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Homemade Biscuits (Soft, Fluffy and Buttery)

These classic homemade biscuits are soft, flaky, and perfectly buttery—made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes. Perfect for breakfast, holiday dinners, or serving with honey, jam, or gravy.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (stick) unsalted butter, frozen
  • 1 cup cold milk or buttermilk

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Pastry cutter or box grater
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment Paper
  • Biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter
  • Cooling rack
  • Rolling pin (optional)

Method
 

  1. Make the Biscuit Dough
  2. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until evenly combined.
  4. Using a box grater, grate the frozen butter directly into the dry ingredients (this creates extra fluffy layers).
  5. Use a fork or pastry cutter to gently mix the butter into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs.
  6. Pour in the cold milk and stir until a soft dough forms—do not overmix.
  7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
  8. Gently pat and fold the dough over itself 3–4 times (this creates flaky layers).
  9. Pat the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle and use a biscuit cutter or glass to cut out biscuits.
  10. Place biscuits on the baking sheet, close together for softer sides or spaced apart for crispier edges.
  11. Bake
  12. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
  13. Brush warm biscuits with melted butter (optional but delicious).
  14. Serve hot with butter, honey, jam, or your favorite breakfast sides.

Notes

 
  • Cold ingredients are essential: Keep your butter frozen and your milk very cold until ready to use. Cold butter creates steam as the biscuits bake, which helps form flaky layers.
  • Avoid overmixing: Mix the dough just until it comes together. Overworking the dough can compress the layers and lead to tough biscuits instead of a soft, tender texture.
  • Fold for layers: Gently folding the dough 3 to 4 times helps build bakery-style layers without deflating the dough.
  • Mind the thickness: For tall, fluffy biscuits, roll or pat the dough to about 1 inch thick before cutting.
  • Storage: Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
  • Freezing: Unbaked biscuits can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.