Learn how to make biscuits at home using my simple step-by-step recipe and folding technique! Studded with cranberries, rosemary and cheddar, these homemade buttermilk biscuits make for the perfect side for Thanksgiving dinner or brunches!
This post is all about learning how to make biscuits at home using my secret buttermilk biscuit recipe. A MUST HAVE for all biscuit lovers who want to learn how to make fluffy, tender, light as air, buttery biscuits at home, completely from scratch!
I love baking days. There’s something utterly relaxing and therapeutic about baking, especially about making biscuits at home – completely from scratch. And believe me, no matter how people and biscuit recipes intimidate you from baking, once you start and have your first homemade buttermilk biscuit—you won’t ever stop!
Why this step-by-step recipe on how to make biscuits works:
Want to learn how to make biscuits at home? Here’s the secret: Really fluffy tender and pillowy biscuit come from the technique more than the recipe. It’s HOW you make the biscuit dough and fold it, not about the exact ingredients.
So while many of us searched and searched for the perfect buttermilk biscuit recipe, the secret wasn’t necessarily in the recipe—it was in the technique. And I don’t mean to scare you when I say technique. I’m just trying to get your mind off measuring cups and spoons—photos like the ones in my “how to make biscuits” step by step tutorial are better than a thousand words.
This is a base recipe for buttermilk biscuits showing you how to make biscuits at home and how to season them in different ways. I went for a fall-inspired version and added cheddar rosemary and cranberries to my biscuit dough!
Now, because this is a tutorial on how to make biscuits at home, it’s also a perfect way to raise the bar on your baking skills.
These homemade, grandma style biscuits are different from drop biscuits—like these easy lemon blueberry drop biscuits which taste like a pillowy soft and slightly crunchy blueberry muffin top—which is another NO-MISS recipe and a perfect way to get started on biscuit baking.
How to make biscuits at home:
Basically this “how to make biscuits” – recipe starts with ice cold grated butter—the secret to my utterly simple no fail and SUPER easy flakey pie dough! This butter is mixed in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar.
Then cold buttermilk (or a mixture of yogurt and milk) is poured on top and then with a fork, the dough comes together and looks like a shaggy mess. At this point, you’ll need some shredded cheese, fresh rosemary and cranberries mixed aside in a bowl—we’ll get to the many variations later!
Now here comes the fun part, you’ll flatten the dough with your hands in to a rough rectangle shape ( 4inch X 6inch approx.) and you’ll scatter half the cheese-herb mixture over the top.
Then you’ll fold the rectangle in thirds like a business letter (you won’t see any more cheese mixture since all of it will be folded into the rectangle business letter shape).
Then you’ll flatten the dough again with your hands into the same shape and size rectangle (roughly). And scatter the remaining cheese mixture over the top and fold again. Now you’ll roll out the dough, cut up and bake!
Ok so why all this FUSS you may ask. Simply because this folding gives an incredible layering effect and ensures the cheese mixture is always in the middle layers of the biscuit – so no burning of the cheese at the bottom of your biscuits.
Also, this folding method is also what makes making biscuits at home so much fun. For the record, you can make this buttermilk biscuit dough in the food processor—but you’ll miss out on the dough folding!
Let’s talk about the flavors in these homemade buttermilk biscuits. I love this particular combo of rosemary, cheddar cheese and cranberries—it’s cheesy, it’s sweet, and absolutely perfect for fall and Thanksgiving!
Now, feel free to use any other herb or cheese when making biscuits at home. Leave out the cranberries, add in some nuts, add in some sautéed onions, mushrooms, spinach, sun dried tomatoes, pesto…anything, really!
The one thing to look out for here is to make sure your add-ins are as dry and cold as possible. Nice warm sautéed veggies—not really the best idea.
This fluffy biscuits recipe along with my tutorial on how to make biscuits is really a perfect base recipe for you to have on hand and go from there. I assure you these biscuits are FLUFFY, TENDER, BUTTERY and MELT IN YOUR MOUTH pillowy 🙂 Now go enjoy!
Tips for success when making biscuits at home:
- Instead of mixing the butter and flour mixture by hand, you can use a food processor and pulse them together for a few seconds.
- This fluffy buttermilk biscuit recipe is really a perfect base recipe to which you can add any seasoning, cheese, dried fruit and nut you wish.
- Make sure all your ingredients are ice cold. Yes, that includes your add-ins like cheese, pesto or whatever you want to add to your homemade buttermilk biscuits.
- Wet or very juicy fruits are not a great add-in, as they will prevent your homemade biscuits from rising.
- For extreme flakey-ness, make sure the biscuits are COLD and your oven is HOT at the time of baking. If you feel the oven is not ready, place the biscuits in the fridge until the dough is cold again and your oven is nice and hot.
How To Make Biscuits With Cheddar Rosemary & Cranberries
Learn how to make biscuits at home using my simple step-by-step recipe and folding technique! Studded with cranberries, rosemary and cheddar, these homemade buttermilk biscuits make for the perfect side for Thanksgiving dinner or brunches!
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp frozen unsalted butter , shredded
- ¾ cup buttermilk , cold
- 3/4 cup cheddar cheese , shredded,
- 1 Tablespoon of fresh rosemary leaves , minced
- 1/4 cup of dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- In a small bowl, mix the cheese, rosemary, cranberries and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.
- Take the shredded cold butter and add it into the flour mixture. Use a from to mix them together. Have a look at this easy flakey pie dough recipe.
