Southern Style Biscuits (Flaky, Buttery & Easy to Make)

There’s something downright magical about a batch of warm, homemade Southern biscuits fresh out of the oven. Golden on the outside, soft and tender inside, and full of buttery layers — they’re the heart of Southern comfort food. And if you’re craving a full Southern supper, serve them alongside Classic Pot Roast — tender beef, rich gravy, and the perfect partner for these buttery biscuits.

Perfect for breakfast with Sausage Gravy, a side to Fried Chicken, or simply slathered with butter and honey, these biscuits are simple, quick, and pure perfection.

Recipe Card

Servings: 10–12 biscuits Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional, for a hint of sweetness)

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

• 1 cup cold buttermilk (plus extra for brushing)

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a cast-iron skillet.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.

3. Cut in the Butter: Add cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter bits.

4. Add Buttermilk: Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir gently until the dough just comes together — don’t overmix.

5. Shape and Cut: Turn dough onto a floured surface. Gently pat it into a ¾-inch thick rectangle. Fold the dough over itself 2–3 times to create flaky layers, then roll out again and cut with a round biscuit cutter (don’t twist the cutter!).

6. Bake: Place biscuits close together on the baking sheet for soft sides, or spaced apart for crisp edges. Brush tops with buttermilk. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden brown.

7. Serve: Brush with melted butter and serve warm — ideally with butter, honey, or sausage gravy.

Tips for the Best Southern Biscuits

• Keep your butter and buttermilk cold for flaky layers.

• Don’t overwork the dough — gentle hands make tender biscuits.

• Bake in a cast-iron skillet for authentic Southern crispness.

• Want extra-tall biscuits? Stack two cut biscuits and bake them together!

• Freeze unbaked biscuits and bake directly from frozen when needed.

Final Thoughts

These Southern Style Biscuits are everything homemade comfort food should be — simple, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Whether served for breakfast, brunch, or dinner, they’re a true taste of the South.

FAQ

Q: What flour makes the fluffiest biscuits? Soft winter wheat flour or “Southern biscuit flour” creates the lightest, most tender biscuits.

Q: Why didn’t my biscuits rise high? Overworking the dough or using warm butter can prevent rising. Keep ingredients cold and fold the dough gently.

Q: Can I substitute buttermilk? Yes — buttermilk adds flavor and helps activate the baking powder for extra lift.

Q: How do I get biscuits to have flaky layers? Fold the dough several times like a letter, and use very cold butter so it steams and creates layers while baking.

Q: Can I freeze biscuit dough? Yes — cut the biscuits, freeze on a sheet pan, then store in a bag up to 3 months. Bake from frozen.