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    Home » Bread Recipes

    Quick & Easy Buttermilk Biscuits (Small Batch)

    Published: Jun 26, 2017 by Allison Ferraro · Modified: May 20, 2021 · 67 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    All you need are 6 ingredients, one bowl, and 30 minutes to make these soft and buttery buttermilk biscuits from scratch. This quick and easy biscuit recipe makes a small batch of just 6 delicious, homemade biscuits. They’re perfect with everything from a simple spread of butter to strawberry jam to sausage gravy, and they’re a must for weekend breakfast!

    side view of biscuits stacked on a white speckled plate with a blue background this Recipe
    Jump to:
    • Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
    • Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
    • Recipe Tips
    • Serving Suggestions
    • More Buttermilk Recipes to Love
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    I developed a whole new appreciation for buttermilk biscuits during our recent trip to the south. We ate so much incredible food during our time in Charleston and Savannah, and still one of the highlights was the biscuits that were served for breakfast at our B&B in Savannah. The biscuits were hot and flaky and dripping in honey. They practically melted in your mouth. They were just SO GOOD!

    As soon as we returned home from our trip I found myself craving biscuits, so I immediately began experimenting with recipes. One bite of these biscuits and I knew that I had a winner! They’re rich and buttery with soft centers and a golden exterior. The best part? There’s no need to wake up early in order to make breakfast. This quick and easy recipe takes just 30 minutes from start to finish, so you can roll out of bed whenever you want and still be eating breakfast in no time! Plus, all you need are 6 ingredients and one bowl!

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    overhead view of recipe ingredients on a marble surface

    All-Purpose Flour - For the best results, use a high-protein all-purpose flour such as King Arthur Baking unbleached all-purpose flour. I’ve found that all-purpose flour with a higher protein content yields taller and perfectly golden biscuits.

    Buttermilk - I like to use full fat buttermilk for baking and recommend it for this recipe. Using room temperature buttermilk is best for creating a cohesive dough (though I’ll admit that I’ve impatiently made this recipe without waiting for the buttermilk to come to room temperature and my biscuits turned out fine).

    Unsalted Butter - Butter is key to this recipe and gives the biscuits so much flavor. Opt for unsalted butter so that you can control the amount of salt in the recipe. Most importantly, be sure to use cold butter straight from the fridge. Cutting cold butter into the flour using a pastry blender is crucial to the structure of these biscuits.

    Baking Powder - Baking powder gives these biscuits their rise. Be sure your baking powder is fresh (ideally it should be replaced after 3 months - and no more than 6 months - once opened) for the best rise.

    Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

    PREP WORK

    1. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

    MAKE THE BISCUIT DOUGH

    1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. 
    2. Slice the cold butter into cubes (A) and cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender until the flour mixture is full of pea-sized chunks of butter (B). 
    overhead view of dry ingredients whisked together in a glass bowl
    Step #2
    overhead view of dry ingredients in a glass bowl with cubed butter
    Step #3 A
    overhead view of dry ingredients in a glass bowl with butter cut in
    Step #3 B

    1. Add about a third of the buttermilk and gently stir until blended (A). Add another third of the buttermilk and gently stir until blended (B). Add the rest of the buttermilk and gently stir just until the buttermilk is fully incorporated and there is no dry flour (C). Be careful not to overwork the dough when mixing. When all of the buttermilk is added, the dough will be a bit wet and sticky.
    overhead view of crumbly dough in a glass bowl
    Step #4 A
    overhead view of moistened dough in a glass bowl
    Step #4 B
    overhead view of biscuit dough in a glass bowl
    Step #4 C

    KNEAD, ROLL, and CUT THE BISCUITS

    1. Place the dough onto a generously floured surface and knead the dough gently a few times. Sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough and knead the flour into the dough if the dough is too wet and sticky to work with.
    2. Using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough to ½ inch (about 1.25 cm) thickness.
    3. Dip the edges of a 2 ½ inch (about 6.5 cm) circle cutter in flour, then use it to cut the dough into circles. (Tip: Press the cutter straight down and lift it straight up to cut the dough, rather than twisting the cutter in the dough. Twisting the cutter can seal the edges of the dough and limit the biscuits' rise.) Re-roll the remaining dough to cut additional biscuits.
    overhead view of kneaded biscuit dough in a floured marble surface
    Step #5
    overhead view of rolled out biscuit dough on a floured marble surface
    Step #6
    overhead view of cut out biscuit dough on a floured marble surface
    Step #7

    BAKE THE BISCUITS

    1. Place the biscuit dough circles onto the parchment-lined baking sheet (A). Bake until the edges are slightly golden, about 15 minutes (B).
    2. Place the baking sheet onto a wire rack, leaving the biscuits on the baking sheet to cool slightly. Serve the biscuits warm with the toppings of your choice.
    overhead view of circles of biscuit dough on a baking sheet with parchment paper
    Step #8 A
    overhead view od biscuits on a baking sheet
    Step #8 B
    angled view of biscuits on a white linen napkin

    Recipe Tips

    Be careful not to overwork the dough, as this will lead to tough biscuits. Mix the dough just until the buttermilk is mixed in and work the dough as little as possible when rolling it out.

