Easy 3-Ingredient Homemade Biscuits

Name: Easy Homemade Biscuits
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 cups self-rising flour; ¾ cup salted butter (cubed and very cold; ¾ cup = 1 ½ sticks of butter); 1 ¼ cup cold buttermilk

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These Easy Homemade Biscuits only have 3 simple ingredients and are the most fluffy, flaky, and deliciously buttery biscuits you will ever make from scratch! Pour my Country Cream Gravy on top for the perfect Southern breakfast!

Baked homemade biscuits on a white plate.

These are by far the best, most delicious homemade biscuits you will ever try! They are so fluffy, buttery, and full of soft flaky layers.

As a mom of two young children, this is my go-to easy homemade biscuits recipe since it only has 3 simple ingredients - self-rising flour, butter, and buttermilk. I can have breakfast ready in no time!

Here in Texas, biscuits are a Southern breakfast tradition topped with Country Cream Gravy or slathered with butter, jam, sugar cane syrup, sorghum, molasses, honey…I could keep going but I'll stop - this is making me very hungry!

Close-up of baked homemade buttermilk biscuits.

If you love breakfast and leftovers as much as we do, you'll also want to try my Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes! They are the perfect breakfast dish for mornings after a large meal, such as the holidays, and you'll be amazed how soft and fluffy they are!

My Moist Blueberry Muffins and Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are also widely requested and 100% kid-tested and approved!

Why You'll Love Them?

More days than not, you'll find homemade biscuits hot out of the oven cooling on my countertop while little hands wait impatiently to snatch them up. My family LOVES this recipe and here are a few reasons why you will also.

Soft and fluffy
Full of tender, flaky layers
Buttery and flavorful
Only 3 ingredients
Quick and easy to make
Fast 15 minute cook time
Homemade and preservative free
Tried and true

Ingredients for Easy Homemade Biscuits

This recipe only has 3 simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. (For measurements, please scroll down to the recipe card below.)

Ingredients for homemade buttermilk biscuits (butter, buttermilk, and flour) in glass bowls.

Flour - This recipe uses self-rising flour because it contains baking powder which reacts with the buttermilk allowing the biscuits to rise. (If you only have all-purpose flour on hand, you can use that instead but be sure to add one tablespoon of baking powder and half a teaspoon of salt to the two cups of flour in the recipe.)
Butter - Make sure your butter is very cold before using. If your kitchen is warm, it's best to freeze the butter for 20 minutes ahead of time. Cold butter releases steam while baking and forms air pockets within the biscuits that produce a light and fluffy texture.
Milk - Only use buttermilk for this recipe. It reacts with the baking powder in the self-rising flour allowing the biscuits to rise. No other type of milk will work for this recipe.

How to Make Homemade Biscuits

Here are the steps and process images for how to make this recipe. More detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

First things first, add flour and cold cubed butter to a food processor.

Self-rising flour and cubed butter in a food processor.

Pulse just until butter is pea-size and incorporated (about 10 quick pulses).

Self-rising flour with pea-sized pieces of butter in a food processor.

Pour the flour mixture into a large mixing bowl. Fold in the buttermilk until the dough comes together but is still crumbly.

Folding buttermilk into self-rising flour in a glass bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. With floured hands, bring the dough together and gently flatten it into a three-quarters-of-an-inch thick rectangle.

Buttermilk biscuit dough patted down to a three-quarter inch thick rectangle.

Trifold the dough in over itself.

Buttermilk biscuit dough being tri-folded to create flaky layers.

Repeat the trifold one more time and then gently pat the dough back down to three-quarters-of-an-inch thickness.

Using a biscuit cutter or glass jar, cut the biscuits out of the dough by pressing straight down - don't twist!

Biscuits being cut out of the dough with a metal biscuit cutter.

Place the biscuits into a greased cast-iron skillet (or baking sheet) side-by-side touching each other. I usually end up with 12 to 15 biscuits.

Homemade buttermilk biscuits being laid in a cast-iron skillet to bake.

Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, until lightly golden brown on top.

Baked homemade biscuits in a black cast-iron skillet on a white marble countertop.

Brush the tops with melted salted butter immediately when they come out of the oven.

Baked homemade biscuits being brushed with melted butter

Serve warm with extra butter, jelly, or Country Cream Gravy on top. Enjoy!

Homemade buttermilk biscuits topped with white cream gravy on a white plate.

Substitutions

All-purpose flour - This recipe uses self-rising flour because it contains baking powder which reacts with the buttermilk allowing the biscuits to rise. If you only have all-purpose flour on hand, you can use that instead but be sure to add one tablespoon of baking powder and half a teaspoon of salt to the two cups of flour in this recipe.

Equipment

For cutting the butter - When making these biscuits, there are many ways to cut the butter into the flour mixture. My preferred method is to use a food processor - it's the fastest and easiest method. You can also use a pastry cutter, fork, or shred the butter with a cheese grater.
For baking the biscuits - I love to bake my biscuits in a large cast-iron skillet because the biscuits rise perfectly and brown beautifully on the bottom. However, you can also bake them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or in a round cake pan.

