What Are Buttermilk biscuits and How Can I Use Them?
Buttermilk biscuits is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store them, what to substitute, and 65 recipes to get you started.
Key Points
- Tender, flaky quick bread where buttermilk and baking soda give a soft, layered rise.
- Keep the butter cold so it melts into steam pockets and makes the layers flaky.
- Barely handle the dough; overworking builds gluten and bakes up tough and hard.
- Cut straight down without twisting the cutter, or the sealed edges will not rise tall.
- Canned tube biscuits are the quick shortcut; scratch is flakier and worth it for breakfast.
What are buttermilk biscuits?
Buttermilk biscuits are tender, flaky quick breads built from flour and fat and buttermilk. The tang of the buttermilk reacts with baking soda to lift them, giving a soft, fluffy inside and a golden top that pulls apart in layers.
They are a Southern breakfast staple and an all-purpose side. Split them for butter and jam, smother them in sausage gravy, or use them as a quick topper on a pot pie.
You can bake them from scratch in about twenty minutes, or crack open a tube of refrigerated biscuit dough for an even faster shortcut.
How to Use Buttermilk Biscuits
The classic plays are breakfast and supper. Split a warm biscuit for butter and jam, or ladle peppery sausage gravy over the halves for biscuits and gravy.
They also work as a fast crust. Tubes of biscuit dough cap a Hamburger Petal Pie and crown a Chicken Broccoli & Biscuit Casserole, where they bake right on top of the filling.
Tear the dough into chunks for an Easy Monkey Bread, or drop biscuits over a bubbling Beef Stew, President Ronald Reagan's Favorite in the last stretch of cooking.
Split and toasted, day-old biscuits make a sturdy base for a breakfast sandwich. Stale ones turn into bread pudding.
Cooking and Pairing
Two rules make or break a biscuit: keep the butter cold and barely handle the dough.
Cut cold butter into the flour so it stays in pebbly bits. Those bits melt in the oven and leave pockets of steam, which is what makes the layers flaky. Warm butter just blends in and bakes up dense.
Do not overwork the dough either. Mix and fold it only until it just comes together, then stop. Kneading like bread builds gluten and gives you tough, hard biscuits instead of tender ones.
For a tall rise, pat the dough to about three quarters of an inch and cut straight down with a sharp cutter. Do not twist the cutter, since twisting seals the edges and keeps the biscuit from rising.
Buttermilk is the other key. Its acid both flavors the biscuit and reacts with the baking soda to give that signature lift and tender crumb.
Canned vs Scratch Biscuits
Refrigerated biscuits in a tube are the everyday shortcut: pop the can, bake, and you have hot biscuits in twelve to fifteen minutes with no mess.
Scratch biscuits taste better and flakier, with real butter flavor and taller layers, but they take more time and a light hand. For weeknight casseroles and monkey bread, canned is fine. For a special breakfast, scratch is worth it.
The two are interchangeable in most recipes, so use whichever you have.
Substitutes
Plain or self-rising biscuits stand in directly, just a touch less tangy. To fake the buttermilk flavor, stir a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into a cup of milk and let it sit five minutes.
Drop biscuits skip the rolling and cutting. You scoop a wetter dough straight onto the pan for a rustic, craggy biscuit that is faster but less neatly layered.
In a baked dish, a savory scone or even a sheet of pie crust can cap a filling, though neither gives the same soft, fluffy bite.
Buying and Storage
Fresh-baked biscuits are best warm from the oven and within a few hours. They go dry and crumbly fast because of all that butter and the lack of preservatives.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. Refresh them with a few minutes in a warm oven, which crisps the outside and softens the crumb again.
Refrigerated tube dough keeps in the dairy case until its printed date; once opened, bake the whole tube, since the dough dries out quickly. Baked biscuits freeze well for up to three months, so wrap them tightly and reheat from frozen in the oven.
Quick facts
- In Chinese
- 牛奶饼干
- British (UK) term
- Buttermilk biscuits
- en français
- biscuits au babeurre
- en español
- galletas de mantequilla
Recipes using buttermilk biscuits
There are 65 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Homemade Biscuits Pudding
A no-bake chocolate biscuit pudding, milk-soaked biscuits layered with a rich cocoa butter cream and studded with cashews and raisins, then chilled until sliceable. A Sri Lankan party favorite.
Cheeseless Pumpkin Cheesecake
A delicious cross between cheesecake and pumpkin pie without cheese or the need to bake. If you love cheesecake but have a stomach that is sensitive to cream cheese - this is the one for you.
Hamburger Petal Pie
This is a great recipe! Something different to do with hamburger, easy to make and tastes great. The biscuits actually make a really nice light crust. This one is in my favourites and will be repeated often on my dinner table!
Beef Stew, President Ronald Reagan's Favorite
Discover Ronald Reagan's favorite beef stew recipe: easy, hearty comfort food with tender beef, artichokes, and mushrooms in a rich wine broth. Perfect for beginners—stovetop, oven, or Instant Pot directions included for stress-free dinners like "easy homemade beef stew for families" or "classic presidential beef stew with vegetables."
