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    Home » Recipes » Sides

    Flaky Baking Powder Biscuits from Scratch

    Making Flaky Baking Powder Biscuits from Scratch is easy with this wholesome recipe using only simple ingredients – all purpose flour, butter, milk, baking powder, a little salt and a pinch of sugar – and a foolproof technique!

    Biscuits from scratch | Making Flaky Baking Powder Biscuits from Scratch is easy with this wholesome recipe using only simple ingredients and a few foolproof techniques. Read on to learn how to make your own baking powder biscuits from scratch and biscuits and gravy for breakfast, dunk in soup or stew with dinner or freeze for later. #biscuits #onearmedmamacooks
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Whether you enjoy them for breakfast with biscuits and gravy, dunk ’em in your soup or stew at dinner, or freeze for later, you’ll love start making your own biscuits from scratch with this easy recipe.

    How to make easy biscuits from scratch

    There’s nothing wrong with popping open a can and baking up some biscuits. But, there’s no need to buy canned biscuits when you can make your own! And especially when it’s as affordable and easy as this! It takes only a few common kitchen staples and a few tricks you must know to make homemade biscuits that will leave you never needing to grab a can of biscuits again!

    Biscuits from scratch | Making Flaky Baking Powder Biscuits from Scratch is easy with this wholesome recipe using only simple ingredients and a few foolproof techniques. Read on to learn how to make your own baking powder biscuits from scratch and biscuits and gravy for breakfast, dunk in soup or stew with dinner or freeze for later. #biscuits #onearmedmamacooks

    How to make flaky biscuits

    There are a few techniques you must know to make flaky biscuits.

    • Keep everything cold – cold fats equal flakiness. This is because all the little bits of chilled fat melt during baking creating air pockets. Air pockets are just another name for flaky little delicious bites. To prevent dense biscuits always be thinking cold, cold, cold. Keep both the butter and milk chilling in the fridge until right up until you need to use them. Cut chilled butter into small cubes using a sharp knife.
    • Use a light hand – Then, use your hands (or a food processor!) to work cold butter into dry ingredients just until there are pea sized pieces throughout. Gently incorporate the cold milk just until dough comes together, three to four turns. It’s a very loose dough. The less it’s stirred the more tender and flaky the biscuits will be. Prevent the butter from warming and mixing completely in by working quickly and not working the dough too much.

    It’s as simple as that.

    Biscuits from Scratch | flaky tender tall biscuits | flaky layers | easy biscuits made from scratch recipe homemade biscuits with butter

    How to make tall biscuits

    For tall layers, it’s all about the fold and the cut. After the dough comes together, gently pat into a rectangle.  Then, bring both sides up to the middle, like a business envelope. Or, as I prefer to describe it..  a modified ‘hot dog fold’ from elementary school.

    Biscuits from Scratch | flaky tender tall biscuits | flaky layers | easy biscuits made from scratch recipe homemade biscuits with butter

    Do this a few times, being as gentle as possible. Then, cut the dough with as sharp a tool as you can find. For rounds, use a sharp biscuit or cookie cutter. Or, just use a sharp knife and cut into squares. Place biscuits close together on the baking sheet and bake.

    Biscuits from Scratch | flaky tender tall biscuits | flaky layers | easy biscuits made from scratch recipe homemade biscuits with butter

    Ingredients

    • all purpose flour
    • baking powder
    • sugar
    • fine salt
    • unsalted butter
    • milk 
    Biscuits from Scratch | flaky tender tall biscuits | flaky layers | easy biscuits made from scratch recipe homemade biscuits with butter

    How to make baking powder

    Out of baking powder? There is a replacement for baking powder using baking soda and cream of tarter. So, if you happen to have those on hand you can just mix up a teaspoon of baking soda and two teaspoons of cream of tarter to make 1 tablespoon baking powder. This recipe will give you single-acting baking powder, which means it will react when it comes into contact with the liquid in a recipe. For this reason it’s important to add your baking powder towards the end, and to get your baked goods in the oven as soon after as possible. If you’re planning on mixing up your baking powder substitute, add 1 teaspoon cornstarch for every 1 teaspoon baking soda in order to keep it from reacting before using.

    Biscuits from Scratch | flaky tender tall biscuits | flaky layers | easy biscuits made from scratch recipe homemade biscuits with butter
    Biscuits from scratch | Making Flaky Baking Powder Biscuits from Scratch is easy with this wholesome recipe using only simple ingredients and a few foolproof techniques. Read on to learn how to make your own baking powder biscuits from scratch and biscuits and gravy for breakfast, dunk in soup or stew with dinner or freeze for later. #biscuits #onearmedmamacooks

    What to serve with biscuits

    Neither savory or sweet these Flaky Baking Powder Biscuits go just as well with butter and jam as they do with bacon and eggs (or sausage gravy!).

