How to Make Buttermilk Biscuits

One of the things I often get asked is how to make easy, fluffy buttermilk biscuits.

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.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

2 cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 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

Directions:
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.

Serve warm. These are great with butter or jam, or with gravy for dinner.

Makes 8 to 12 biscuits, depending on how large you make them.

• 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.