Crab-Biscuit Shortcakes
Savory crab shortcakes with tender crab meat and sliced hard-boiled eggs in a creamy sauce, spooned over warm split biscuits. Comfort food in 30 minutes.
Beefy Biscuit Cups
These beefy biscuit cups pack savory ground beef and spaghetti sauce into buttery biscuit shells topped with melted cheddar. A fun, hands-on dinner kids and adults both love.
Lemon Foam Torte
Lemon foam torte crowns a chocolate-painted sponge base with an airy, gelatin-set lemon meringue dome, finished with melted chocolate and candied lemon. A light, tangy chilled dessert with a sweet-tart lift.
Banoffi
Classic banoffee pie with buttery biscuit crust, rich caramel toffee, fresh bananas, and whipped cream drizzled with dark chocolate for indulgent British desserts.
Buttermilk Monterey Jack Bread with Rosemary & Basil
Buttermilk Monterey Jack Bread with Rosemary and Basil recipe
Creamed Ham & Asparagus
Cubed ham, tender asparagus, and hard-boiled eggs in a cheesy cream sauce over toast points or biscuits. A hearty brunch or easy dinner that uses up leftover ham.
Beef Stew Casserole
Beef stew casserole topped with golden buttermilk biscuits, like a shortcut pot pie. Browned beef, vegetables, and rich gravy baked under a fluffy biscuit crust for a cozy cold-day dinner.
Chicken, Cheese & Biscuits
Diced chicken and veggies swimming in a homemade cheddar-mustard sauce, topped with flaky split biscuits and baked golden. A cozy pot pie-style dinner on the table in 40 minutes.
Easy Fudgey Pudding Cake
Fudgy chocolate pudding cake that bakes its own gooey sauce underneath. Made with baking mix, cocoa, condensed milk, and chocolate syrup. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
Ww Cinnamon Rolls
Quick cinnamon rolls using refrigerated biscuit dough filled with brown sugar, raisins, and cinnamon. Ready in 40 minutes with simple powdered sugar glaze.
Sweet Monkey Bread
Sweet monkey bread made with canned buttermilk biscuits rolled in cinnamon sugar and drenched in a melted brown sugar glaze. Pull-apart, sticky, and ready in 40 minutes.
Barbecue Cups
Barbecue cups made with refrigerated biscuit dough pressed into muffin tins, filled with saucy ground beef in barbecue sauce, and topped with melted cheddar cheese. A four-ingredient kid-friendly dinner.
Chicken on Biscuits(Mom's)
Creamy chicken on biscuits made with cream of chicken soup, sauteed celery, green pepper, and pimento. A quick comfort food dinner using leftover cooked chicken.
Bubble Up Pizza
Bubble up pizza casserole with quartered refrigerated biscuits tossed in marinara and mozzarella, baked into a bubbly, cheesy, fork-and-knife pizza bake. Kid-favorite weeknight dinner.
Raspberry-Filled Jelly Doughnuts
Raspberry-filled jelly doughnuts made from canned biscuits, dipped in butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar. A clever shortcut that tastes like the real thing.
Decadent Walnut Cake
Walnut cake is a traditional European-style flourless nut torte made with ground walnuts, crushed biscuits, and 8 separated eggs. Layered with apricot jam and frosted with vanilla whipped cream.
Peppernut Pear Tart
Peppernut pear tart with fanned ripe pears on a lebkuchen-hazelnut frangipane filling in buttery shortcrust pastry, spiked with ginger wine. A stunning British-style autumn dessert.
Easy Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls
Buttermilk biscuits make these cinnamon rolls super easy and my kids love them.
Chicken on Biscuits Mom's
Mom's creamy chicken gravy with celery, green pepper, and pimentos ladled over warm buttermilk biscuits. Old-school comfort food ready in 20 minutes.
Beef Supper Casserole
Ground beef and onion layered between flaky buttermilk biscuit dough with sour cream and sharp cheddar, baked until golden. A cozy one-pan supper casserole the whole family will love.
Masa Biscuits with Ham & Green Chile Gravy
Southwestern biscuits and gravy: fluffy masa buttermilk biscuits smothered in a smoky ham gravy loaded with fire-roasted green chiles. Classic Sunday brunch with a New Mexico accent.
Summer Fruit Shortcake
Homemade lemon biscuits split and loaded with mixed summer berries, strawberry puree, and billowy whipped cream. Use whatever seasonal fruit you have for this classic fruit shortcake.
Aunt Inez's Monkey Bread
Monkey bread made with refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, cinnamon sugar, and melted margarine. Just 4 ingredients and a tube pan for sticky, pull-apart perfection.
