Biscuits | Quick & Easy Homemade Bread for Any Meal

Biscuits are the easiest way to put homemade bread on the table for any meal. They are buttery and delicious — crisp tops and bottoms — soft, tender layers inside. They are mouthwateringly delicious and you can have them on the table in 30 minutes!

Easy homemade biscuits can be mixed up quickly. They only need 12 minutes in the oven. Whenever I make this scrumptious bread, I kick myself for not doing it more often. You’re going to love bringing piping hot biscuits to the table.

The Ingredients

• All-purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
• Sugar
• Salt
• Cold Butter
• Whole Milk

Two Tips for Perfect Biscuits

For the best homemade biscuits, there are two key things to remember:

1. Keep the butter SUPER cold. Using utensils instead of your hands, whenever possible, will prevent the heat from your hands from melting the butter. Cut the butter into pea-size cubes before starting the recipe. After cubing, keep the butter in the freezer until you are ready to add it. You are keeping it cold so there will still be lumps of butter throughout your finished dough. Just like with pie crust, that butter will create pockets of steam as your biscuits bake and help to form the flaky layers.
2. Don’t overwork the dough. Stir only until things are combined. Press only enough to bring the dough together. You don’t want to overdevelop the gluten in the dough. Overworking creates tough biscuits.

Prepping Ingredients for Easy Homemade Biscuits

Quickly cut the butter into small cubes.  Once the butter is cut put the cubes into a small bowl and toss it into the freezer until you’re ready to work with it.

Carefully measure the dry ingredients. I recommend weighing the flour to be most accurate. 4 cups of all-purpose flour should weigh 500 grams.

Mixing Up the Homemade Biscuit Dough

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

Remove the butter cubes from the freezer. Toss them into the dry ingredients. At this point, you’ll want to change tools for a bit. Set the wooden spoon aside and grab a *pastry blender.

Cut the butter into the dry ingredients.  “Cutting in” is a method of distributing the butter without over-warming it.  It will leave small chunks of cold butter throughout your mixture that will release steam as the biscuit bakes and create the flaky texture you are looking for.  

Use a *pastry blender (my preference), fork or two butter knives can be used for this.  Try not to use your hands, since that will warm up the butter. Cut and combine the butter with the flour mixture until many small, irregular pieces (about pea-sized) are coated with the dry ingredients and distributed evenly through the mixture.

At this point, you can store the whole mixture in the fridge, if you’re not ready to bake the biscuits.  Cover it and keep it cold until you are ready.  Don’t add liquids until you are ready to bake.  Liquids will activate the baking powder and start the leavening.  Bake the biscuits immediately if the liquids have been added. That’s a good rule of thumb for any homemade quick bread recipe.

Flour to Fat to Liquid Ratio

The ratio of flour to fat to wet ingredients is important when baking. It is especially important when baking bread. The proper ratio is critical to the texture and moisture content of the finished baked goods. For easy homemade biscuits, the basic ratio is 3 parts flour: 1 part fat: 2 parts liquid.

If you use a different type of flour, i.e. whole wheat, all purpose, nut flours, coconut flour, the amount of liquid necessary to properly hydrate the flour will be different. Hydration level may also affected by humidity. The more you bake a recipe, the more accustomed you will become to the way it should look and feel. You will intuitively be able to adjust flour or liquid to achieve your desired outcome.

For this recipe, I use unbleached, all purpose flour and whole milk. I use the amounts listed in the recipe shared below (by gram). The liquid I use is slightly more than the basic ratio of 3:1:2. The basic ratio would call for 333 grams of milk. I use 366g, (about 2 Tablespoons more). I prefer that texture and how well the biscuits rise.

Biscuits are much more forgiving than yeast bread doughs. If you don’t have a *scale to measure everything, you are still going to be able to make fabulous biscuits. The results may not be as consistent batch to batch to batch, but they will be delicious. Use the standard recipe measurements I’ve provided and you’ll be amazed at your results!

If you’re interested in more information on the Science of Biscuits, I highly recommend the book Ratio | the Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking _{[affiliate link]}.

