Buttermilk Biscuits

How to Make Buttermilk Biscuits

One of the things I often get asked is how to make easy, fluffy buttermilk biscuits. This buttermilk biscuit recipe (or baking powder biscuits or lard biscuits as they are often called) will show you an easy way to ensure tender fluffy biscuits each and every time.
This is a great recipe for plain biscuits that can easily be "jazzed up" with a variety of ingredients. You will find our huge array of variations on this wonderful recipe below in our Tips and Variations section.
You'll see that with this basic recipe for buttermilk biscuits and the wide variety of ingredients you can add, your menu can easily be filled with wonderful biscuit treats on a regular basis.

Ingredients for Basic Buttermilk Biscuits:
2 cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
4 or 5 tablespoons cold butter and lard or cold butter and vegetable shortening, mixed
1 egg beaten (optional)
2/3 cup (or a bit less) milk or buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450ºF.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Cut in the cold butter and lard or cold butter and vegetable shortening with a wire pastry cutter.
Add the egg and milk or buttermilk to the mixture, but just enough to create a dough that is light and soft but stiff enough to handle.
Put the dough on a floured board and mould it gently into a ball. Try to handle it as little as possible. Roll the dough out very gently to 1/2 in thickness and cut with a 1 1/2" or 2" cutter.
Place the cut biscuits on a greased and floured baking pan. If you have the time, it's best to chill the biscuits on the pan for 10 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven at 450ºF for 12 to 15 minutes.
Serves 4-6
Serve warm. These are great with butter or jam, or with gravy for dinner.

Tips and Variations:
The egg is optional but adds a nice rich flavor. If using an egg you will need a bit less milk, which is why the recipe says "about" 2/3 cup milk.

The mix of butter and shortening or lard you use depends on how rich a biscuit you want. More butter creates a richer biscuit, but adding in some shortening or lard creates a more tender biscuit.

Cheese Biscuits: add 2/3 cup of grated cheddar cheese to the dry ingredients after they are sifted (or try another favorite of yours like Monterey Jack).

Herbed Biscuits: Add 3 tablespoons of your favorite herbs to the mixed dry ingredients. Fresh dill or parsley work well or add 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary or other dried herb.

Raisin or Currant Biscuits: Soak 4 tablespoons of raisins or currants in warm water for 5 minutes then add them to the sifted dry ingredients (without the soaking water). Top with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon before baking if you want.

Sour Cream Biscuits: Replace the milk and egg in the recipe with 1 cup of sour cream.
Orange Biscuits: Omit the egg. Replace 1/2 the milk with orange juice. Add the grated rind of 1 orange to the sifted dry ingredients. Include the sugar in the dry ingredients.