    When cutting the biscuit dough into circles, press the cutter straight down and lift it straight up, rather than twisting the cutter in the dough. Twisting the cutter can seal the edges of the dough, limiting the biscuits' rise.

    Serving Suggestions

    The biscuits are delicious plain, and I love them with a drizzle of honey or a spread of jam. But they're great for so many things! You can top them with sausage gravy, use them in place of an English muffin to make eggs Benedict, or use them as the bread of a sandwich (this is especially great for a BLT). The options are endless!

    overhead view of a sliced biscuit on a white speckled plate with butter and honey

    More Buttermilk Recipes to Love

    • Chocolate Buttermilk Biscuits
    • angled view of whole wheat buttermilk waffles on a white plate
      Whole Wheat Buttermilk Waffles

    Love this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review on the recipe below! And don't forget to subscribe to Always Eat Dessert for even more simple recipes, baking tips, and inspiration.

    Recipe

    angled view of biscuits on a white linen napkin

    Quick & Easy Buttermilk Biscuits

    All you need are 6 ingredients, one bowl, and 30 minutes to make these buttery, soft, and flaky buttermilk biscuits from scratch. This quick and easy biscuit recipe makes a small batch of just 6 delicious, homemade biscuits.
    4.63 from 24 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Yield: 6 biscuits
    Calories: 160kcal
    Author: Allison Ferraro

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour*
    • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
    • ½ cup full-fat buttermilk, room temperature
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. 
    • Slice the cold butter into cubes and cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender until the flour mixture is full of pea-sized chunks of butter. 
    • Add about a third of the buttermilk buttermilk and gently stir until blended. Add another third of the buttermilk and gently stir until blended. Add the rest of the buttermilk and gently stir just until the buttermilk is fully incorporated and there is no dry flour. Be careful not to overwork the dough when mixing. When all of the buttermilk is added, the dough will be a bit wet and sticky.
    • Place the dough onto a generously floured surface and knead the dough gently a few times. Sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough and knead the flour into the dough if the dough is too wet and sticky to work with.
    • Using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough to ½ inch (about 1.25 cm) thickness.
    • Dip the edges of a 2 ½ inch (about 6.5 cm) circle cutter in flour, then use it to cut the dough into circles. (Tip: Press the cutter straight down and lift it straight up to cut the dough, rather than twisting the cutter in the dough. Twisting the cutter can seal the edges of the dough and limit the biscuits' rise.) Re-roll the remaining dough to cut additional biscuits.
    • Place the biscuit dough circles onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the edges are slightly golden, about 15 minutes.
    • Place the baking sheet onto a wire rack, leaving the biscuits on the baking sheet to cool slightly. Serve the biscuits warm with the toppings of your choice or allow them to cool completely before storing.

    Notes

    Storage: Biscuits are best when fresh but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
    *All-Purpose Flour - This recipe works best with a higher protein all-purpose flour, like King Arthur Baking all-purpose flour.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 177mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 266IU | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gail

      December 26, 2021 at 1:30 pm

      I just turned 84 so I’ve been making biscuits many years. I’m from the Deep South. We don’t put sugar in our biscuits. But I’ll tell you these are better than my biscuits. I did just put 1 t of sugar in though. Just the right number of biscuits for 2. Thank you. This is my new biscuit recipe!

      Reply
    2. Shelley

      November 14, 2021 at 9:54 am

      5 stars
      This is my go-to biscuit recipe!
      I get perfect biscuits every time!

      Reply
    3. Renee

      April 23, 2021 at 4:27 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you..! Amazing, and I am a new baker.

      Reply
    4. Vanessa

      January 18, 2021 at 5:24 pm

      Best biscuits I’ve ever made. Not salty at all however I did use non salted butter. Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Allison

        January 18, 2021 at 8:13 pm

        I'm so glad that you love them! Thank you for your review, Vanessa!
        - Allison

        Reply
    5. Delilah

      January 16, 2021 at 6:54 pm

      For years I made biscuits every Saturday morning. A whole batch is just too much for us now and biscuits are best when eaten the some day. These little gems are delicious and just the right amount for us empty nesters. Normally I have self-rising and AP flour but this morning I only had self rising. I simply left out the baking powder and salt. This recipe is definitely a keeper.

