This recipe for 3 Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits comes out flaky and perfect every time. Video instructions are included.
FEATURED COMMENT: "I made these today. Total time including baking, 20min. They are beautiful , light , flaky, and delicious !"
Jump to:
- Basic buttermilk biscuits are a homemade southern staple
- The 3 Ingredients for the biscuits
- How to make these flaky biscuits (be sure to watch the video):
- Why it's so important to keep the ingredients cold:
- Expert tips
- Storing 3 ingredient buttermilk biscuits
- FAQ's about this recipe for 3 ingredient biscuits
- 📖 Recipe
- Items you may need for making your easy buttermilk biscuits:
- Classic Southern Recipes
Basic buttermilk biscuits are a homemade southern staple
We have some fun and unique biscuits here on our site. Sweet Potato Biscuits are a fall favorite, but really they're good any time of year.
Asiago Cheese and Black Pepper Biscuits are another super easy recipe with a twist. They go perfectly with lots of soups and stews. Cinnamon Biscuits are made with a very similar recipe and are great with a little icing on top.
Mexican Style Biscuits will make you think of Mexican Cornbread, but in biscuit form. If you love a spicy kick you'll love them. And then there are Cajun Hush Puppies and Pimento Cheese Biscuits, oh my!
But, we thought it was high time we had a recipe here for basic but best recipe for 3 ingredient buttermilk biscuits. We worked a while perfecting the recipe because we want you to be sure your biscuits will come out just right every time.
The 3 Ingredients for the biscuits
All you need to make them is self rising flour, buttermilk and butter.
- Buttermilk - Naturally full fat makes the richest biscuits, but you can use low fat buttermilk. If needed you can make a buttermilk substitute with plain milk and either lemon juice or white vinegar. Just put a Tablespoon of one of those acidics in a measuring cup and then fill it up with milk to make one cup. Stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before using.
- Self-rising flour - You can easily make a self rising flour substitute too. For every cup of all purpose flour add two teaspoons of baking powder and one-half teaspoon of salt. Stir well and then re-measure before adding to your recipe. This works for all your recipes that call for this flour, like Brown Butter Pecan Cookies.
- Butter - Use butter in stick form. We've had equal success making these biscuits with salted or unsalted butter.
How to make these flaky biscuits (be sure to watch the video):
THE NUMBER ONE TIP FOR MAKING PERFECT BISCUITS EVERY TIME IS TO KEEP YOUR INGREDIENTS COLD!
Follow these steps
- Freeze the butter.
- Chill the buttermilk in the measuring cup.
- Measure the flour into a bowl and chill the bowl.
- Lightly flour a surface for rolling and cutting the biscuits.
- Grate the butter with a box grater on the side with the larger holes.
- Add the butter to the flour a little at a time tossing after each addition.
- Stir in the buttermilk just until blended.
- Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat down until it's about ½ inch thick.
- Fold the dough over in half and pat down, repeating this step four times.
- Roll with a rolling pin or pat down until about ½ inch thick and then cut with biscuit cutter in desired size. Use a straight down and up motion with the cutter - do not twist.
- Place biscuits nearly touching on parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter if desired.
Why it's so important to keep the ingredients cold:
The little grated pieces of butter are what creates the flakes in your biscuits. If it starts to get warm the butter will just sort of "melt" into the flour.
Keeping everything cold means the butter will remain intact. When you pat down the dough you are flattening the butter bits. Your biscuits will then bake into flaky pillows of southern buttermilk goodness!
Even though we know there are times a freshly baked biscuit is what you want on your table, sometimes you just don't have the time to dedicate to them. That's why we recommend this Best Biscuit From a Mix.
Sliced open your biscuits are going to make a classic southern meal when topped with homemade sausage gravy, Cajun gravy, or old fashioned tomato gravy.
THIS RECIPE MADE OUR "BEST OF THE YEAR" LIST. ALL THE OTHERS CAN BE FOUND HERE.
Expert tips
- We can't emphasize enough how important it is to keep your ingredients and equipment COLD!
- Don't overwork the dough. Folding over and gently patting down 4 times is enough.
- Don't twist the biscuit cutter. If you do it forms a seal around the edge of the biscuit that prevents it from rising as well.
Storing 3 ingredient buttermilk biscuits
We keep them on the counter for a full day as long as they're tightly covered. After that put them in the refrigerator for up to 5-6 days, again tightly covered.