- Add the buttermilk and using a fork, swirl it around until a dough forms.
- Take the dough onto a floured surface and pat it down with your hands into a rectangle about 4 inches by 6 inches roughly.
- Sprinkle half of the cheese mixture on the surface and fold over the dough into thirds (like a business letter).
- Turn the dough 90 degrees and pat down the same way.
- Sprinkle with the remaining cheese mixture and fold again like a business letter.
- With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about ½” thick and cut into squares or use a round cookie cutter to cut circles.
- Cut each square on a diagonal making a triangle if desired.
- Place the biscuits on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 375F and continue baking for another 4 minutes (depending on the size of your biscuits).
- They are done when they are puffed and slightly golden on the bottom.
- Remove and cool on a wire rack.
Recipe Notes
Instead of mixing the butter and flour mixture by hand, you can use a food processor and pulse together for a few seconds.
I just signed up for your site and was looking at you Moroccan chick pea recipe. I enjoyed your little story about your grandma but at the end of the whole thing I couldn’t find the actual recipe… What’s up???
Hey Susie thanks for signing up! The recipe is right below the post..scroll down and you’ll find the ingredients, recipe instructions and nutritional table too 🙂
I had baking phobia for years…. but now I completely agree…. its very therapeutic! These look absolutely delicious and perfect for spring! I want to dive right in now and make them this very minute! You had me at flakey, pillowy and then the pictures? Wow! Just beautiful!
I am in love with your recipe. I think that your technique makes a lot of sense, I love the fluffy layers in biscuits and it’s genius to add cheese and cranberries into the layers.
Thanks Sharon 🙂 It really makes a difference, those simple tips–irrespective of the recipe make a HUGE difference in the biscuits! Hope you try them and enjoy 🙂
It’s the best food holiday ever, in fact! These look and sound truly amazing! Pinning them now, too. 🙂 YUM!
These look wonderful – So well baked and not at all over worked. Feel free to join in with #bakeoftheWeek over at Maison Cupcake this week with this recipe.
Thanks Helen !! 🙂
Your photos are absolutely stunning. Really inspiring photography 🙂
Emma–you made my day, thank you so much!! 🙂
Hi Mahy! I was wondering if your recipe works with gluten-free flour too… Hmmm I will give it a try by the end of the week and will come back to you. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Krystallia, I never tried it with a gluten free flour mix, but now I am intrigued! I will try it and report back, and if you get a chance to do so before me, please share the results!
I can tell you I did make it with a “butter replacement” and it works like a charm!
Great technique photos, along with your usual gorgeous shots. Biscuits are one of those things everyone loves but many are intimidated to make themselves. Even for experienced biscuit makers like me, the details matter and there are no shortcuts.
I’ve made a lot of biscuits & scones with gluten-free flours and they work great because the magic does not depend on gluten. Thanks for all the pointers.
Lynne, thanks for your kind words! You’re right–and I was one of the intimidated ones too, but the right technique makes it all work out! Thanks for the update on gluten free options, I still haven’t had the chance to test it out! 🙂
Oh My Lord .. I just pinned this. it is most =definitely on my baking to do list. These would be perfect with a bowl of soup.. gorgeous photos too by the way
Thanks so much Karyn!! You’ll really enjoy these!!
Not only are these beautiful biscuits a mile high, but the flavors are so wonderful! I cannot wait to try these (and the flavor combinations are endless)! I’m pinning this straight away!
Thanks Patricia!! They’re really worth trying!
oh your biscuits looks so perfect. I guess these would be perfect for the coming season. All the little tips that you shared are so helpful. Pinning it for later
Thanks Jo! Hope you make them soon!!
Now this is my kind of biscuit. I am a huge bread and cheese lover. Combine them together, and that is even better. I could eat these for breakfast every day of the week. Warmed up and covered in butter.
I hear you Gloria!!
This is a biscuit everyone will enjoy here . That cheese will make all the difference in flavor and a great addition to any meal
Hope you make it Claudia!!
One of my absolute favorite things to make when we have no bread on hand or when we make soups. Love that you added rosemary. Sounds so flavorful. Saving this for later.
Thanks Veena!!
Excellent tips!! I haven’t made homemade biscuits in years and reading this post is giving me the itch to get the flour and start. I do like the folding method — it ensures you don’t beat the living daylights out of the poor biscuits. I’m pinning.
Thank you Marisa! Hope you make them soon!! The folding adds the flakey layers you need in a good biscuit! 🙂
These are great-looking biscuits. I love the flavors of cheddar and rosemary in them, but the cranberries, in particular, are a really fun addition that I enjoy , but don’t see often!
So true Jenni, I love the cranberries here too!! They add a little something special 🙂
I’m generally not a fan of most biscuits because they can be so dry. These sound tasty and I bet the cheese helps keep them from being too dry.
Oh Valerie these are anything BUT dry!! You’ll need to try them and see
Oh these biscuits look marvelous and just made it to my holiday menu for this year! I love the combination of flavors and the pops of color…these will be a sure hit!
They surely will Catherine!! Hope you enjoy them
Buttermilk biscuits are my favorite, you flavored extra with cheddar cheese, cranberries and rosemary, this is going to be in my breakfast menu for thanksgiving.
These biscuits sounds absolutely wonderful. I love the cheddar and rosemary combo. I bet these are perfect for mornings with a cup of hot tea. Saving this recipe to try.