You know it is when you get into a dinner rut: protein, veggie, starch over and over again. There’s nothing wrong with simple dinners, but sometimes you need a little something extra to liven it up. That’s where a great simple biscuit recipe comes in.
Everyone loves warm fluffy biscuits straight from the oven. While you can rely on refrigerated biscuit brands, you can make homemade biscuits from scratch with just a handful of ingredients, most of which you have right in your cupboard. That’s right—you’re never more than five ingredients and 30 minutes away from amazing homemade biscuits that can liven up any meal.
Simple Biscuit Recipe
Making biscuits from scratch is such a worthwhile endeavor, and it doesn’t need to be challenging. This simple biscuit recipe is a snap to put together and it uses ingredients you likely already have on hand.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup cold butter, cubed
- 2/3 cup 2% milk
Directions
Step 1: Get the Dough Going
The first step to making great simple biscuits is to whisk together your dry ingredients. Use the biggest mixing bowl you got and just give the flour, baking powder and salt a quick whisk—just to get them incorporated.
Then grab your cold butter and cut it into cubes. Cut these butter bits into your dry ingredients with a pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. The last step of creating the dough is adding the milk. Stir it in until the dough is just moistened—no need to overwork it.
Step 2: Knead the Biscuit Dough
Next up, you’ll give the biscuits a quick knead. Sprinkle your clean work surface with a bit of flour (just so it doesn’t stick) and turn the dough out. Knead the biscuits gently eight to ten times. Then press the dough with your hands until it’s a half-inch thick. Grab a 2-1/2-inch biscuit cutter and cut out your biscuits.
Editor’s tip:Â If you don’t have a biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter, just use a glass or cup with a thin rim. Dip the edge into some flour and use that as a cutter. It works just as well.
Step 3: Bake
Finally, place your biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet. Give them a little room—about an inch between each. Bake at 450ºF for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve them warm. If you love vintage cookbooks, try these cottage cheese biscuits.
Biscuit FAQs
These simple biscuits are a breeze to make once you’ve got a hang of the recipe. Here are some answers to your most common biscuit questions and some tips to make sure you bake the fluffiest biscuits possible. They’ll be so good you won’t have leftovers!
How do you keep biscuits fresh?
Biscuits are best served fresh from the oven. Who doesn’t love a warm biscuit anyway?
However, you can store biscuits, too. Pop them in an airtight container and they’ll keep on the countertop for two to three days. You can also store them in the freezer for up to three months. You can put them in a warm oven for a few minutes to revive them.
How do you make homemade biscuits fluffy?
The key to making fluffy homemade biscuits is not to overwork the dough. The more you stir or knead the dough, the tougher the biscuits will be. The trick is to stir the milk in until just combined and kneading the biscuits very gently.
Also, be sure that you’re measuring flour correctly. If you add too much flour, you can make the biscuits heavy and dense.
Are biscuits better with butter or shortening?
There are some recipes out there that call for shortening (like these fluffy biscuits), however, most call for butter. Butter provides more flavor than shortening and can create more flaky layers the way butter creates a flakier pie crust.
What should you serve with biscuits?
Biscuits make a great side with any dinner. As we said, these biscuits can make even simple weekday suppers special.
But you don’t need to save biscuits just for dinnertime. They’re great served up at breakfast with country gravy or topped with good honey, homemade jam or even a little more butter.
Try More Biscuit Recipes from Our Recipe Box
Easy Cheesy Biscuits
I'm a big fan of homemade biscuits, but not the rolling and cutting that goes into making them. The drop biscuit method solves everything! —Christina Addison, Blanchester, Ohio
Also, try Dolly Parton’s buttermilk biscuits which are easy to make, soft, and tender.