      Reply
      • Allison

        January 17, 2021 at 6:16 am

        Hi Delilah! Thank you so much for your review! I'm so glad that you love this recipe, and I agree... a small batch recipe just makes sense when biscuits are best eaten the same day. Happy baking!
        - Allison

        Reply
    6. Rhonda

      January 05, 2021 at 8:44 am

      These biscuits were delish but I did need a bit more flour

      Reply
      • Virginia

        February 06, 2022 at 9:00 am

        5 stars
        Love these biscuits!!! This recipe is the absolute best and so easy! Thank you for sharing with us. This is my go to biscuit recipe!

        Reply
    7. TJ

      October 23, 2020 at 11:26 am

      Love this recipe!!!
      Thanks for sharing it. Make it all the time and my wife and I can’t get enough. So easy and delicious!!👍😊

      Reply
      • Allison

        November 08, 2020 at 2:31 pm

        Thank you so much for your review, TJ! I'm so glad to hear that you and your wife love this recipe 🙂
        - Allison

        Reply
        • Elizabeth

          December 07, 2020 at 6:40 pm

          Allison, I have not ever been able to make biscuits from scratch, but am hoping for success tonight! They went together easily, using all the correct ingredients. Needed a biscuit for dinner and am in quarantine, so could not go out and get any. Thanks for sharing your recipe.

    8. Debra

      October 01, 2020 at 12:24 am

      1 star
      I attempted this recipe and they were awful!! Make good paperweights! Not flaky, didn’t rise. Looked like stones 🥺

      Reply
      • Tori Gonzales

        November 07, 2020 at 12:35 pm

        Mine didn’t rise even with fresh ingredients. I’m thinking it was because all I had was whole milk in hand and no lemon or vinegar to make buttermilk with. Flavor was good tho so I’ll try again

        Reply
        • Allison

          November 08, 2020 at 2:38 pm

          Hi Tori! This dough definitely relies on buttermilk, so I'm not surprised that whole milk didn't yield great results. I would recommend store bought buttermilk rather than substituting a DIY version made from milk and lemon/vinegar for optimal results. Happy baking!
          - Allison

    9. Tom

      September 26, 2020 at 11:44 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe!!!

      Reply
      • Allison

        September 29, 2020 at 8:28 pm

        I’m so glad to hear it! Thank you for your review, Tom!
        - Allison

        Reply
    10. Rose

      August 05, 2020 at 6:36 pm

      What size of cast iron pan did you use? Did you put anything in the pan so they wouldn't stick?

      Reply
      • Allison

        August 05, 2020 at 10:01 pm

        Hi Rose! The cast iron skillet shown in the photos is just 6 inches and only fits 4 biscuits. For baking a full recipe (6 biscuits), a skillet that's 8 or 10 inches would be best. The biscuits shouldn't stick to a well seasoned cast iron skillet so I don't add anything to the skillet. Sometimes I'll bake the biscuits on a baking sheet, which I do line with parchment paper.
        - Allison

        Reply
    11. Sharon

      July 19, 2020 at 10:05 am

      Made biscuits..was an easy recipe to make. I grated frozen butter, instead of cutting pieces into flour. It took longer than 15 mins to cook..maybe oven temp, size, or pan cooked in.
      Great flavor, but did not rise like pictured (checked expiration date of all ingredients.) Will try again and follow exact recipe.

      Reply
      • Allison

        November 08, 2020 at 2:34 pm

        Hi Sharon! The size of the butter pieces in the dough contribute to the biscuits' rise and flakiness, so I definitely recommend following the recipe and cutting the butter into the flour rather than grating the butter.
        - Allison

        Reply
    12. Susan

      July 15, 2020 at 6:23 pm

      5 stars
      My biscuits never rise. Followed recipe exactly.

      Reply
      • Allison

        July 15, 2020 at 8:17 pm

        Hi Susan. My first suggestion would be to double check the freshness of your baking powder. Both baking soda and baking powder work best when replaced 3 months after opening to ensure that they're fresh and will give your baked goods the proper rise.

        -Allison

        Reply
    13. Ruth

      June 02, 2020 at 4:10 pm

      What starter are you talking about?

      Reply
      • Allison

        June 02, 2020 at 4:48 pm

        Hi Ruth! Are you referring to Gail's comment above? I believe that she was referring to a bit of homemade sourdough starter. I haven't tried adding sourdough starter to this recipe, so I can't personally vouch for it, but she seemed to like it 🙂

        -Allison

        Reply
        • Bernice Prince

          March 20, 2021 at 1:20 pm

          5 stars
          I made the small batch which were very good, and decided I’d share them with my 80 year old aunt. Now she wants a whole batch by herself. She’s hooked. I’ll make a double batch next time and give half. Thanks for the recipe.

