Homemade Fluffy Biscuit Recipe | Like Grandma Made
There’s nothing better than pulling a basket of warm, golden brown biscuits from the oven. This is my go-to easy biscuit recipe — simple enough for beginners, reliable enough to become your favorite. These flaky biscuits come together with basic ingredients in a large mixing bowl and are on the table in under 30 minutes.
Once you make these from scratch, you’ll forget all about the store-bought tubes (and free up some fridge space, too).
Why I Love These Quick Biscuits the Most
Inexpensive to make with pantry staples.
Fast & forgiving — great for beginners.
Delicious flavor without that weird chemical aftertaste.
Perfect as dinner rolls, breakfast biscuits, or with sausage gravy.
This is one of those recipes you’ll know by heart after a single time or two. Soon you’ll be making them without a recipe card in sight.
Why Quality Ingredients Matter (And Why Food is Alive)
In our home, I live by a simple rule: Less is more, but make it quality. You don’t need a long ingredient list to make the best biscuits — but what you use really counts.
I always reach for all-purpose organic unbleached flour, unsalted butter, and whole milk. If I can source local, I do. If organic is available, I’ll grab it. These choices create the foundation for flaky, buttery biscuits with true, rich flavor.
Think of it like a sourdough starter. Feed it a high-quality, unbleached flour, and it thrives — bubbly, alive, happy. Switch to cheap, bleached flour, and your starter struggles. The same goes for biscuits.
Food is, at its core, alive. Over-processing, bleaching, and stripping ingredients kills not just the nutrition, but the flavor. That directly affects your recipe’s outcome. Better ingredients make better biscuits. Period.
The Secret to Perfect, Fluffy Biscuits
If you want fluffy homemade biscuits with dreamy flaky layers, here’s what matters:
– Frozen, cubed butter (or grated with a box grater)
– Cold buttermilk or whole milk
– Mixing until a shaggy dough forms
– Rolling gently on a lightly floured work surface
– Keeping butter in small pieces to create coarse crumbs
A pastry cutter (or even your hands) helps combine the flour mixture until crumbly, but not overworked. For best layers, fold the dough gently — this folding process traps air and creates lift in the oven.
Quick Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose organic unbleached flour
- 1 tbsp Baking powder
- 4 tsp Organic granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp Butter frozen and sliced into pieces
- 3/4 cup cold whole milk – more if needed 1 tablespoon at a time while kneading
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. A hot oven is key for rise.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Slice frozen butter into small pieces or grate with a box grater. Add to the flour mixture and cut in with a pastry blender or fork until you see coarse crumbs.
Pour milk into the center. Mix gently with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand 3-4 times, then press into a thick rectangle.
Use a biscuit cutter or measuring cup to cut biscuits. Avoid twisting the cutter to keep edges clean.
Place biscuits on a prepared baking sheet or into a cast iron skillet.
Bake 12-15 minutes until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown.
Brush with melted butter for extra flavor.
Notes
Variations to Try
Herb Biscuits
Add 1/4 cup fresh herbs or 2-3 tbsp dried into the dry mix. Favorites include:
– Rosemary
– Thyme
– Sage
– Basil
– Parsley
Optional: a sprinkle of garlic and onion salt.
Cheddar & Onion Biscuits
Mix 1/3 cup grated cheddar and 1/3 cup finely diced sweet onion into the flour before butter. Add extra milk by the tablespoon if needed.
Drop Biscuits (Emergency Biscuits)
Skip rolling — just scoop spoonfuls of dough onto the baking sheet for a rustic, quick option.
Storing Your Biscuits
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours. For longer storage, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. Reheat in the oven to refresh that freshly baked taste.
FAQ: Quick Biscuits
Can I use self-rising flour?
Yes. Omit baking powder and salt if using self-rising flour.
How do I substitute buttermilk?
Add 1 tbsp white vinegar to regular milk. Let sit 5 minutes before using.
Why is my dough dry?
Add whole milk 1 tbsp at a time until it comes together.
Rolling pin or hands?
Hands are gentler, but a rolling pin works if you’re careful not to overwork.
Can I make these in a food processor?
Yes, pulse butter into flour in a bowl of a food processor, then hand-mix milk and shape dough.
Biscuits vs. Scones?
American-style biscuits are savory and fluffy. Scones are richer and often sweeter.
Final Thoughts
This is my best biscuit recipe for a reason. It’s quick, reliable, and made with simple ingredients that truly shine. Perfect for every meal — from warm biscuits with jam to the ultimate sidekick for a hearty stew.
Make them once, and they’ll become part of your kitchen rhythm.
If you make this quick biscuit recipe make sure to let me know over on Instagram. Tag me and let me know how they turned out!
Other easy to make, delicious dishes:
5 ingredient macaroni and cheese
No bake nut butter protein squares
Baked cinnamon peaches two different ways
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About Eryn
Eryn Whalen is a homestead blogger and recipe developer with a lifetime of hands-on experience in gardening, home canning, animal husbandry, and traditional kitchen skills. From preserving homegrown harvests to baking sourdough from scratch, she shares her family’s journey of intentional living on their 100-acre Tennessee farmstead. Recently, Eryn has expanded her homesteading life to include caring for a family milk cow, sharing the learning process and daily joys of small-scale dairying. Read more about Eryn here
