Easy From-Scratch Biscuits

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One of my favorite things to make for breakfast any day of the week is a batch of biscuits.  Not the ones that come out of the popping can, but homemade biscuits!  I know it can be intimidating to make some things from scratch and biscuits are one of those things that really are simple but can turn out dry or hard as hockey pucks if one isn’t careful.  Don’t you worry, I’m going to walk you through the steps and soon, you’ll be making your own biscuits from scratch, too!  Just imagine the looks you’ll get from your family when they sit down for breakfast and there are a bunch of warm biscuits in front of them! Ok, let’s get started.

I used to make this a lot more difficult for myself but as I have aged, I’ve looked for shortcuts where I can find them.  These biscuits have 3 ingredients: self-rising flour, butter, and milk.  That’s it.  Simple, right? I used to use all-purpose flour and add baking powder and salt but, self-rising flour just makes things a little easier.  There were a few times that I would get distracted and forget to add those so having them already in the flour helps me SO MUCH!  Here are the measurements:

• 2 level cups of self-rising flour (I use Southern Biscuit but you can use Gold Medal or Pillsbury brand, too)
• 1/2 stick of butter (salted or unsalted) cut the butter into small pieces and make sure it’s cold.  Not frozen but cold
• 1-1 1/2 cups of milk or buttermilk

While you’re mixing up your dough, preheat your oven to 425-450 degrees. If you don’t want the tops and bottoms slightly crunchy, go with 425. Next, put 2 level cups of the flour in a medium bowl.  I use the scoop and level with the back of a knife method. Then, add your diced butter pieces to the flour.

Using either a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles peas. With a pastry blender, you will sort of mash the bits of butter into the flour, with the knives, you’ll cut the butter in like you’d cut a child’s spaghetti. All of the flour won’t get combined with the butter so don’t freak out about that.  You will have a mix of large and small bits along with the flour.  That’s fine.  🙂  Side note, I used to be intimidated by the pastry blender and only used the knives.  Well let me tell you something! Once I got comfortable with the pastry blender, man, Oh MAN did cutting in the butter get easier.  This thing comes in handy when you’re making pie crust, too.  Ok, back to the biscuits.

Next, create a well or a hole in the center of the flour and butter mixture.  Pour the one cup of milk into the center and stir with a fork.  Now, I don’t know why but I ALWAYS need to use more than one cup.  If you stir the milk in and you still have a lot of dry bits and chunks at the bottom, add more milk.  You don’t want it too wet so add just a tablespoon at a time. You want the dough to hold together but not get soaked.  Once you’ve got it mixed, tip it out onto a floured surface and gently pat it into a circle.  NOT FLAT.  Here is where it can get dicey.  You don’t want to overhandle the dough so be very gentle with it and don’t vigorously pat it. I don’t recommend rolling it either. This isn’t like bread dough where you have to knead it.  Your circle should be about 5″ across and 2″ high, give or take.  Now, fold your circle in half. Gently pat it again and fold it in half again.  Do this two more times.  This is where the flaky layers come from!

Once you’re finished patting and folding, you’re ready to gently pat it out into an oblong or circle shape, about 1/2″ thick.

Take your biscuit cutter and cut out your rounds of dough and place them on a baking sheet that either has parchment paper, a Silpat, or aluminum foil (spray the foil with Pam). Nestle them all snug up to one another.

Depending on the size of your cutter you will get 6-12 biscuits out of this dough. When I use a 2″cutter I get 11 biscuits.  When I use a 3″ cutter, I get six like the ones pictured in this post. Pop that baking sheet into the oven and bake those babies for 12-16 minutes or until they are lightly golden brown on top.

When they’re done you can serve them with soft butter, your favorite jelly or even honey!  You can make bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits, Sausage and cheese biscuits!  The world is your biscuit!  🙂  My favorite way to eat them is with butter and Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves. YUMMMMMMY! My kids like to eat them either as Sausage and cheese biscuits or slathered with strawberry jam.

If your first batch doesn’t turn out, don’t fret.  It may take a couple of times making them to get a feel for how you like them done but please, don’t be afraid to try making them!  I promise, once you make these, you will never eat the can-popping biscuits again!

Please let me know in the comments if you make these! Also, if you think it would be helpful to have a video showing the steps, leave that in the comments, too. Enjoy!