Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe for Flaky, Cheesy Layers

Hi! I’m Andy

Welcome to my kitchen.
I hope to inspire you to grow as a home cook!

There’s just something so comforting about pulling a warm biscuit out of the oven, isn’t there? Especially when it’s these  buttermilk biscuits — flaky, buttery, and shockingly easy to make. Whether you’re building the ultimate breakfast sandwich or slathering one with butter straight out of the oven, these homemade buttermilk biscuits hit every cozy note. Today, we’re talking about a simple recipe that uses a few clever techniques to take these biscuits from good to absolutely crave-worthy. Let’s dive into what makes this buttermilk biscuit recipe a must-save for your baking recipes collection.

Recipe

Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients:  

  • 4 cups flour
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup cold butter, shredded with box grater
  • 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 cup cold buttermilk or 1 cup milk with a tsp of white vinegar
  • 4 tbsp buttermilk for brushing top of biscuits

ECK

Instructions: 

  • Preheat over to 425F
  • In a bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in shredded butter and shredded cheese. Mix together until welll distributed.
  • Create a well in the flour (a small hole) and pour in buttermilk. Mix together until a shaggy dough forms. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a rectangle.
  • Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it's about 1/2 inch thick. Starting with the end of the rectangle closest to you, fold end to the middle. Repeat with end of the rectangle farthest away from you. You should now have a square. Turn the square a half turn and then roll back into a rectangle; repeat the folding process two more times. This is what creates nice flaky layers.
  • Roll dough to about 2/3 of an inch thick.
  • Using a cookie cutter or a circle (I use a juice glass,) cut out biscuits and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Brush biscuits with buttermilk and place in the oven for 15-17 minutes or until nice and brown.
  • Let cool on pan for 5 minutes then enjoy the simple pleasure of a warm biscuit. Pass the home-made jam!

Why Cold Ingredients Make All the Difference

When it comes to this buttermilk biscuits recipe, one of the most important tricks is using cold buttermilk and shredded butter. The goal? Steam. When cold butter melts in the oven, it creates pockets of air that lift the biscuit and create those beautiful, flaky layers. This takes this buttermilk biscuit recipe to a whole other level.

Pro Tip: Grab a box grater and shred your frozen butter! It helps the butter distribute evenly throughout the flour, making sure every bite is tender and buttery.

The same technique goes for shredded cheddar cheese. By grating the cheese, you make sure it’s sprinkled perfectly across the dough, avoiding any big pockets of melted cheese (not that we’d ever complain about that).

Cutting the dough into squares = no scraps, all flaky layers

Buttermilk For Your Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

Cold buttermilk isn’t just a nice addition. It’s the key to getting that perfect mix of fluffy and flaky.

But don’t panic if you don’t have any on hand. You can make a quick substitute for buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar to a cup of milk. Let it sit for a few minutes until it curdles a bit. Just like that, you have a tangy milk product that acts like buttermilk.

Why the acid matters: It reacts with the baking powder to give the biscuits a better rise and a softer crumb. And it makes all the difference in this homemade buttermilk biscuits recipe.

Buttermilk biscuits sitting on a cooling rack.
Freshly baked and cooling — the hardest part is waiting

Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe: Key Ingredients You’ll Need

You don’t need a million things to make these homemade biscuits with buttermilk. Just a handful of staples:

  • Cold butter (frozen is even better!)
  • All-purpose flour
  • Cold buttermilk (or the homemade version)
  • Shredded cheddar cheese (optional, but highly encouraged)
  • Baking powder and baking soda (for lift)
  • Salt
  • Sugar (just a touch for balance)

Simple pantry items, big biscuit payoff.

Each ingredient plays an important role in the final biscuit. Baking powder and baking soda work together to help make the biscuits rise and stay tender. A little sugar may seem surprising, but it balances the savory flavors. It also helps create a perfect golden color on top.

Using cold buttermilk gives the dough a slight tang, balancing the richness of the butter and cheese. And don’t forget — the quality of your butter matters. A good, flavorful butter can make a big difference when you’re working with such a simple buttermilk biscuits recipe.

Simple ingredients coming together for the perfect biscuit dough

Pro Tips for Your Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe

1. Freeze Your Butter First

Seriously, pop your butter into the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Frozen butter means bigger, flakier layers.

2. Shred Your Butter and Cheese

Shredding frozen butter with a box grater makes it easier to incorporate without overworking the dough. Same deal for the cheese — a quick shred will save you from cheese clumps later.

3. Make Your Own Buttermilk Substitute

Forgot to buy buttermilk? No problem. Add one tablespoon of vinegar to one cup of milk and let it stand for 2 minutes. It curdles slightly into a tangy milk product that’s the perfect stand-in.

4. Don’t Skip the Folding

Light folding builds layers in the dough, and it’s a crucial step for this buttermilk biscuits recipe. This is where the magic happens. Press the dough out gently, fold it over, and repeat the process a few times to create those ultimate flaky layers that make every bite so satisfying.

5. Cut Into Squares

Skip the biscuit cutter if you want to avoid wasting scraps. Cutting the dough into squares means less re-rolling — and better texture.

6. Brush with Buttermilk Before Baking

A quick brush of cold buttermilk on top before baking gives these biscuits from this buttermilk biscuits recipe a gorgeous, golden finish. Trust me, it’s worth the extra 30 seconds.

Buttermilk biscuits on a parchment lined baking sheet being brushed with buttermilk.
A buttermilk brush for that golden, bakery-style finish!

How to Bake These Biscuits to Perfection

Set your biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake in a hot oven until they’re puffed, golden, and your kitchen smells like heaven. No fancy techniques, no stress — just irresistible, buttery goodness ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Spacing matters, too: make sure to leave a bit of room between each biscuit on the baking sheet. This helps the heat circulate evenly, giving you biscuits with perfectly crisp edges and tall, fluffy centers.

Keep an eye on the bottoms as they bake — a deep golden brown signals they’re ready. If you want to add some shredded cheddar cheese on top, do it five minutes before they finish baking. This will give you a melty and tasty finish. Let the biscuits cool slightly before digging in, so the steam inside can settle and the texture stays tender.

Buttermilk milk biscuits on a parchment lined baking sheet getting ready for the oven.
Perfectly spaced for maximum rise and flaky layers

Final Thoughts On This Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe

This buttermilk biscuits recipe is one of those “how have I lived without this” kinds of recipes. It’s a simple recipe you can use for lazy weekend mornings, special brunches, or whenever you need some comfort. Here are some easy tips: use frozen butter, shredded cheddar cheese, a quick buttermilk substitute, and a parchment-lined baking sheet. With these, you can bake biscuits that will make everyone want more.

These homemade buttermilk biscuits also freeze beautifully, so you can make a double batch and stash some away for busy days. Just pop them back into a warm oven for a few minutes, and they’ll taste fresh out of the oven again — buttery, flaky, and impossible to resist.

Golden, flaky, buttery perfection — fresh from the oven!

Other Recipes You Will Love!

Soft Dinner Rolls

No Knead Cheddar Herb Bread

Banana Chocolate Chips Muffins

Rate & leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this Recipe




No Comments

No comments yet. Be the first!

— End of comments —

— No more comments to load —

Share this recipe