16 Time-Tested Biscuit Recipes That Will Quickly Become Staples (2024)

Even the most basic biscuit recipes are a real treat when they're hot from the oven. If you're craving a flaky buttermilk biscuit, you don't want to miss our Test Kitchen's tried-and-true recipe. Plus, we've got new biscuit recipes for anyone looking to change things up. Expect exciting sweet and savory takes with our best biscuit recipes featuring cheese, fruit, herbs, and more.

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Classic Buttermilk Biscuits

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Everything you dream about in a biscuit is here. Our buttermilk biscuit recipe features signature flaky layers, tangy buttermilk flavor, and buttery browned tops. We recommend serving them piping hot with honey, jam, or a light slather of butter. They're also perfect for topping with sausage gravy.

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Flaky Biscuits

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You're looking at the perfect flaky biscuit recipe. Our Test Kitchen perfected the technique for biscuits that are filled with butter, flaky layers. It all starts with a mix of baking powder, butter, and shortening.

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Gas Station Biscuits

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This irresistible homemade biscuit recipe comes from cookbook author Vivian Howard. The cheesy breakfast biscuits are a take on an Eastern North Carolina gas station tradition where a knob of hoop cheese is stuffed in the middle of a day-old biscuit and baked again in foil, allowing the biscuits to get crispy with gooey cheese melting around the edges.

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Gluten-Free Buttermilk Biscuits with Sausage Gravy

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This gluten-free biscuit recipe is an automatic winner for anyone with or without allergy restrictions. Start with our gluten-free flour mix to whip up a batch of biscuits. They're delicious on their own with your fave toppers, but we also have a gluten-free sausage gravy handy for you to enjoy as well.

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Veggie Skillet Biscuits

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A trio of veggies and sharp cheddar cheese gives this biscuit recipe bold, savory flavors. For the perfect crisp-yet-tender texture, bake the biscuits in a cast iron skillet until golden. While hot, brush with unsalted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

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Daddy's Biscuits by Trisha Yearwood

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If Trisha Yearwood's dad made this biscuit recipe famous, you know they'll be good. Self-rising flour (learn how to make it with pantry ingredients) takes the fuss out of this three-ingredient recipe. Stuff 'em with whatever you like—we're partial to pimiento cheese and tomato slices.

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Biscuits Supreme

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Here's a quick homemade biscuit recipe that will impress everyone at the breakfast table. Seriously, it only takes 25 minutes from start to finish to complete these buttery delights. Make the process go even faster by opting to use the drop biscuit method rather than rolling them out.

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Honey and Poppy Seed Biscuits

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This easy biscuit recipe starts with packaged biscuit mix. We add honey, poppy seeds, and cottage cheese to upgrade the mix. That's right; those little creamy curds give these homemade biscuits a bit of tang while keeping them nice and moist.

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Flaky Currant Biscuits

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The sweet and sour berry flavor of dried currants and orange zest really elevates the flavor of this flaky biscuit recipe. Enjoy these beauties warm with a cup of coffee or tea. For a bit more tang, use our variation starring buttermilk.

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Aged-Cheddar Biscuits with Peppered Ham Gravy

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This cheese biscuit recipe is the perfect vehicle for a rich ham gravy. For the best texture, shred the aged sharp cheddar cheese yourself.

Test Kitchen Tip: For an easy breakfast that's ready when you are, bake the biscuits and freeze for up to 2 months. Simply reheat and serve.

Cooking Basics

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Cornmeal-Sage Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

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A few ingredients set this easy biscuit recipe apart from the rest. Adding cornmeal to the dough gives the finished biscuits a wonderful crunchy exterior. Sage and chopped green onion add fresh flavor to balance the rich sausage gravy.

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Double-Cheddar Holiday Biscuits

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If you believe there's no such thing as too much cheese, this is the biscuit recipe for you. Add extra-sharp white cheddar and sharp orange cheddar for the ideal balance of flavors. A pinch of cayenne pepper in the dough adds just the right amount of heat.

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Maw Maw's Biscuits

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Musician Kimberly Schlapman shared her family's classic Southern biscuit recipe. You'll need just four ingredients to make a batch of 20.

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Pumpkin-Sage White Cheddar Biscuits

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Add this pumpkin biscuit recipe to your fall baking lineup. It stars seasonal ingredients like fresh sage and canned pumpkin. To get the sage leaf to stick to the top, brush on a bit of cream before baking.

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Vegetarian Biscuits and Gravy

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This vegetarian take on the classic comfort food breakfast calls for plant-based sausage patties and non-dairy milk. Flavor the gravy with a blend of onion, dried thyme, and salt.

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Butter Swim Biscuits

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If you're tight on time and want a biscuit recipe that doesn't require rolling or cutting, meet butter swim biscuits. The dough is poured into a baking dish that's filled with melted butter and baked until golden brown. The finished biscuits are crisp on the outside, and light and fluffy on the inside.