    Looking for a sweet biscuit fit for dessert or perfect dipped in coffee? Check out my recipe for Strawberry Shortcakes with Sweet Biscuits!

    Biscuits from Scratch | flaky tender tall biscuits | flaky layers | easy biscuits made from scratch recipe homemade biscuits with butter

    Customize it

    Biscuits are basically a blank canvas once you have the techniques down. Try mixing in your favorite shredded cheese or fresh herbs. How about bits of crispy bacon or ham, cheddar and chives? Try using lard instead of butter as the fat. Or cream instead of milk. If using salted butter or another fat make sure to reduce the amount of salt you add.

    Make ahead biscuits

    Cut biscuit dough can be made ahead and refrigerated loosely covered up to 24 hours before baking. Or, freeze biscuit dough rounds on baking sheets and transfer to a freezer safe storage bag or container. Add 3-4 minutes to frozen biscuit baking time.

    Biscuits from Scratch | flaky tender tall biscuits | flaky layers | easy biscuits made from scratch recipe homemade biscuits with butter

    Flaky Baking Powder Biscuits

    Tall flaky baking powder biscuits made from scratch.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    biscuits from scratch, how to make flaky biscuits, how to make tall biscuits
    Servings: 8 biscuits
    Calories: 218kcal
    Author: Tristin Rieken

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups all purpose flour
    • 1 tablespoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon fine salt
    • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter cold
    • ¾ cup milk cold

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or grease with butter. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. 
      2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon fine salt
    • Cut cold butter with a sharp knive into little cubes. Or, shred frozen butter with a box grater into little shards. Work butter into flour mixture until only pea sized pieces remain. Gently stir in the cold milk just 3 or 4 stirs until a loose dough is formed. 
      7 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ cup milk
    • Lightly dust work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Pat into a ½ inch thick rectangle and fold in thirds like a business letter. Pat into ½ thick rectangle and fold in thirds a second time. Pat down ½-3/4 inch thick and cut in circles with a sharp biscuit cutter or square with a sharp knife. Pressing together scraps of dough as needed to use all the biscuit dough. 
    • Bake until lightly browned and fully cooked in the center, about 15 minutes. Cool and serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 215mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 345IU | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 1.6mg
    Made this recipe? Please share!Mention @freshflavorful or tag #FreshFlavorfulLife
    Love, Tris

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    Biscuits from Scratch | flaky tender tall biscuits | flaky layers | easy biscuits made from scratch recipe homemade biscuits with butter
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Brian Jones

      March 18, 2018 at 9:38 am

      5 stars
      I’m always intrigued when I see these, they are very different to anything we have in Europe but they always sound and look delicious!

      Reply
      • ONE armed MAMA

        March 19, 2018 at 10:18 pm

        Interesting! American biscuits can be super light and fluffy and flaky. Or, they can be dense and hard as hockey pucks! 😉

        Reply
    2. Corina Blum

      March 19, 2018 at 11:19 am

      5 stars
      These sound delicious. I love the fact that they are a blank canvas so you can choose what to eat with them – sweet or savoury.

      Reply
    3. Jacqueline Debono

      March 19, 2018 at 12:00 pm

      5 stars
      Wow these biscuits sound super and as you say quite easy. Definitely want to try my hand at making them!

      Reply
    4. Beth Hoskins

      February 20, 2019 at 11:56 am

      5 stars
      i love biscuits and I am always wanting to try new recipes. I followed this recipe exactly, and they were delicious and beautiful. My husband doesn’t usually care much for biscuits, but ate 3, and recommended them to be made again.

      Reply
      • ONE armed MAMA

        February 20, 2019 at 11:57 am

        That’s so great to hear! I’m happy you and your husband both loved them ☺️

        Reply

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    Hello! I'm Tris. Welcome to Fresh Flavorful where I hope to inspire you with simple recipes and ideas to eat deliciously, entertain easily and adventure often. More →

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    Inspired by the beauty of gathering round a table Tristin Rieken shares ideas for living a Fresh, Flavorful Life!

    Inspired by the beauty of the Pacific Northwest recipe developer and food photographer, Tristin Rieken, shares easy recipes and simple ideas for eating, entertaining and adventuring your way to a Fresh Flavorful Life.

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