This easy and delicious Southern biscuit recipe by Alton Brown delivers warm, flaky, and buttery biscuits that are perfect for any meal. These quick and simple biscuits come together with everyday ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Enjoy them hot from the oven with butter or honey, or use them as a base for breakfast sandwiches or savory sides!
Recipe Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
- 2 tablespoons unflavored shortening, chilled
- 1 cup buttermilk, chilled
How To Make Homemade Southern Biscuits?
- Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 450°F (232°C).
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Incorporate Fats: Using your fingertips, quickly rub the chilled butter and shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add Buttermilk: Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the chilled buttermilk. Stir just until the dough comes together; it will be quite sticky.
- Knead the Dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface, dust the top with flour, and gently fold the dough over on itself 5-6 times.
- Shape and Cut Biscuits: Press the dough into a 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick round. Use a 2-inch (5 cm) cutter to cut out biscuits, pushing straight down without twisting. Place biscuits on a baking sheet so they just touch.
- Use Dough Scraps: Reform and re-roll the scrap dough as needed, working it as little as possible to maintain lightness.
- Bake the Biscuits: Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the biscuits are tall and golden on top.
- Serve Hot: Enjoy the biscuits fresh from the oven, ideally with butter, honey, or your favorite spread.
Recipe Tips:
- Keep Ingredients Cold: For super flaky biscuits, make sure your butter, shortening, and buttermilk are very cold. You can even freeze the butter and grate it into the dry ingredients for better distribution.
- Don’t Overwork the Dough: Mix the dough until it just comes together. Overmixing can make your biscuits tough and dense. You want the dough to look a bit rough and shaggy.
- Cut Straight Down: When using the biscuit cutter, push straight down without twisting. Twisting the cutter seals the edges and prevents the biscuits from rising properly.
- Bake Biscuits Touching: Place the biscuits on the baking sheet so they just touch each other. This helps them rise taller and stay moist inside.
- Handle Dough Gently: When reworking the scraps to make more biscuits, handle the dough as little as possible. The more you work it, the tougher the biscuits will become.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: First, let the leftover biscuits cool to room temperature. Then, place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: After cooling to room temperature, wrap the biscuits individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Set the air fryer to 320°F (160°C). Place the biscuits in the basket and heat for 3-5 minutes or until warmed through.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 206
- Total Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
- Sodium: 400mg
- Potassium: 80mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 28g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 1g
- Protein: 5g
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Alton Brown Homemade Southern Biscuits
Description
This easy and delicious Southern biscuit recipe by Alton Brown delivers warm, flaky, and buttery biscuits that are perfect for any meal. These quick and simple biscuits come together with everyday ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Enjoy them hot from the oven with butter or honey, or use them as a base for breakfast sandwiches or savory sides!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 450°F (232°C).
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Incorporate Fats: Using your fingertips, quickly rub the chilled butter and shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add Buttermilk: Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the chilled buttermilk. Stir just until the dough comes together; it will be quite sticky.
- Knead the Dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface, dust the top with flour, and gently fold the dough over on itself 5-6 times.
- Shape and Cut Biscuits: Press the dough into a 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick round. Use a 2-inch (5 cm) cutter to cut out biscuits, pushing straight down without twisting. Place biscuits on a baking sheet so they just touch.
- Use Dough Scraps: Reform and re-roll the scrap dough as needed, working it as little as possible to maintain lightness.
- Bake the Biscuits: Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the biscuits are tall and golden on top.
- Serve Hot: Enjoy the biscuits fresh from the oven, ideally with butter, honey, or your favorite spread.
Notes
- Keep Ingredients Cold: For super flaky biscuits, make sure your butter, shortening, and buttermilk are very cold. You can even freeze the butter and grate it into the dry ingredients for better distribution.
- Don’t Overwork the Dough: Mix the dough until it just comes together. Overmixing can make your biscuits tough and dense. You want the dough to look a bit rough and shaggy.
- Cut Straight Down: When using the biscuit cutter, push straight down without twisting. Twisting the cutter seals the edges and prevents the biscuits from rising properly.
- Bake Biscuits Touching: Place the biscuits on the baking sheet so they just touch each other. This helps them rise taller and stay moist inside.
- Handle Dough Gently: When reworking the scraps to make more biscuits, handle the dough as little as possible. The more you work it, the tougher the biscuits will become.
Alton Brown Homemade Southern Biscuits