    14. Raquel

      May 24, 2020 at 8:36 pm

      4 stars
      Quick and easy indeed. These biscuits were light and fluffy as well. I added melted butter before and after baking (couldn't help myself). Good recipe 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

      Reply
      • Allison

        May 25, 2020 at 8:27 am

        So glad you loved the recipe! Thanks so much for your review, Raquel!

        -Allison

        Reply
    15. Amy

      April 04, 2020 at 5:43 pm

      2 stars
      So... this recipe needs double the amount of flour. My dough was extremely wet with just one cup of flour.

      Reply
      • Allison

        April 05, 2020 at 12:46 pm

        Hi Amy! I'm sorry to hear that this recipe didn't meet your expectations. The dough for these biscuits does have more moisture than some other biscuit doughs, though the dough should not be extremely wet, as you mentioned. I've had lots of success making deliciously buttery biscuits with this recipe.

        -Allison

        Reply
    16. Sherri Sullivan

      March 13, 2020 at 9:57 pm

      5 stars
      Finally I've found the perfect biscuit. The small amount was exactly what I was looking for
      Pressed dough out with fingers and folded dough 5 times. I was able to get 3 large biscuits. Nice tall and fluffy. Delicious

      Reply
      • Allison

        March 14, 2020 at 6:18 pm

        Thanks for sharing your review, Sherri! I’m so glad to hear you loved the biscuits!

        Reply
      • Keith

        May 17, 2021 at 1:19 pm

        Did you cook them in a 6 inch skillet are a cookie sheet! Thanks!

        Reply
        • Allison Ferraro

          May 22, 2021 at 10:22 am

          Hi Keith! I can't speak to what Sherri used, but I just re-tested this recipe and updated the post and I recommend baking the biscuits on a baking sheet rather than using cast iron for more even browning.
          - Allison

    17. Gail

      December 11, 2019 at 12:39 pm

      5 stars
      Allison, I absolutely Love this recipe and love the small batch! My biscuits were perfect and reheat incredibly well! I did add two tablespoons of natural starter and reduced the flour by a tablespoon and buttermilk by a tablespoon! I like adding my starter to just about everything. These were sooooo good!

      Reply
      • Allison

        December 29, 2019 at 10:03 pm

        Thank you so much for the glowing review, Gail! I love the idea of adding a bit of starter, and I'm so glad that you loved the biscuits!

        xx Allison

        Reply
    18. Jill

      November 13, 2019 at 7:09 pm

      5 stars
      Super good and super easy! Made my own "cheater" buttermilk and turned out great. Love the small batch.

      Reply
      • Allison

        November 13, 2019 at 9:50 pm

        Thanks, Jill! I'm so glad you loved this recipe!

        xx Allison

        Reply
    19. Shelley

      July 04, 2019 at 11:03 am

      Finally the perfect small batch buttermilk biscuit recipe. These came out so soft and delicious and were a breeze to make. I only had White Lily self-raising flour so I did have to adapt a bit but the method is spot on. My new go-to.

      Reply
      • Allison

        July 07, 2019 at 3:52 pm

        Thank you so much for your kind words, Shelley! I'm so glad that you love this recipe! Happy baking 🙂

        xx Allison

        Reply
        • Kay L. Lee

          January 18, 2021 at 6:27 pm

          Will try these tomorrow 😊❤️sounds Great! Thanks and God Bless!

    20. Chuck

      April 22, 2018 at 5:12 am

      Perfection! Without a doubt the best I've ever made. I especially like the amount of biscuits it makes, exactly right for my 8" C.I. griddle that I pre-heat. Thank you so much...I will make these often

      Reply
      • Allison

        April 22, 2018 at 7:40 am

        I’m so glad you love this recipe! Happy baking!

        Reply
        • Phyllis H Manning

          February 16, 2020 at 5:49 pm

          What if you don,t have buttermilk.

        • Allison

          February 16, 2020 at 8:29 pm

          Hi Phyllis! If you don't have buttermilk on hand you can make your own. Combine 1/2 cup milk and 1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice or distilled vinegar. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until the milk curdles, then whisk it together to combine. You can use this mixture in place of the 1/2 cup buttermilk in the recipe.

        • ColleenB.~Tx.

          September 16, 2021 at 7:12 am

          I always keep a can of the powdered buttermilk on hand so I can just mix up what I need.
          You can find the powdered buttermilk in a can down the baking isle, close by the regular powdered milk.
          I love this small biscuit recipe; just right for hubby & myself but I do bake mine in a cast iron skillet.
          Right out of the oven; I brush the tops with a little homemade honey butter.

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    Hi there!

    I'm Allison, the cookie-obsessed baker, recipe creator, and food photographer behind Always Eat Dessert.

    Here you’ll find made-from-scratch recipes designed for busy people who love to bake. From cookies to quick breads, you'll discover detailed, easy-to-follow recipes for everyday life along with practical baking tips to help you whip up indulgent treats from scratch with confidence.

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