Baking Powder Biscuits

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Grandma’s easy, homemade baking powder biscuits are tender, light and buttery with flaky tops. Just like the old-fashioned biscuits served at diners. Simple to make from scratch, they’re ready to serve in 30 minutes.

📌 PIN BAKING POWDER BISCUITS

The best homemade biscuits

These biscuits from scratch taste 100% better than biscuits made from refrigerated dough packaged in cardboard tubes. And they’re a breeze to make. Just 15 minutes of prep time, and they bake in 12 to 15 minutes.

Serve warm baking powder biscuits with whipped butter and honey, or jam. Perfect for weekday dinners, they’re also traditional favorites for holiday meals like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

These breads are an ideal choice for serving with gravy for breakfast. You can also use them for mini sandwiches. Like funeral sandwiches, or country ham biscuits – a Southern tradition, just butter and ham on biscuits.

Baking Powder Biscuits

🛒 Ingredients

  • All-Purpose Flour: Gives baking powder biscuits strength and structure.
  • Baking Powder: This leavening agent provides the perfect rise! We use a full tablespoon for our “Baking Powder Biscuits.”
  • Granulated Sugar: Provides a delicious touch of sweetness.
  • Fine Kosher Salt: Balances the flavors of the other ingredients and ensures the biscuits won’t have a bland taste.
  • Salted Butter: Add moisture, richness and buttery flavor.
  • Whole Milk: Adds moisture. When flour is combined with this liquid, a gluten framework develops that holds the ingredients together.
How to make biscuits from scratch

📖 Recipe Steps

RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a reusable silicone baking mat.

IF NO STAND MIXER: Use a large mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together. Slice softened butter into very tiny cubes then add them to the bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter.

  • STEP 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Mix briefly to combine. Add in the butter. Mix until the butter has been cut into the dry ingredients and resembles coarse crumbs.
  • STEP 2: Add milk and mix briefly – just until the dough comes together. The dough will be a bit sticky but easy to handle. If needed, add a bit more flour.
Best biscuit recipe
  • STEP 3: Transfer the dough to a lightly-floured board. Knead it about 12-15 times with the heels of your hands. Pat the dough into a circle that’s 1-inch thick. If needed, use a rolling pin to even out the dough.
  • STEP 4: With a 3-inch biscuit cutter (or rim of a drinking glass), cut out baking powder biscuits. Gather the dough scraps together and gently re-roll and cut remaining biscuits. Place them on the prepared tray. [Because the dough doesn’t spread horizontally, the biscuits can be placed fairly close together on the baking tray.]
farmhouse biscuits on a baking tray
  • STEP 5: Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the top of the biscuits are golden blonde and their middles are done. Immediately brush the tops with melted butter. Transfer the biscuits to a lined bread basket and cover with a lint-free kitchen cloth to keep them warm.
Baking Powder Biscuits served with jam

👉🏻 EXPERT TIP: For tender flaky biscuits don’t over-bake. Check on biscuits at the 10-minute mark. If needed, rotate the baking tray so they bake evenly, or tent the tray with foil to prevent over-browning.

Baking Powder Biscuits

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQ

These are the most commonly-asked questions for making the BEST baking powder biscuits, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.

How to knead dough by hand?

Place dough on a lightly-floured board. With the heels of your hands, push the dough down and forward, slightly stretching it. Fold the dough in half and repeat. Fold and turn it 45 degrees. Continue kneading until it’s smooth and supple. If the dough is sticky, dust it with flour.

How to make baking powder biscuits faster?

Make drop biscuits instead of cutout biscuits. Straight from the mixing bowl (no kneading required), drop portions of dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for about 12 to 13 minutes.

How to keep these biscuits warm?

After baking, wrap the biscuits in a lint-free kitchen cloth and place them in a bread basket with another kitchen towel on top. Or if needed, place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and tent with foil. Rewarm in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until heated through.

Can these biscuits be made in advance?

Yes. You can made them up to 2 days in advance. After the biscuits come out of the oven and cool completely, store them in an airtight container on the countertop. Or freeze the biscuits for up to 1 month.

How to make dairy-free baking powder biscuits?

Instead of butter, use coconut oil. Instead of dairy milk use coconut milk. The biscuits turn out beautifully – flaky and delicious.

Baking Powder Biscuits

🍞 More Biscuits & Dinner Rolls

Rate This Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Flavor testers rated this the BEST recipe for homemade baking powder biscuits. The flaky tops, tender middles, and buttery taste made them standout dinner rolls. The quick simple recipe made them a winner.

If you agree this recipe’s a keeper, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with friends. 📌 Pin it to Pinterest.

Gold Line: Sprinkles of Inspiration | confettiandbliss.com
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Baking Powder Biscuits

Baking Powder Biscuits


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4.9 from 24 reviews

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Description

These tender baking powder biscuits are light and buttery with flaky tops. They conjure up thoughts of Grandma baking biscuits in her farmhouse kitchen. Enjoy them warm with pats of butter.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons (very cold) butter, cut into tiny pieces
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • Melted butter, as desired for brushing

Instructions

RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Put the tiny pieces of butter into the freezer for 10 minutes to get them cold again.

🥣 If no stand mixer: Use a large mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together. Slice softened butter into very tiny cubes then add them to the bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter.

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Mix briefly to combine. Add in the butter. Mix until the butter has been cut into the dry ingredients and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk and mix briefly – just until the dough comes together. The dough will be a bit sticky but easy to handle.
  2. Transfer the dough to a lightly-floured board. With the heels of your hands, knead it about 12-15 times. Pat the dough into a circle, 1-inch thick. If needed, use a rolling pin to even out the dough.
  3. With a 3-inch biscuit cutter (or rim of a drinking glass), cut out baking powder biscuits. Gather the dough scraps together, and cut remaining biscuits. Place them on the prepared tray.
  4. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until the top of the biscuits are golden blonde and their middles are done. Immediately brush the tops with melted butter.

Notes

For Tender Flaky Biscuits: Don’t over-bake. Check on the biscuits at the 10-minute mark. If needed, rotate the baking tray so they bake evenly, or tent the tray with foil to prevent over-browning.

For Buttermilk Biscuits: If desired, feel free to use buttermilk instead of whole milk.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
Gold Line: Sprinkles of Inspiration | confettiandbliss.com

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36 Comments

  1. Could not find a single comment from someone who actually made these so here I am! I have never been able to make biscuits- they never rise, they never cook, I have been so sad. I just made these and I am thrilled. These were EASY, they rose, they are delicious. Mine did not brown as much as I would have liked but the flavor is amazing and I will make again and tweak the oven placement. I used buttermilk as I had it and it was superb. Thank you so much for posting this!!






  2. These sounds like the biscuits my grandmother used to make. (I’m sure that sounds like a cliche, but I’m serious). I think I’ll try this recipe.

  3. They look like scones and they look absolutely delicious! What a perfect afternoon tea treats they’d make!

  4. This is actually my first time hearing of ‘baking powder’ biscuits but I love how they remind me of scones. They look delicious and not too difficult for a novice like me to make!

  5. i could use a bunch of these right now. it looks amazing. im saving this as i’m grocery shopping tomorrow and getting the rest of the ingredients that i don’t already have.

  6. Delicious! delicious! delicious! I may have to show my dad this recipe! he’s such a big fan of biscuits. the recipe is so easy to follow. I’m so excited