16 Time-Tested Biscuit Recipes That Will Quickly Become Staples (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to an excellent biscuit? ›

Chill dry ingredients too

You already know that cold butter is the secret to flaky biscuits, but according to senior food stylist Josh Rink, making sure your other ingredients are cold, too, doesn't hurt.

Which liquid makes the best biscuits? ›

Just as important as the fat is the liquid used to make your biscuits. Our Buttermilk Biscuit recipe offers the choice of using milk or buttermilk. Buttermilk is known for making biscuits tender and adding a zippy tang, so we used that for this test.

What is the oldest biscuit in the world? ›

The earliest surviving example of a biscuit is from 1784, and it is a ship's biscuit. They were renowned for their inedibility, and were so indestructible that some sailors used them as postcards.

Is it better to use milk or buttermilk in biscuits? ›

What's the Difference Between Buttermilk Biscuits and Regular Biscuits? As the names might suggest, regular biscuits do not contain buttermilk, while these do. Regular biscuits are typically prepared with milk or water instead. Buttermilk adds a nice tang to the biscuit flavor and helps them rise better.

What is the king of biscuit? ›

Pillai became known in India as the 'Biscuit King' or 'Biscuit Baron'. He took over Nabisco's other Asian subsidiaries. Pillai then established links with Boussois-Souchon-Neuvesel (BSN), the French food company, and by 1989 controlled six Asian companies worth over US$400 million.

What type of flour makes the best biscuits? ›

The Bottom Line

I personally think that biscuits are at their best when you use a fine pastry-type flour like White Lily or Bob's Pastry flour. BUT, all-purpose flour is absolutely an option. I actually think that your technique when making biscuits is just as - if not, more - important than the flour you use.

Is it better to use butter or Crisco for biscuits? ›

So what's the final verdict? Butter is the winner here. The butter biscuits were moister with that wonderful butter taste and melt-in-your mouth texture. I'd be curious to test out substituting half or just two tablespoons of the butter with shortening to see if you get the best of both.

Is heavy cream or buttermilk better for biscuits? ›

Buttermilk can produce better results when baking biscuits than using regular milk or cream. Buttermilk is acidic and when it is combined with baking soda, it creates a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas, which causes the dough to rise and gives the biscuits a light and flaky texture.

What kind of flour do Southerners use for biscuits? ›

White Lily brand flour, especially the self-rising flour, is the gold standard among Southern cooks who make biscuits on a regular basis. White lily, self rising. I use it for everything except those thing I make using either cake flour or yeast. If I'm using yeast I use King Arthur flours.

What do Brits call a biscuit? ›

A Biscuit (U.S.) Is a Scone (U.K.)

Both baked goodies use flour, fat, liquid and a leavening agent. The main differences are that scones tend to have less butter (because you'll add butter to it when you eating it — or else, clotted cream or jam) while American biscuits tend to have more butter and light layers.

What is a German biscuit called? ›

An Empire biscuit (Imperial biscuit, Imperial cookie, double biscuit, German biscuit, Belgian biscuit, double shortbread, Empire cookie or biscuit bun) is a sweet biscuit eaten in Scotland and some Commonwealth countries.

What is the number 1 biscuit in the world? ›

As the world's leading biscuit brand, Parle-G has become more than just a product; it represents cherished memories and a taste that transcends generations.

What fat makes the best biscuits? ›

In terms of flakiness, the best fat for making biscuits is probably lard, and vegetable shortening is the next best. In terms of flavor, however, butter is undoubtedly the best, with lard a close second.

Can I use sour cream instead of buttermilk for biscuits? ›

Yes, you can substitute sour cream! Thin it with milk or water to get the right consistency. For each cup of buttermilk needed, use 3/4 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup liquid. Editor's Tip: Sour cream has a higher fat content, so this will result in richer-tasting foods.

What makes biscuits rise better? ›

Keep the oven hot.

When baking buttery treats like biscuits, the key is to bake them at a temperature where the water in the butter turns quickly to steam. This steam is a big part of how the biscuits achieve their height, as it evaporates up and out.

What makes a good biscuit and why? ›

Texture: A good biscuit should have a fluffy and tender texture, with a slightly crispy exterior. It should not be too dry, hard, or crumbly. Flavor: A good biscuit should have a rich and buttery flavor, with a hint of saltiness.

What are the two most important steps in biscuit making? ›

The two keys to success in making the best biscuits are handling the dough as little as possible as well as using very cold solid fat (butter, shortening, or lard) and cold liquid. When the biscuits hit the oven, the cold liquid will start to evaporate creating steam which will help our biscuits get very tall.

What is the most important step in biscuit making? ›

Mixing. The multi-stage mixing method is preferred for its ability to produce consistent doughs which are not fully developed. Blending all dry ingredients to rub or cut the shortening into the flour until fat is fully distributed and pea-sized lumps are visible.

Are biscuits better with butter or shortening? ›

Either butter or shortening is fine; there's no clear advantage of one over the other (except that butter is easier to incorporate into the dough by hand, especially if you grate it like cheese).

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