Storage

Store baked leftover biscuits at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Raw biscuits can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, bake from frozen at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, until tops are lightly browned.

Tips for Making Easy Homemade Biscuits

Flour - Only use "self-rising flour" for this recipe. It contains baking powder that reacts with the buttermilk and makes the biscuits rise.
Butter - Make sure your butter is very cold before using. If your kitchen is warm, it's best to freeze the cubed butter for 20 minutes ahead of time. Cold butter releases steam while baking and forms air pockets within the biscuits that produce a light and fluffy texture.
Buttermilk - Only use buttermilk for this recipe. It reacts with the baking powder in the self-rising flour allowing the biscuits to rise. No other type of milk will work for this recipe.
Cold - Be sure to keep your butter and buttermilk cold before using and don't let your dough sit out at room temperature very long. If the butter warms up and starts to melt, your biscuits will likely be dense, gummy, and not fully rise.

Don't overwork the dough or your biscuits could turn out tough and the butter could start to melt.
Cutting - When cutting the biscuits out of the dough, press straight down with the biscuit cutter and don't twist. Twisting will seal off the edges of the biscuits preventing them from fully rising.
Placement - Whether baking in a cast-iron skillet or baking sheet, make sure you place the biscuits side-by-side, touching each other. This allows them to climb up each other and rise higher.

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Be sure to check out my how-to video in the recipe card below!

Easy Homemade Biscuits

By: Ranch Style Kitchen

5 from 61 votes

Save Print Rate Pin

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Course Bread, Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings biscuits

Calories 150 kcal

Ingredients

2 cups self-rising flour (the flour must be labeled "self-rising"; all-purpose flour will not work for this recipe)
¾ cup salted butter (cubed and very cold; ¾ cup = 1 ½ sticks of butter)
1 ¼ cup cold buttermilk (make sure you use buttermilk - it reacts with the baking powder in the self-rising flour allowing the biscuits to rise; no other type of milk will work for this recipe)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 450°F.
Grease a large cast-iron skillet with shortening or melted butter. (You can also use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.)
Add flour and cubed butter to a food processor. Pulse just until butter is pea-size and incorporated (about 10 quick pulses). (If you don't have a food processor, you can cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or a fork.)
Pour the flour mixture into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk into the well. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the buttermilk until the dough comes together but is still crumbly. (Don't overmix.)
Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface. With floured hands, bring the dough together and gently flatten out into a ¾-inch thick rectangle. Trifold the dough in over itself, using a bench scraper as needed. Pat the dough back down to a ¾-inch thick rectangle and trifold one more time. Gently pat the dough back down to ¾-inch thickness.
Dip a 2 ¾-inch biscuit cutter or glass jar into flour and then press straight down into the dough. (Don't twist the cutter or it will seal off the edges of the biscuits and prevent them from fully rising.) Place biscuits in a greased cast-iron skillet (or baking sheet lined with parchment paper) side-by-side touching each other (this will allow the biscuits to climb up each other and fully rise). Bring leftover dough together and flatten back down to ¾-inch thickness. Continue to cut out biscuits, redipping the cutter in flour each time, until all the dough has been used. I usually end up with 12 to 15 biscuits.
Bake at 450°F for 13 to 16 minutes, until lightly golden brown on top.
Brush the tops with melted salted butter immediately when they come out of the oven.
Serve warm with extra butter, jelly, or Country Cream Gravy on top. Enjoy!

Notes

Storage: Store leftover biscuits at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Once biscuits cool off, they start to harden. Reheat the biscuits by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 20 seconds.
Freezing: These biscuits can be made ahead of time by placing raw biscuits in an airtight container and then freezing them for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, bake from frozen at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, until tops are lightly browned.
Buttermilk: Only use buttermilk for this recipe. It reacts with the baking powder in the self-rising flour allowing the biscuits to rise. No other type of milk will work for this recipe.
Butter: Make sure your butter is very cold before using. If your kitchen is warm, it's best to freeze the cubed butter for 20 minutes ahead of time. Cold butter releases steam while baking and forms air pockets within the biscuits that produce a light and fluffy texture.
Flour: Only use "self-rising flour" for this recipe. It contains baking powder that reacts with the buttermilk and makes the biscuits rise.
Don't overwork the dough or your biscuits could turn out tough and the butter could start to melt.
Cutting: When cutting the biscuits out of the dough with a biscuit cutter, make sure you press straight down and don't twist. Twisting the cutter will seal off the edges of the biscuits preventing them from fully rising.
Placement: Whether baking in a cast-iron skillet or baking sheet, make sure you place the biscuits side-by-side touching each other. This allows them to climb each other and rise higher.

VIDEO

Nutrition

Serving: 1 biscuit | Calories: 150 kcal

*Nutritional facts are calculated by third party sources and are not always accurate. If you are on a special diet, we highly recommend you calculate these values personally.

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FAQ About This Recipe:

How do I make soft biscuits?

Make sure your butter is cold and you don't overwork the dough or your biscuits could turn out tough.

Why are my biscuits not rising?

Either your butter was not cold enough, you didn't use self-rising flour (or baking powder), or you didn't place the biscuits close enough to each other while baking.