# Homemade buttermilk biscuits **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [January 15, 2024, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125 "2024-01-15T17:57:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/1 "2024-01-15T17:57:05Z")
My mom never made biscuits when I was growing up, other than blobby drop biscuits made out of Bisquick. Those were uninspired, so I didn’t learn the art of biscuit-making when I was young. Now I’m an old lady, and I’ve perfected biscuit-making, mostly by learning from America’s Test Kitchen. The key tips: Have fresh baking powder. Keep everything cold. In fact, it’s best if you freeze and then grate the butter into the flour. Chill both the kneaded dough square, and then again the cold raw biscuit pucks for about 20 minutes each. Don’t twist the biscuit cutter as you cut down through the dough. And my own tips: Greek yogurt is a great substitute for buttermilk. In fact, I think it might make a superior biscuit. Just thin it a little with some plain milk to add back in a bit of moisture. When you’re giving the dough its initial three or four kneads, pat it out into a square, spread it with a thin layer of yet more butter, and then fold the dough over on itself in thirds, like a business letter. Pat it out and give it another fold before it goes into the fridge to chill. Paying attention to all these tips made yesterday’s biscuits the best I ever tasted. Mr. brown seconds my opinion. Anyone else have any biscuit tips? ---
**Author:** ![Eric1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3bc359/32.png) [@Eric1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eric1)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/2 "2024-01-15T19:41:34Z")
I do love to make buttermilk biscuits from recipes. I like to add say dill, sun-dried tomato or sunflower seeds and garlic to a recipe so it tastes stimulating. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/3 "2024-01-15T19:52:20Z")
I don’t cook and therefore have no tips, but I thought I’d chime in to say that I used to love Bisquick biscuits! That said, for me biscuits are like pizza: I love all kinds, and have a very low “yummy” bar. 🙂 _(Yes, I know Bisquick is still sold and I could make them if I wanted to. I don’t want to.)_ ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/4 "2024-01-15T19:57:13Z")
I’ve been working on my buttermilk biscuit game for about 20 years. Part of the appeal for me is how quick they are: I can get a batch on the table in less than half an hour, start to finish. So, my tips: -Food processor works great for incorporating the butter quickly. -Leave some butter in little chunks; it helps with the layering. -Whole buttermilk is key, and can be hard to find. Low-fat or nonfat buttermilk makes an inferior biscuit. -If you’re _really_ wanting to be fast, you can make drop biscuits. They’re not layered, and they’re not as neat-looking, and they don’t make tasty breakfast sandwiches. But they’re super-fast, and they have a lot of crunchy nubbly bits, and you can easily add some grated cheese and herbs (I like thyme, oregano, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, along with sharp cheddar) to make something truly glorious. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/5 "2024-01-15T20:37:25Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > -Whole buttermilk is key, and can be hard to find. Low-fat or nonfat buttermilk makes an inferior biscuit. Huh. I’ve never seen anything other than 2% buttermilk. Maybe that’s why my yogurt substitute worked so well. I used full-fat Fage Greek yogurt and the biscuits puffed up high and fluffy. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/6 "2024-01-15T20:54:08Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > Anyone else have any biscuit tips? I cut the biscuit dough with a sharp chef’s knife, instead of using a glass or biscuit cutter. The edges aren’t as compressed, and I can use the entire amount of dough without committing the sin of mashing the extra dough back together. If square biscuits bother you, just make your sausage patties square. Or better yet, cover them in sawmill gravy, and nobody will know. ---
**Author:** ![Kelevra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelevra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelevra)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2024, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/7 "2024-01-17T16:02:08Z")
I used to make biscuits. I quit because there is no limit to the number of biscuits I will eat. I can force myself to stop after 6, but really would gladly eat all 12 I would make. With butter and homemade blackberry jam. I never thought about the lowfat buttermilk/yogurt issue but that makes sense. There’s a restaurant nearby called All Hail the Biscuit that makes great biscuits. I have to order one to go since I have no will power and will keep ordering them if I stay. God I love biscuits! ---
**Author:** ![Dogginit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogginit/32/16920_2.png) [@Dogginit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogginit)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2024, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/8 "2024-01-17T16:12:50Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > Huh. I’ve never seen anything other than 2% buttermilk. Darigold dairy here in the PNW makes a Bulgarian buttermilk that I insist on for anything requiring buttermilk, but it can be a little difficult to find. I have a couple of grocery stores local to me that stock it. I also add sourdough starter to my biscuit mix, varying liquids as necessary to achieve the proper consistency. Now I want biscuits, but blood sugar this morning says no 🙁 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2024, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/9 "2024-01-17T16:19:14Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > -Food processor works great for incorporating the butter quickly. > -Leave some butter in little chunks; it helps with the layering. > -Whole buttermilk is key, These three, especially the food processor. I bought a cookbook years ago called “Southern Biscuits”, by Nathalie Dupree. She advocates for using your fingers in a snapping motion to incorporate the butter. Tedious and unnecessary, in my opinion, and results in having to do another refrigeration step. I whisk the dry ingredients together by pulsing the processor, then drop the very cold butter into the mix after cutting it into about 1/4"-1/2" pieces; dump the cold buttermilk in, then pulse 3-4 times. Quickly scoop it out onto a lightly floured surface, then do the folding thing as mentioned above. If done quickly, you don’t have to refrigerate the dough. My biscuits explode to heights never seen before. As mentioned above, you can substitute yogurt for buttermilk. I’ve even put a little sour creme in with some milk. Saul Goodman. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2024, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/10 "2024-01-17T16:25:21Z")
When I make biscuits, it’s mostly experimental, and done by feel. And despite that experience, I definitely still have good batches and bad. I’ve learned that, contrary to what you might think, you _can_ have too much butter. And lard or Crisco work almost as well. A mix of both butter and shortening might even be best. I made cream biscuits once (with no butter or milk – the cream supplies both the moisture and fat), and they turned out surprisingly well. I’ve also found the freshness of the baking powder is crucial, and of course so is temperature. We’re often warned against overworking the dough, but I think it can be underworked, too. You want it to hold together well and have layers, which requires more handling than the TV chef warnings might cause you to think. I use a knife and make square biscuits, to minimize scrap dough and kitchen uni-taskers. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2024, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/11 "2024-01-17T16:43:43Z")
If you want to go to the effort, instead of using butter, shortening or even lard, find a store you can buy a jar of beef tallow. No chilling required; the higher melting point imho produces a superior biscuit even with general purpose flour. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2024, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/12 "2024-01-17T16:57:12Z")
The flavor of butter is so delicious that I stick with it even if another fat is easier to work with or gives flakier results. Same with pie crust: I’m all-butter all the way. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2024, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/13 "2024-01-17T17:01:19Z")
I thought Buttermilk was by definition low-fat, because it is the residue Milk left over from making Butter, which of course is virtually all extracted fat. For Camping, a lot of guys swear by Cream biscuits. No butter or lard to cut in or anything. Flour, cream, baking powder, salt, that’s it. I guess they are very easy to make this way and taste fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2024, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/14 "2024-01-17T17:10:15Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > I thought Buttermilk was by definition low-fat, because it is the residue Milk left over from making Butter, which of course is virtually all extracted fat. It used to be that, but no longer. > **[Buttermilk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttermilk)** > > Buttermilk is a fermented dairy drink. Traditionally, it was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cultured cream. As most modern butter in western countries is not made with cultured cream but uncultured sweet cream, most modern buttermilk in western countries is cultured separately. It is common in warm climates where unrefrigerated milk sours quickly. > Buttermilk can be drunk straight, and it can also be used in cooking. In making soda bread, the acid in buttermilk reacts with th... ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2024, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/15 "2024-01-17T18:18:10Z")
Mine are okay, not great. I blame not using the proper flour. And I don’t use all the known fancy tricks. I like the Red Lobster make-at-home ones, which taste like the restaurant ones. > **[The Best Biscuits? There Are a Few Tricks (Published 2019)](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/16/dining/kenji-biscuit-recipe.html)** > > J. Kenji López-Alt swaps ingredients, and grates and rolls his way to biscuits that are simultaneously crisp, flaky, soft and light. > **[Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits](https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/11/better-biscuits-south-thanksgiving/576526/)** > > There’s a scientific reason no one outside the South can nail them. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/16 "2024-01-17T18:32:55Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > My mom never made biscuits when I was growing up, other than blobby drop biscuits made out of Bisquick. This New England Yankee never even ate a biscuit until college. Isn’t it something that originated in southern cooking? That and grits? ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/17 "2024-01-17T20:46:29Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > This New England Yankee never even ate a biscuit until college. Isn’t it something that originated in southern cooking? That and grits? My mom was a Norwegian from Minnesota. I don’t think she ever ate biscuits when she was growing up, and the Bisquick ones she occasionally made were to appease my dad, whose family came from Alabama. I don’t think he was appeased, though. And I (born and raised in California) never ate a proper biscuit myself until the last couple of years when I learned to make them myself. Grits are another matter. Yep, they’re southern. I haven’t acquired a taste for it as a breakfast food, but I do like polenta with ragu bolognese for dinner. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2024, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/996125/18 "2024-01-17T21:05:01Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > And lard or Crisco work almost as well. In my experience, lard or Crisco work _better_ than butter, to achieve a very tender biscuit. And they’re more authentically Southern as well. Once they’re out of the oven, that’s the time for butter, melted and basted on top. Also: use White Lily or Southern Biscuit flour. Yes, it does make a difference. They’ll not only be more tender, they’ll rise better.