Buttermilk Breakfast Biscuits

Southern Buttermilk Breakfast Biscuits

"Guhl how you g'won be from da Souf and not know how da make homemade biscuits!?" This is what my great grandmother C-Bell said to me one time when I told her I hated making from-scratch biscuits because they never turned out right.

It's true, me and biscuit-making DO NOT get along. (I'm getting better though, but it's totally the biscuits fault and not mine ; )

It's been so long since I've made buttermilk biscuits from scratch and now that I'm on this bread kick I just HAD to have some last night. I went straight to this breakfast biscuit recipe because it never lets me down.

This recipe is so easy and delicious and made especially for biscuit-making challenged people like myself.  It bakes up light, fluffy, golden, buttery biscuits that takes me back to country morning breakfast in Elberton.  "C-BELL, C-BELL WORKIN IN THE HOOOOT SUN....OVERRR THE HILL!!!" LOL (pardon me, that is an inside joke that only my female cousins will get when they read this. I couldn't resist.)

There is  just something to be said about a hot, soft, buttery biscuits straight from the oven. Lawd hammercy, that is one of my weaknesses. Especially when you sink your teeth into them and they just completely surrender,  melting into your mouth... I should write romance novels.

Throw on some grape jelly or pour on some white sausage gravy and BABY!!! They even taste good plain. Truth be told when I made these things last night, me and my toddler sat up and ate the first batch as soon as they came out of the oven. I didn't even feel guilty for not telling my husband they were ready. Snooze ya lose!

I love this breakfast biscuit recipe because it is so simple, quick and flavorful. Definitely a biscuit recipe you'll want to add to your stash!

Watch me make these biscuits from start to finish!

Ingredients: (makes 6-8 biscuits)


1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons powdered milk
1 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 dashes cream of tartar (find it in the spice aisle)
1/4 cup cold butter-flavored shortening
2/3 cup cold buttermilk
5 Tablespoons melted margarine (butter) - divided

*note* If you don't have buttermilk on hand, to make 1 cup of buttermilk simply use 1 cup of regular milk and add in 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let that sit for 5 minutes and there ya have some homemade buttermilk! 

Preheat Oven to 450

Step 1.) In a medium bowl whisk together flour, powdered milk, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar.
Step 2.) Cut shortening into dry mixture until it resembles large crumbs.
Step 3.) Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk & 2 Tablespoons of melted butter.  Stir gently JUST until combined
Step 4.) Place dough into the refrigerator for a minute or just until it cools down a bit.
Step 5.) Turn dough out onto a well floured surface (dough will be sticky, be sure to flour your hand and sprinkle dough with additional flour if needed)
Step 6.) Knead dough gently until it is elastic.
Step 7.) Roll or pat out dough to 1/2" - 3/4" thick; using a wide glass or round cookie cutter, cut out circles. (You can re-roll the extra dough and cut out more biscuits but they won't be as pretty as the first batch)
Step 8.) Dip each biscuit into the remaining melted butter and place in an ungreased pan with the sides of the biscuits touching.
Step 9.) Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, until golden.
Step 10.) Brush hot biscuits with melted butter. (you may have to melt some more butter)

Quick Biscuit Making Tips 

(REMEMBER WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING BISCUITS, PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!)

Although  there are some people that produce gorgeous, picturesque biscuits on their first try ......huzzies!!!

1.) Keep Your Ingredients COLD! COLD ingredients make for an incredible biscuit!
2.) Whisk your dry ingredients really well to make sure everything is combined
3.) Once you add in your wet ingredients start being REALLY gentle. Biscuit dough does not like to be handled roughly or a lot. Mix your wet ingredients in gently with the dry ingredients JUST until they are combined. Do not over mix or you'll have a flat & dense biscuit on your hand. (this may take some practice or at least with me it did because I'm very heavy-handed)
3.) Knead your dough gently just until it is elastic. (don't over knead)
4.) When cutting out your biscuits do not twist the cookie cutter. This will result in a flat biscuit
5.) Before placing biscuits in the oven, use your thumb to make a small indention on the tops of the biscuit. This will help them to rise evenly.
6.) If your biscuit dough starts to get warm as you're working with it, place it into the refrigerator to cool off a little.