Name: Flaky Biscuit Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 4 cups flour (plus extra for dusting); 2 TBL baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 TBL sugar; 1 cup butter; 1 1/2 cups milk or buttermilk; 1 TBL vinegar (opt); 2 eggs (beaten)

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This flaky biscuit recipe is the only one you will ever need! Soft and fluffy on the inside, slightly crispy edges on the outside – delicious!

I have tried many biscuit recipes over the past 20 years, and this is still my favorite, hands-down.

The best biscuits

One time, I tried a different recipe and my husband asked where the regular ones were? 😀 He told me these were his favorite and as far as he was concerned, I could make them forever. So I that day I stopped trying new recipes.

Simple biscuit recipe

They really are pretty simple, too. Yes, there’s a knack to getting the dough right, but I don’t think it is a difficult as you might think!

No need for chilled butter or two forks or all that junk. Just follow my method and you will be sinking your teeth into the softest flaky biscuit you ever ate!

Butter is king

As always, (in my opinion) butter reigns supreme! I know too many pats of butter have added pats of fat to my waist – but there is nothing like the flavor of real butter!

You may use part (or all) Crisco or lard in this biscuit recipe, but butter is king. My kids love to eat these plain for a snack – anytime of day.

How to mix the dough

Measure the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder into a large bowl. I like to use a bowl that is more shallow, not so deep. Use a fork to mix the dry ingredients a bit.

Then add the butter. It can be chilled from the fridge, but that makes it difficult to cut. I personally like to use room temperature butter so it’s easier to mix.

Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until it is in small, pea-sized bits. Don’t mix till completely blended – the small bits of butter is what gives the biscuits the flaky texture.

You can buy a pastry blender from Amazon. (affiliate link)

Next, measure the milk into a cup, and add the vinegar. Stir briefly with a fork. This creates a similar product as buttermilk. You can drop the vinegar step and just use regular milk or buttermilk if you prefer. I never seem to have buttermilk in the house so I do it the old-fashioned way. 🙂

Then add the eggs to the milk mixture, and stir well with a fork. You want the eggs pretty well beaten into the milk.

Pour the liquid mixture into the flour & butter mixture, a little at a time, and mixing the dough with a spoon as you pour. (I use the fork I used for the egg)

I usually pour about a half cup at a time into the flour, and stir, then add another half cup or so, and stir some more.

I do the pouring and mixing fairly quickly, just stirring until it is mostly combined.

Then I turn it onto the counter and knead it a bit. Here is where you have to be careful – it is so easy to overwork biscuit dough. I just gently squish it into a ball, then pat it out a bit.

It will be rough and crunbly; that’s ok! Just gently fold the dough over and then pat it out a bit, then fold again. I usually fold it about 4-5 times. No more! If you knead too much, it will make tough biscuits.

After folding several times, it will stick to the counter. Lift the dough, sprinkle some flour on the counter, and lay the dough back down.

Flip the dough over so both sides are floured, and pat out. I make mine about 1/2 inch thick – you can make them as thick or thin as you like.

Sometimes I make mine nearly an inch thick and those are so tall and beautiful! But usually, I make them a 1/2 inch.

If you don’t have a biscuit cutter, just use a glass or jar or whatever you have.

The secret to lovely edges that rise: don’t twist the biscuit cutter! Push straight down and lift straight back up. If you twist it, the edges will seal together and you won’t get those lovely tall sides.

Tip: to keep the biscuit cutter from sticking to the dough, dip it in flour between each biscuit.

To clean up that sticky flour mess on the counter, I like to use my plastic scrapers. You can find some on Amazon, just click the picture below:

I squeeze all the biscuits onto one large sheet pan, but if you want perfectly round biscuits, you can place them further apart and use two pans.

Heat the oven to 400, and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. When they are lightly golden, remove from oven and slather on more butter! Delicious.

We love them with honey or jelly. Here, I am using chokecherry jelly from our bushes.

This recipe makes 18 biscuits, depending how thick you cut them. But you can easily halve the recipe — or double it!

We store leftover biscuits on the counter in a ziploc bag or airtight container. But they never last long, so I’m not sure how long their shelf-life is.

Keep in mind, this sounds a lot more complicated than it really is! Make a batch or two and it will be easy-peasy! 🙂 I just took lots of photos so you can see how it looks throughout the process. But as long as you remember not to overdo the kneading – you will be fine.

I hope you enjoy this flaky biscuit recipe, and that many plates of biscuits are shared with your friends and neighbors!

If you have a minute – could you please share on Facebook or pin this recipe for later? I’d appreciate it.