first few attempts were absolute disasters—dense, hard little hockey pucks that not even a bucket of sausage gravy could save. I tweaked, tested, and tasted my way through dozens of batches until I finally cracked the code. Trust me, the secret is simpler than you think, and it doesn’t involve any fancy equipment. If you’ve been searching for that holy grail recipe that actually works, pull up a chair. We are about to bake up a batch of pure, buttery heaven together.

What Is A Southern Buttermilk Biscuit?

So, what exactly makes authentic Southern Buttermilk Biscuits so incredibly special? If you wander below the Mason-Dixon line, you will quickly learn that biscuit-making is basically a religion, and everyone has their own fiercely guarded family secrets. But at its core, a true Southern biscuit relies on a magical combination of simple pantry staples and a very specific fat ratio.

While some folks swear by using only butter and others are completely loyal to shortening, the absolute best biscuits—the ones that are impossibly tall, tender, and flaky—use a combination of both. Why? It all comes down to science, but I promise we’ll keep it fun! Shortening has a higher melting point than butter. When you pop your pan into a roaring hot oven, the butter melts first, creating gorgeous little pockets of steam that lift the dough. Then, the shortening melts a bit later, stabilizing those layers and keeping the crumb unimaginably soft. Add in the tangy, tenderizing magic of cold, thick buttermilk, and you’ve got a bread side dish that easily steals the spotlight from whatever else is on the table.

How to Make Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Quick Overview

Don’t let the idea of making from-scratch dough scare you off! Once you get the hang of the basic technique, whipping up a batch of Southern Buttermilk Biscuits becomes second nature. The entire process really boils down to three simple phases: mixing your dry ingredients, cutting in the cold fats, and gently folding in the buttermilk. The most crucial thing to remember is that heat is the enemy of a flaky biscuit. You want to work quickly and keep everything as cold as possible. We are going to gently coax the dough together just until it forms a shaggy ball, press it out, and use a cutter to stamp out our biscuits. No heavy machinery required—just a mixing bowl and your own two hands!

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour: You can also use pastry flour for a softer crumb.
• 2 tablespoons baking powder: Gives the biscuits their majestic rise.
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda: Reacts with the buttermilk for extra lift.
• 1 teaspoon salt: Essential for balancing the flavors.
• 6 tablespoons cold butter: Grated while cold (or frozen) for perfect distribution.
• 4 tablespoons cold shortening: Cut into tiny pieces. This is the secret to the ultimate soft texture!
• 1 cup cold buttermilk: The star liquid that tenderizes the dough. Keep it in the fridge until the very last second.
• Extra melted butter or buttermilk: For brushing on top before and after baking.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat & Prep Pan

Get your oven roaring hot by preheating it to 425°F. A hot oven is crucial for creating the steam that makes biscuits rise. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set it aside.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. If your flour looks a bit lumpy, feel free to sift everything together.

Step 3: Cut in the Fats

Toss your cold, grated butter and small bits of cold shortening into the flour mixture. Gently use your fingers or a pastry blender to toss the fats with the flour until the pieces are fully coated and the mixture resembles coarse, sandy meal.

Step 4: Add the Buttermilk

Pour in your icy cold buttermilk and stir gently just until the dough starts to come together. It will look shaggy and a bit messy—that is exactly what you want! If it’s far too dry, add an extra tablespoon of milk.

Step 5: Roll and Cut

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press it together into a ball, then pat it out with your hands into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Using a sharp biscuit cutter, press straight down into the dough and pull straight up. Do not twist! Gather your scraps, gently pat them out again, and cut the remaining biscuits.

Step 6: Bake to Golden Perfection

Place the cut biscuits onto your prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops lightly with a little melted butter or extra buttermilk. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the tops are a beautiful golden brown. Pull them out and give them one final brush of melted butter. Serve hot!

What to Serve It With

Honestly, I could eat these straight off the baking sheet with nothing but a little extra swipe of butter, but they truly shine when paired with the right meal. If you want a classic Southern breakfast, you absolutely must smother them in a rich, peppery homemade sausage gravy. They are also the ultimate companion for a cozy bowl of soup or chili, perfect for soaking up every last drop of broth in the bottom of your bowl.

For dinner, serve them alongside a juicy roasted chicken, thick-cut pork chops, or crispy fried chicken for a meal that will have everyone begging for seconds. And of course, you can never go wrong keeping it sweet. Split one open while it’s still piping hot and load it up with local honey, apple butter, or your favorite fruit preserves.

Top Tips for Perfecting Your Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Let’s talk about the golden rules of biscuit making. The absolute biggest secret to towering Southern Buttermilk Biscuits is temperature. Keep your butter, shortening, and buttermilk icy cold. I even like to grate my butter while it’s frozen solid! This ensures the fat doesn’t melt until it hits the hot oven, which creates those magical flaky layers.

Next, when you are cutting out your dough, press your biscuit cutter straight down and pull it straight back up. Whatever you do, do not twist the cutter! Twisting seals the edges of the dough, which traps the steam and prevents the biscuits from rising properly. Finally, handle the dough with care. Overworking the dough develops the gluten in the flour, which leads to tough, chewy biscuits instead of tender, crumbly ones. Mix just until the dough comes together!

Storing and Reheating Tips

Let’s be real, these biscuits rarely last longer than a few hours in my house, but if you do happen to have leftovers, they are super easy to save. Store any cooled, leftover biscuits in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. To bring back that fresh-out-of-the-oven magic, just pop them in a toaster oven for a few minutes or microwave them for about ten to fifteen seconds wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel.

Want to prep ahead? You can totally freeze unbaked biscuits! Just cut out the dough, place the raw biscuits on a baking sheet to freeze solid, and then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag for up to three months. You can bake them straight from frozen, just add a couple of extra minutes to your baking time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

There is just something incredibly special about pulling a pan of golden, homemade Southern Buttermilk Biscuits out of the oven. It’s a true labor of love that instantly makes any house feel like a home. I really hope this recipe brings as much joy, comfort, and deliciousness to your family’s table as it has to mine over the years. Don’t be afraid to get your hands a little floury and embrace the process. Once you taste that first warm, buttery bite, you will never look at a canned biscuit the same way again. Happy baking, friends!

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Don’t let anyone tell you different, the best Southern Buttermilk Biscuits are made with both butter and shortening! It provides the best of both worlds and leaves you with a delicious warm, flaky, buttery biscuit. Pure heaven.

Prep : 10 Total : 25 minutes

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Ingredients

  

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Main Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter grated
• 4 tablespoons cold crisco shortening cut into small pieces, or more butter
• 1 cup cold buttermilk plus more for brushing on the biscuits

Instructions

 

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl.
• Toss the grated butter and shortening with the flour till the pieces are coated, until it resembles coarse meal or sand.
• Then stir in the cold buttermilk, just until a dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add an additional tablespoon of milk to the dough.
• Gently form a ball and press out 0.5 inch thick with the palm of your hand or use a rolling pin.
• Cut biscuits out with a biscuit cutter or turn a drinking glass upside down and use it to cut the biscuits. Press your leftover dough together again and cut out biscuits one more time.
• Place biscuits on the prepared pan. Brush the tops with melted butter, or buttermilk, if desired. Bake for 12 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
• Remove and brush with melted butter one more time, if desired. Serve hot with homemade sausage gravy, more butter, jelly or honey.

Notes

Keep your butter, shortening, and buttermilk cold. You want the butter and shortening to melt in the oven, not in your mixing bowl. That way, they’ll release steam into the biscuit dough, creating light, flaky pockets.