Biscuits will freeze well for up to 4 months if in an airtight container.
FAQ's about this recipe for 3 ingredient biscuits
100% the answer is butter! We know that may ruffle some feathers but Crisco has no taste. The butter and buttermilk are where the flavor comes from.
Keeping the ingredients cold is how you get flaky biscuits.
We've included an easy substitute in our recipe.
📖 Recipe
3 Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2½ cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 stick butter 1 stick equals ½ cup
Instructions
- Freeze the stick of butter. Chill the measured flour and buttermilk.
- Grate the buttter, tossing it with the flour a little at a time.
- Stir in the buttermilk just until the ingredients are blended. If dough feels dry 1-2 Tablespoons additional buttermilk can be stirred in.
- Place dough on a lightly floured surface and pat down to about ½ inch thickness. Fold in half and pat to ½ inch again. Repeat the fold and pat down step 4 times.
- Roll with a rolling pin or pat down with hands until about ½ inch thick.
- Cut with a biscuit cutter using a straight down and up motion (do not twist). Place biscuits on parchment lined baking sheet nearly touching.
- Bake at 450 degrees 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter if desired.
Video
Notes
- Using a 2 and ½ inch biscuit cutter will yield approximately 12 biscuits. You can cut biscuits once and then re-roll the dough and cut again to get the most biscuits from the dough.
- Salted or unsalted butter may be used.
- Check the recipe post for substitutions for self rising flour and buttermilk.
Nutrition
Items you may need for making your easy buttermilk biscuits:
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- Glass measuring cups
- Box grater for grating the butter
- Rolling pin (we love a traditional wooden one)
- Biscuit cutters
- Parchment paper
- Sweet Potato Butter for spreading on those biscuits
If you make any of our recipes we'd love for you to leave us a comment and star rating. If you're into sharing your creations, snap a photo and tag us when you post it to Facebook or Instagram.
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Beth says
These look so delicious and yummy! I can’t wait to give these a try! My family is going to love this!
Carrie Robinson says
Freezing the butter is genius! Definitely trying this recipe soon. 🙂
Angela says
Delicious light and fluffy biscuits! I didn't have self rising flour so I used your alternative. Came out great.
Pam says
Awesome! Thank you Angela!
Ashley F. says
Seriously the BEST biscuits! So flaky and buttery! Easy to make!
Pam says
We love them, too. Thank you, Ashley!
Jenn says
I was always really intimidated by biscuits but your simple recipe and helpful tips got me over my hurdle! Now I'm a biscuit pro and the kids come running when they smell them baking!
Pam says
Yay! So happy to hear that.
Claudia Lamascolo says
You had me with those 3 ingredients, everyone loves biscuits and mine are always dry trying these tonight!
Pam says
You won't be disappointed!
Lilly says
These are perfect for a quick and easy meal! My boyfriend and I love them! I will definitely be making these again!
Pam says
Thanks so much!
Angela says
Oh my goodness! These are divine. It's three ingredient perfection... yum!!
Pam says
You got that right! Thanks, Angela!
Denay DeGuzman says
My family loves homemade buttermilk biscuits. I love that these are easy to make with just 3 ingredients. Ideal for biscuits and gravy.
Pam says
Yes, they are. Thanks so much.
Wanda says
I've been looking for a biscuit recipe for awhile since my family has been requesting them. Can't wait to try these biscuits!
Pam says
You and your family will love them.
Diane Patchen says
the biscuit were excellent and so easy. They were fluffy and not dry.
Pam says
Yay! Happy to hear that. Thanks, Diane!
Cathy says
These biscuits sound delicious. Will they work with a bit of ham on them and a little jam?
Pam says
That would be wonderful!
Cheri says
Can't wait to try these.......how many does this recipe make?
Pam says
Hi Cheri, Per the recipe card you will get approximately 12 biscuits with a 2-1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Of course, you can use a smaller one and will get more, or a larger one and get less. Hope you love them!
humiyo says
Am rate this recipe 5 star becuase 1st i tried it last night and then here come to give feedback ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
This is supper cool and yummy
Thank you so much
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Pam says
Thank you for taking the time to let us know and leave a star rating! We really appreciate it.
Sharan Mitchell-Grant says
Easy turned out fluffy and flaky. My family love the biscuits with gravy
Pam says
Yay! Thank you for taking the time to let us know and star rate the recipe.