BEST HOMEMADE BUTTER BISCUITS RECIPE

Big homemade weekend breakfasts are one of my favorite things and no weekend breakfast is complete without homemade biscuits. These butter biscuits are my "basic" biscuit recipe that I've been using for years. They are quick, simple and perfect with some fried eggs and bacon. Put on some butter and honey, or maybe your favorite jam, and enjoy your morning. This is breakfast heaven.

WHAT ARE BUTTER BISCUITS?

A butter biscuit is a soft, flaky quick bread that is often served with breakfast, or sometimes as a side dish with other foods (known as scones in the rest of the world). I'm calling them "butter" biscuits because this recipe uses butter in the dough, unlike my freezer biscuits, which use heavy cream. Both recipes make excellent biscuits, but the method and texture of the final biscuit is different. These butter biscuits are slightly firmer than cream biscuits and will hold up better to heavy items like sausage and gravy.

BISCUIT METHOD

This recipe uses a cooking technique called the biscuit method. This technique involves working butter or another solid fat into the dough. When fat is mixed with flour in this way, the fat prevents the flour from forming a gluten matrix (like you have in kneaded bread), making the dough quite soft and pliable. To keep your biscuits as smooth and soft as possible, you'll want to avoid over-kneading the dough and work with it as little as possible as you shape and cut your biscuits. You can read more about the mechanics of the biscuit method here.

USE BUTTERMILK FOR EXTRA FLAVOR.

The recipe below uses a buttermilk substitute (milk + vinegar or lemon juice) because I often don't have buttermilk on hand. But if rarely you use buttermilk instead of milk and vinegar and you will have the tastiest biscuits ever. While buttermilk substitutes provide the same acidity as buttermilk, they don't have as much flavor.

BUTTER BISCUITS ARE FREEZER FRIENDLY.

If your house is small, don't skip this recipe because it makes 8 biscuits! You can either freeze baked biscuits or freeze unbaked biscuits for later baking. To freeze unbaked biscuits, simply freeze them on a lined baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. Label, date, and freeze for up to three months. To bake from frozen, simply add a few minutes to the baking time.

To freeze baked biscuits, let them cool completely to room temperature. Place them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. Melt at room temperature or in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.

HOMEMADE BUTTER BISCUITS

These classic homemade butter biscuits are simple and delicious. Perfect for slathering with butter, honey, or your favorite jam!

 Prep Time: 30 mins

 Cook Time: 15 mins

 Total Time: 45 mins

INGREDIENTS:

6 Tbsp butter (salted) ($0.84)

2.5 cups all-purpose flour ($0.39)

1 Tbsp baking powder ($0.06)

1/2 tsp baking soda ($0.02)

3/4 tsp salt ($0.05)

1 cup whole milk ($0.38)

1 Tbsp vinegar* ($0.06)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Freeze the butter for 30-60 minutes before you start the recipe to make it extra cold and firmer for grating.

Preheat oven to 425ºF. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until well combined.

Use a cheese grater to grate the butter into the bowl with the flour. Once sifted, use your hands to work the butter into the flour until it resembles cornmeal.

Add vinegar to milk. Add the milk to the bowl with the butter and flour mixture, then stir until a dough forms.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, then press it into a large rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds, like folding a letter. Then press it again into a rectangle, about ½ to ¾ inch thick.

Use a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass (about 3 inches in diameter) to cut biscuits from the dough. Collect the scraps, press them down again, and cut out some more biscuits until all the dough is used.

Place the biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet. For extra brown tops, brush a little milk on top.

Bake the biscuits completely in a preheated 425ºF oven for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Enjoy the heat.

HOW TO MAKE BUTTER BISCUITS AT HOME - STEP BY STEP GUIDE

Before starting, freeze 6 tablespoons of butter for 30-60 minutes to make it extra cold and solid. This makes it easier to grind into flour. When you are ready to make the biscuits, preheat the oven to 425ºF. In a large bowl, combine 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Stir until they are well combined.

Use a cheese grater to grate the semi-frozen butter into the flour mixture. Once sifted, use your hands to work the butter into the flour until it resembles cornmeal.

Mix 1 cup whole milk and 1 tablespoon vinegar (or lemon juice). Alternatively, you can use 1 cup of buttermilk. Add the milk to the butter and flour mixture.

Mix until it forms a cohesive dough. Be careful not to over stir. Don't worry if a little dough remains at the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky, you can add a little more flour in the next step.

Place the dough on a floured surface and press it into a large rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds, like folding a letter. This helps create a few layers in the biscuit. Finally, press it into a rectangle again, this time about ½ to ¾ inch thick.

Use a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass to cut biscuits from the dough. The glass I am using is 3 inches in diameter. When you've cut what you can from a piece of dough, collect the scraps, press it back into the rectangle, and cut some more. I got 8 biscuits out of my dough.

Place the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you want the tops to brown more, you can brush a little milk on top.

Bake the biscuits in a preheated 425ºF oven for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy warm, slathered with butter and drizzled with honey or a dollop of your favorite jam!