How to Make 3-Ingredient Biscuits with Butter, Self-Rising Flour and Buttermilk
Updated: Jan. 21, 2022
You can make biscuits any day of the week with this simple 3-ingredient biscuit recipe!
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There’s nothing like a fresh, homemade biscuit still warm from the oven. The best biscuits are so flaky that you can tear the top and bottom away from each other easily, and there’s a slight crunch on the exterior that gives way to a soft and buttery interior. Thankfully, this 3-ingredient biscuit recipe doesn’t have to mean spending all day in the kitchen!
These biscuits are not just delicious, they’re also the easiest biscuit recipe you’ll find. Once you realize how quick and delicious they are, they’ll be in regular rotation on your breakfast table.
Key Ingredients
Cold butter
Cold butter is essential! While the biscuits are cooking, the butter melts, creating the pockets of air that make delicious layers and texture. I use butter straight from the fridge, cut it into small pieces, then return it to the fridge until the minute I’m ready for it.
Self-rising flour
Self-rising flour is regular flour with the leavening agent already incorporated. If you try to substitute all-purpose flour without adding baking powder, then your biscuits won’t rise. You can buy self-rising flour at the store or make self-rising flour by adding 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to 1 cup of all-purpose flour.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk is great for biscuits because they love all the fat it offers, and the acidity adds to the flavor and gives them a good rise. You really should use buttermilk more in your baked goods.
Don’t miss our biscuit tips that will make your biscuits so good they fly off the table!
How to Make 3-Ingredient Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- Melted butter
Tools You’ll Need
There are a few things that you’ll want to have on hand for all your biscuit-making adventures. Luckily, the tools will come in handy for plenty of other baking projects.
- Pastry Cutter: Use this to cut butter into flour for things like biscuits and pie doughs. The pastry cutter gets the job done quickly, cleanly, and without warming up the butter (which we know is key for good biscuits).
- Rolling Pin: Your rolling pin is an important player in so many baked goods, and if you find one you love, it will become a beloved kitchen tool. This tapered, solid wood rolling pin is my personal favorite.
- Biscuit Cutters: A good set of round biscuit cutters will ensure you get picture-perfect biscuits.
Directions
Step 1: Make the dough
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a large bowl, combine flour and butter. Use the pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until the pieces of butter are about the size of peas. Drizzle in the cold buttermilk a little bit at a time, mixing with a rubber spatula and making sure to incorporate any dry flour that’s settled at the bottom of the bowl.
You’ll know your flour has enough moisture if there are no dry bits of flour at the bottom of the bowl. If there’s still dry flour, add more buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time as needed.
Step 2: Knead and roll out dough
Clean and lightly flour a surface, and turn biscuit dough onto it. Knead the dough a few times until it comes together, then pat into a rectangle. Roll out dough until it’s 3/4-in. thick.
Step 3: Cut out biscuits
Set aside a sheet tray with a piece of parchment on it.
Use a biscuit cutter around 2-1/2-in. wide to cut out biscuits. Transfer biscuits to the lined sheet tray. Bring together the remaining dough without working it too much, roll it out once and then cut out any remaining biscuits.
Step 4: Bake the biscuits
Place the sheet tray in the oven and cook for 11-13 minutes, rotating halfway through. The tops of the biscuits should be golden brown when done. While they’re cooking, heat up a couple tablespoons of butter.
Step 5: Butter and serve
When the biscuits are done, brush tops with melted butter. Serve warm!
Tips for Making 3-Ingredient Biscuits
How should you store 3-ingredient biscuits?
Biscuits should be stored in a food storage container or plastic bag. They are best the day they’re made, but can hold for up to 3 days, especially if you reheat them. Cooked biscuits can also be frozen in a sealed plastic bag for up to 2 months.
Can you freeze the dough?
Yes! Freeze biscuits on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Once they’re completely frozen, transfer them to a zip-top bag. No need to thaw before cooking; simply put directly in the oven on a parchment-lined sheet tray and add an extra 5-10 minutes to your bake time.
What can you use to make 3-ingredient biscuits if you don’t have buttermilk?
You can make homemade buttermilk in a pinch by substituting milk with a splash of lemon juice. Let the milk and lemon juice sit for a minute to curdle before using.
Can you make 3-ingredient biscuits vegan?
These biscuits are going to come out best with butter. However, you can still get a really tasty biscuit using vegan butter or solid coconut cream in place of butter. You can also replace the milk with dairy-free milk and a splash of lemon juice.
What can you serve with 3-ingredient biscuits?
The better question is what doesn’t go well with 3-ingredient biscuits! They go wonderfully with classics like scrambled eggs and sausage gravy. They could also be used as the base for an eggs Benedict with hollandaise! But if you want a simple meal, they’re delicious served warm with butter and jam.
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