Go to Recipe
Golden Sourdough BiscuitsI got this recipe from a friend when we were exchanging sourdough recipes a few years ago. These soft sourdough biscuits are best enjoyed straight from the oven. — Stephanie Church, Delaware, Ohio
Sour Cream-Leek BiscuitsThese biscuits are a wonderful pairing for soups. I've made them with all-purpose white flour as well as whole wheat, and both work equally well. —Bonnie Appleton, Canterbury, Connecticut
Homemade Buttermilk BiscuitsThe recipe for these four-ingredient homemade buttermilk biscuits has been handed down for many generations. —Fran Thompson, Tarboro, North Carolina
Cinnamon Fruit BiscuitsBecause these sweet treats are so easy, I'm almost embarrassed when people ask me for the recipe. They're a snap to make with refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, sugar, cinnamon and your favorite fruit preserves. —Ione Burham, Washington, Iowa
Flaky Cheddar-Chive BiscuitsThese wonderful, buttery biscuits complement any dinner. —Betsy King, Duluth, Minnesota
Grandma's BiscuitsHomemade biscuits add a warm and comforting touch to any meal. My grandmother makes these tender biscuits to go with her seafood chowder. —Melissa Obernesser, Utica, New York
Air-Fryer Pumpkin Biscuits with Spiced Apple ButterA couple of years ago, one of my friend's parents made pumpkin biscuits for Thanksgiving. I was inspired by the innovative idea but wanted to add my own spin by topping the biscuits with apple butter. I have been experimenting with the air fryer recently and wanted to try to make bread in the machine. — Jessica Burke, Chandler, Arizona
Easy Parmesan BiscuitsThis recipe is simple but a delicious addition to any meal. The children love to dip the ready-made biscuits in butter and coat it with the cheese. Warm from the oven, one biscuit per person usually isn’t enough. —Linda Becker, Olympia, Washington
Zucchini & Cheese Drop BiscuitsThese colorful little drop biscuits are very easy to put together and yet are packed full of flavor. I serve them warm out of the oven. —Keith Mesch, Mt. Healthy, Ohio
Sweet Potato Biscuits with Honey ButterWe often think of sweet potatoes in a supporting role as a side dish, mashed, baked whole, cubed and roasted. Here's another thought—why not give them a starring role for breakfast when made into biscuits? Served with cinnamon-honey butter, they're all kinds of awesome. —Cathy Bell, Joplin, Missouri
Hurry-Up BiscuitsWhen I was young, my mom would make these biscuits with fresh cream she got from a local farmer. I don't go to those lengths, but the family recipe is still a real treat. —Beverly Sprague, Baltimore, Maryland
Flaky Whole Wheat BiscuitsWhole wheat flour gives these biscuits a nutty, homey flavor. Ever since I started making these, white flour biscuits just don't taste as good! Pair them with soup or slather them with whipped cream and sweetened berries for a dessert treat. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
Cheese & Garlic BiscuitsMy biscuits won the prize for best quick bread at my county fair. One of the judges liked them so much, she asked for the recipe! These buttery, savory biscuits go with just about anything. —Gloria Jarrett, Loveland, Ohio
Mom's Buttermilk BiscuitsThese fluffy buttermilk biscuits are so tasty slathered with butter or used to mop up every last drop of gravy off your plate. I can still see Mom pulling these tender gems out of the oven. —Vera Reid, Laramie, Wyoming
Apricot Cream BiscuitsMelt-in-your-mouth good when warm, these shortcut biscuits with a hint of orange prove that the right mix really can offer homemade taste. —Betty Saint Turner, Attalla, Alabama
Makeover Cheddar BiscuitsHere's our crack at the never-ending biscuits from Red Lobster. Made from scratch with lighter ingredients, they're just as cheesy and buttery as the original. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Apple Cider BiscuitsMy family enjoys these tender, flaky biscuits warm from the oven. We have a lot of apple trees, so we're always looking for apple recipes. This is a tasty way to use some of our cider. —Harriet Stichter, Milford, Indiana
Cheddar Corn BiscuitsEveryone asks for these cheesy corn biscuits, especially when I serve soup. If you're lucky and have leftovers, rewarm them and pass the butter and jam. —Susan Braun, Swift Current, Saskatchewan
Gluten-Free BiscuitsBasic gluten-free biscuits are fantastic with brunch, dinner or even a bowl of soup for an easy lunch. This recipe is perfect for tweaking—stir in your favorite ingredients like shredded cheddar and garlic powder, Swiss and chives, or Parmesan and Italian seasoning. —
Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Glazed Cranberry BiscuitsMy family likes biscuits for breakfast. One Sunday, I decided to make those golden goodies extra special by adding white chips, dried cranberries and a simple orange glaze. —Lori Daniels, Beverly, West Virginia
Ginger Buttermilk BiscuitsAfter we had cinnamon-topped biscuits at a restaurant, I came up with my own version at home. I keep crystallized ginger on hand so I can whip up a batch at a moment’s notice!—Rebecca Littlejohn, Vista, Califiornia
Lemon Blueberry BiscuitsLemon and blueberries make such a fresh and flavorful combination in all kinds of baked goods, especially these biscuits. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Old-Fashioned Buttermilk BiscuitsMy family gobbles up these biscuits, which are low in fat, cholesterol and sugar. I almost always make these now instead of my old shortening-based recipe. —Wendy Masters, Grand Valley, Ontario
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