Monkey Bread (Friendship Bread)
Monkey bread made with canned buttermilk biscuits tossed in cinnamon sugar and baked in a Bundt pan with a buttery cinnamon glaze. An easy pull-apart treat in about an hour.
Spam Denver Biscuit Souffle
Spam Denver biscuit souffle with a pressed biscuit crust, cream cheese and cheddar filling, cubed Spam, green pepper, and onion. A puffy, Denver omelet-inspired bake with a biscuit base.
Easy Dill Biscuits
Easy dill biscuits made from refrigerated buttermilk biscuits split, tossed in dill butter, and baked until golden. A four-ingredient side ready in under 20 minutes.
Easy-Does-It Coffee Cake
Easy coffee cake builds a quick monkey bread-style bundt from refrigerated biscuits dipped in melted butter and pecan-brown sugar, then baked into a sticky pull-apart loaf. A four-ingredient brunch shortcut for sleepy mornings.
Ham-Stuffed Biscuits
Ham-stuffed biscuits pack diced ham, sautéed onion, garlic, and a rich cream sauce into warm, flaky buttermilk biscuits. A retro appetizer that turns brunch or cocktail hour into a crowd-pleaser.
Rabbit Pie
Old-fashioned rabbit pie with slow-stewed meat topped with buttermilk biscuits and served with homemade gravy. A hearty country supper for a crowd.
Hearty Meat & Vidalia Onion Pie
Hearty meat and Vidalia onion pie layers ground beef, sweet onions, mushrooms and a Swiss-cheddar sour cream custard over a flaky buttermilk biscuit crust. Southern comfort food in a skillet pie.
Chocolate Hazelnut Brandy Torte with Biscotti
No-bake frozen chocolate torte with 11 ounces of melted chocolate, brandy, broken biscuits, and toasted whole hazelnuts. Rich, dense, and served straight from the freezer like an Italian semifreddo.
Cottage Ham'N' Apple Quiche
Sauteed ham and tender apple slices baked in a smooth cottage cheese custard with a clever buttermilk biscuit crust. A savory-sweet brunch quiche ready in one hour.
Casino Royale Casserole
Turkey and broccoli baked in a creamy Swiss cheese sauce with mushrooms, topped with golden buttermilk biscuits. A cozy one-dish casserole that turns leftover turkey into a 30-minute dinner.
Ground Beef Grand Style
Ground beef casserole with creamy onion-cream cheese filling, biscuit topping, and sliced olives. A retro church-supper classic that disappears in minutes at the table.
Chicken Biscuit Casserole
Tender chicken, carrots, peas, and mushrooms simmer in a thick broth gravy then bake under a golden blanket of buttermilk biscuits. Freezer-friendly comfort food the whole family will love.
Breakaway Vegetable Bread
Breakaway vegetable bread made with refrigerated biscuits layered with bacon, Parmesan, onion, and green pepper in a Bundt pan. A savory pull-apart bread that's ready in an hour.
Creamed Chicken & Biscuits
Sautéed chicken and mushrooms in a rich cream sauce spooned over warm buttermilk biscuits. A kicked-up comfort classic with shiitakes and jalapeño that's ready in 45 minutes.
Spicy Meat Pies with Yogurt Sauce
Middle Eastern-style lamb hand pies with pine nuts, mint, and lemon zest baked in biscuit dough. Served with a cool minted yogurt dipping sauce.
Farmhouse Bar-B-Que Muffins
BBQ muffins with ground beef in a sweet-tangy ketchup sauce baked inside refrigerated biscuit cups and topped with melted cheese. Kid-friendly and ready in 45 minutes.
Easy Leftover Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie
This is a great recipe and base for anyone wanting pot pie or a family meal in a hurry.
Barbecue Beef Cups
This is so easy to make, especially for someone like me who has no cooking experience at all. The flavour is also spot-on.
Easy Caramel Chocolate Sticky Buns
Easy caramel chocolate sticky buns: a four-ingredient hack using refrigerated biscuits stuffed with chocolate kisses and baked over coconut-pecan frosting that turns into instant caramel when inverted.
Ham & Biscuit Skillet
Ham and biscuit skillet dinner with diced ham, lima beans, stewed tomatoes, kale, and fluffy buttermilk biscuits baked right in the pan. A one-skillet Southern weeknight meal ready in 35 minutes.
More buttermilk biscuit recipes
- Aunt Inez's Monkey Bread
- Beef & Bean Barbecue Bake
- Beef Supper Casserole
- Cheesy Beef Casserole with Golden Biscuits
- Chicken & Mushroom Biscuit Casserole
- Chicken Broccoli & Biscuit Casserole
- Creamed Chicken & Biscuits
- Easy Leftover Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie
- Easy-Does-It Coffee Cake
- Grandmother's Favorite Dressing
- Ham & Biscuit Skillet
- Ham-Stuffed Biscuits
- Hearty Meat & Vidalia Onion Pie
- Lone John Sliver Beer-Battered Fish
- Syrian Meat Pies