Mixing the Homemade Biscuit Dough

Make a well in the center of the flour/butter mixture. Pour the milk into it. You could use water or skim milk. You could also use dairy substitutes for milk. Just be aware that the flavor and texture of the biscuits will not be as good as when whole milk is used. Whole milk also contains the necessary fat to keep the biscuits tender.

With a wooden spoon, gently fold the flour mixture and milk together.  Stir only until they are combined and a ragged dough begins to form.  Resist the urge to overwork the dough, even though it won’t be fully combined at this stage..  Overworking the dough can cause tough biscuits.

Turn the ragged dough out onto a floured countertop and using your hands, quickly and gently work the dough together, into a more cohesive mass.  You will still see flecks and lumps of butter throughout the dough which is perfect!  (If the dough seems too sticky, you can add a little extra flour as you work it together.)

Pressing Out and Cutting the Dough

Press the dough to about 1-inch thick and then gently folded it in half, so you begin building more layers into the biscuits.  Use your fingers to gently press it out again to about 1-inch thickness.  Then, fold it one more time and after that, press it out, again.  Repeat the folding process 4 or 5 times.  You are creating layers without working the dough too much.

Press the final dough out to an even 1-inch thickness.

Use a cookie/biscuit cutter to cut biscuits in the shape you desire.  Go straight down into the dough.  Lift the cutter.  Try to make your cuts as close to each other as possible, so you don’t have much scrap left between biscuits.  The less working of the dough, the better.

The number of biscuits you get will be affected by the size and shape of the cutter you use. I used a *2 3/4′ round cutter. Place the cut biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving ½-inch of space between them.

Gently gather the scraps together, so you don’t work the dough more than is necessary to bring it back together and pat it to a 1-inch thickness.  Cut the rest of the dough.  If there is enough left for another biscuit, then bring it together and pat it into a biscuit shape with a 1-inch thickness.

Bake and Enjoy Easy Homemade Biscuits

Bake at 425° for 12-14 minutes.  Easy Homemade Biscuits will be a pale golden brown when done.

Remove from the oven and serve your delicious homemade bread warm with butter, jam and honey or your favorite gravy. Who doesn’t love biscuits!!?!

Look at those beautiful layers!!! Enjoy!

P.S. Looking for a quick and easy trick to turn biscuits into dessert? Check out Laurie’s post, Air Fryer Jelly Donuts, where she makes biscuits into delectable jelly donuts over at Fork to Spoon!

What to Serve with Biscuits

For starters, you’ll never be mad about eating these delish biscuits with these Pizza Zucchini Boats from my friend, Bella at XOXO Bella.

You’ll also want them along with your best Soups and Stews like this scrumptious Slow Cooker Beef Stew.

Biscuits are a quick and easy way to put homemade bread on the table any night of the week. So, are scones which are very similar. Check out these delish blueberry scones for another easy, quick bread recipe for beginners.

You’re gonna love my homemade biscuits with some scrumptious Cranberry Butter from Whole Food Bellies. And friends, if you have never tried my friend Paula’s Cinnamon Roll Filling, it will change your biscuit-eating life! So good!

Biscuits will always be top-notch for breakfast or breakfast for dinner. But don’t forget to add them to the menu when you’re serving casseroles like my easy Hamburger Potato Casserole for an easy comfort food dinner.

And if you’re looking for more Fall quick bread inspiration, try these Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones, for breakfast. You’ll also love this easy Keto Cornbread or Muffins from Cassidy’s Craveable Creations.

If you’re ready to graduate to a yeast dough, instead of quick breads, check out this yummy recipe for Grandma’s Homemade Yeast Rolls or this simple machine bread recipe to share over at Food Life and Money! Happy bread-baking!

The Recipe

This is a simple recipe and for those of you who have made biscuits all your life, needs no explanation. However, if you are new to biscuit-making, a detailed picture tutorial follows the recipe card. You’ve got this!

More Dishes to Serve with Biscuits

Magnificent Meatball Stew

Zuppa Toscana

Jalapeno Chicken Corn Chowder