Mom's Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits are tender, flaky layers of golden brown deliciousness topped with melted butter, jam, or honey. This family recipe makes the perfect addition to any meal.
I love to serve these mouthwatering old fashioned buttermilk biscuits warm with butter or with sausage gravy on the weekends to my family. They bring back the nostalgia of youth and being in mom's kitchen.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
✔️ The light and flaky layers of Mom's buttermilk biscuits are encased with an outer crisp surface giving the best of all textures.
✔️ It is a very versatile biscuit recipe that can be used as a side dish, part of a main dish, or dessert!
✔️ In just 30 minutes you can serve the family a warm buttermilk biscuit topped melted butter or their favorite topping as part of their meal.
Ingredients
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Buttermilk (see tip below for substitution if buttermilk is hard to find).
Baking powder, baking soda, and cream of tartar all work together as leavening agents and aid in the biscuits rising and becoming fluffy.
Salt and sugar, to add flavor to the biscuits.
Butter or shortening for the fat.
Equipment
A good biscuit cutter. I love this one that my mom had so much that I had to have one myself. I use it for biscuits and cookies!
Pastry cutter, is used to cut the fat into the flour mixture. Or, you can use your hands like my mom!
Baking sheet and parchment paper or or large cast iron skillet.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450° F. In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cream of tartar.
- Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles pea like crumbs.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the buttermilk to the dry ingredients; stir until just combined.
- Turn the biscuit dough out onto a floured surface. Knead 5-6 times to bring the dough together. Flatten to about 1" thick using your hands.
- Cut with a 3" biscuit cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, being sure to have the biscuits touch each other slightly.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.
Top Tips
- Make Mom's buttermilk biscuits like she does and skip the rolling pin. Just use your hands to pat out the dough, then cut with a 3-inch biscuit cutter for the perfect sized biscuits!
- If the dough is too dry, simply add a tablespoon of buttermilk at a time to the biscuit dough to bring it all together.
Variations
- For a buttermilk substitute, add 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice to a 1 cup measure and fill with milk to the 1 cup line. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, allowing the milk to curdle.
- Add ½ cup cheddar cheese and 1 tablespoon of chopped chives to the flour mixture before adding the buttermilk.
- For a golden brown top, brush tops of the unbaked biscuits with a beaten egg using a pastry brush before baking.
FAQ's
If you want flaky biscuits, use shortening. If you want flavor, use butter. Or, use a combination of both or just one of them. Whatever you use, be sure it is cold shortening.
Buttermilk has an acidity to it that helps the biscuits to rise and makes them more tender.
Sifting incorporates air into the flour and lightens it up. If the flour is not sifted before measuring, then the biscuits may be dry.
The flour wasn't sifted or the flour was packed in tight when measuring into the measuring cup. Or, the dough was overworked.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits hot with melted butter, jam, or honey. They also are a great recipe to serve with sausage gravy.
Storage
Store biscuits in an air tight container on the counter up to 5 days and in an airtight freezer bag up to 6 months.
Best advice for light fluffy buttermilk biscuits is to sift, then lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and don't use a rolling pin, just pat the dough with your hands.
Mom
Related Recipes
Vegetarian Tostadas - Mom's Lentil Tostadas Recipe
Oil Pie Crust - Mom's Favorite
Mom's Caramelized Cinnamon Toast
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When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
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📖 Recipe
Mom's Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
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Ingredients
- 3 cups sifted flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450° F. In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cream of tartar.
- Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles pea like crumbs.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the buttermilk to the dry ingredients; stir until just combined.
- Turn the biscuit dough out onto a floured surface. Knead 5-6 times to bring the dough together. Flatten to about 1" thick using your hands.
- Cut with a 3" biscuit cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, being sure to have the biscuits touch each other slightly.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.
Tiffany
Just amazing! Approved by my family of 13, and they’re particular!
Kate
These are simply the best I have ever tasted. Subtle sweetness, perfect texture, no ‘dull’, dry, cardboard taste that too many biscuits seem to have. Good even after they have cooled!
Shelby Law Ruttan
Thanks Kate! I appreciate you coming by to review the recipe! Shelby
Sarah
These look AMAZING! Miss homemade biscuits around here!
Cindys Recipes and Writings
Great tips for making perfect biscuits! So cool that your family works together to preserve those family recipes!
betty b
i have a "biscuit' chart. i have experimented with over 50 biscuit recipes. i LOVE a good biscuit and have 2 recipes that are my "go to". Well, these biscuits are the best ever! Seriously, i ate 2 of them this morning and emailed my excitement to everyone. hahahahahaha. I am a biscuit fanatic, can you tell? Anyway, omg, i might just have to go have another!!!! Great flavor, height, texture. thank you.
Kathleen
Shelby I love this post! I can't wait to try making these with your moms tips! I can't believe you've been blogging for 8 years!
Monica
What a lovely story. Biscuits are one of my favorite things but they are even better when you make them with someone you love. You have a beautiful blog!
Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm
I am going to make these biscuits and I am going to include your Mom's secret ingredient that you failed to mention in your tips. I am going to to add a dollop of love to these biscuits as I make, cut and bake them.
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook
Fabulous photos and wonderful memories. And I'm with you, I could just eat biscuits for dinner.
Tammi @Momma's Meals
Thanks for hosting this week! What a special way to share an old time favorite recipe. Straight from the heart. Made me think of the biscuits my grandfather made for us growing up.
Liz
Oh, boy, these are the PERFECT biscuits! I'm going to use your mom's tips to make my next batch!!
Kristi @ My SF Kitchen
These biscuits look like they would melt in your mouth! Yummy! Beautiful photos, too
Renee@Renee's Kitchen Adventures
These look terrific! One of my favorite things to make and eat! Your mom is so cute! She's so nice too! Tell her I said HI!
Wendy @ Wholistic Woman
Love that you documented your mom making them! I did something similar a few years ago when I documented my mom making banket. This inspires me to do more of those.
Family Foodie
What a special post! I loved reading this and your photography made me feel like I was in your mom's kitchen. Thank you for sharing.
Nora
These look fabulous! I love making homemade biscuits, once you get the hang of it there's no going back to store bought!