These Homemade Biscuits are light, buttery, and perfectly fluffy — the kind that bake up tall with tender layers and golden tops. With just six simple ingredients and no yeast or rising time required, you can whip these up in under 30 minutes for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy dinner side.
Why You’ll Love This Biscuit Recipe
If you’ve ever been intimidated by homemade bread, this biscuit recipe will change that!
There’s no kneading, no rising, and no special tools required — just pantry staples and a few pro tips for achieving that bakery-style rise and soft, buttery texture.
These biscuits are delicious straight from the oven with a pat of butter, or served with jam, honey butter, or gravy. You can even use them for breakfast sandwiches or strawberry shortcake!
Ingredients You’ll Need
You only need a few simple ingredients to make biscuits from scratch:
- Flour: All-purpose flour creates a tender, light crumb.
- Baking Powder: Aluminum-free is best for clean flavor and great lift.
- Salt & Sugar: A little sugar adds balance, and salt enhances flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Keep it cold! Cold butter creates those irresistible flaky layers.
- Half and Half: Adds richness and moisture — you can make your own by mixing equal parts milk and heavy cream.
Tips for Perfect, Fluffy Biscuits
- Use cold butter. Cold butter is key for tall, flaky layers. Dice it up and chill before mixing.
- Don’t overmix. Once the liquid hits the flour, stir just until combined to avoid tough biscuits.
- Cut straight down. Press your biscuit cutter straight through the dough — no twisting! That’s the secret to the best rise.
- Keep it cold. You can even chill the dough for 10 minutes before baking to help it puff up beautifully.
- Brush with butter. Brushing the tops with melted butter after baking gives them that gorgeous golden sheen.
How to Make Homemade Biscuits
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined.
Step 2: Cut in the Butter
Add diced cold butter and cut it into the flour using a pastry blender or fork until you have pea-sized crumbs.
Step 3: Add the Liquid
Pour in the half and half all at once and stir until the dough just comes together. It should be soft but not sticky.
Step 4: Fold and Shape
Turn the dough onto a floured surface, pat into a rectangle, fold in half, then repeat once more. This folding technique gives your biscuits flaky layers! Shape into a 5×10-inch rectangle, about ¾ inch thick.
Step 5: Cut Out Biscuits
Dip your biscuit cutter in flour and cut out rounds, pressing straight down. You should get 8 biscuits, plus 2 more from the scraps.
Step 6: Bake and Brush
Place biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake at 450°F for 12–15 minutes until golden brown. Brush with melted butter while hot and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Pro Tip:
To make these ahead, cut out the biscuits, place them on a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bake cold the next morning — no need to bring to room temperature!
Serving Ideas
Homemade biscuits are delicious any time of day. Try serving them with:
- Sausage gravy for a Southern-style breakfast
- Honey butter or jam for a cozy treat
- Scrambled eggs and bacon for a hearty breakfast sandwich
- Soup or stew for a comforting dinner
Make Ahead, Storage & Freezing
- Refrigerate: Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.
- Overnight option: Shape and cut the dough, then refrigerate until morning for fresh, hot biscuits anytime.
More Easy Quick Bread Recipes
If you love these biscuits, you’ll also enjoy:
- Banana Bread
- Irish Soda Bread
- Zucchini Bread
- Pumpkin Bread
- Classic Scones
Easy Homemade Biscuits Recipe
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Servings: 10 biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ Tbsp baking powder (aluminum-free)
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 cup half and half (minus 2 Tbsp)
- ½ Tbsp melted butter, for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Cut in cold butter until the mixture looks crumbly with pea-sized bits.
- Add half and half and stir gently until just combined.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface, pat and fold twice, then shape into a 5×10-inch rectangle.
- Cut out 8–10 biscuits using a floured cutter.
- Arrange on the baking sheet and bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden brown.
- Brush with melted butter and cool slightly before serving.