Craving easy homemade biscuits? We have all manner of quick, flaky iterations–whether they boast just three ingredients, are dropped or rolled and cut, offer plain old buttery goodness, or amp things up by being gilded with meat and cheese.
For a lot of bakers, piecrusts are their bête noire. Their nemesis. Their great undoing.
For me? It was biscuits. The anxiety I felt when faced with a biscuit recipe was worthy of a prescription. Will they be flaky? Light? Layered? Towers or hockey pucks?
Because of that, we’ve gathered and repeatedly tested some of the best biscuit recipes out there. Not only that, but these biscuits come from baking royalty–Nathalie Dupree, Kelly Alexander, David Muniz and David Lesniak, the fine folks at Southern Living, and Saveur.
And I humbly add my name to that list, considering I worked off my jiggly Yankee butt to create Southern-ish ham-and-cheese biscuits, which I think can hold their own.
So fear not, ye biscuits lovers. We’ve got your back.
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Cheddar Biscuits
Like all the testers said, this quick and easy recipe makes tip-top biscuits that filled the kitchen with delicious aromas. I did these on the spur of the moment and they made the perfect breakfast. I forced myself to stop at two!
I had some bites plain and some dipped in spicy honey. Yum!–Greg
These biscuits have changed my life. Strong comment, I know, but hear me out. I am a 50-year-old man that loves to make biscuits and gravy, but I’ve never been able to make an edible biscuit. My gravy is great (thanks Alton Brown), but I’ve always had to settle for frozen biscuits. They aren’t great, but were 1000 times better than my attempts…… until today.
I made a batch of these biscuits and a tear came to my eye. I realized that I am now complete. These biscuits rose wonderfully while baking. I took them out of oven when lightly brown. They were crusty in the outside, yet lightly layered on the inside. Wonderful flavor.
I’ve been told that making biscuits is easy, now I believe, finally. Thank you!–Travis D.
This recipe is a perfect example of why one never needs to buy a tube of dough in a grocery store ever again. With only two ingredients, a few minutes, and minimal fuss, you can have a pan of tender, soft biscuits that’ll please any biscuit lover.
These were a revelation to me; with a very different, more delicate texture than my usual tea biscuits, and they’d be perfect as a base for a creamy chicken stew or seafood stew, or (with a little sugar added), a berry shortcake.–Sherry B.
These biscuit cinnamon rolls were fabulous. I made them right before a meeting in which everyone was on a diet, and they were gone in seconds. This is the perfect cinnamon roll recipe for people who don’t have time to let them rise, and they’re so good!–Paige G.
These are excellent! I subbed chipotle powder for the cayenne and make a batch just about every weekend to have with morning coffee.–Lisa
I made these tonight for my sister and her husband and 4 boys, and they were a hit! I made the standard 12 muffins, and we had to bake them much longer, but of course, that may be due to my sisters oven.
My sister and I decided that these would make an excellent base for our strawberry shortcake. We usually use the recipe from Saveur, but I think we will be using this recipe from now on.–Jenn
Biscuit FAQs
What is the secret to fluffy biscuits?
Light and fluffy biscuits are made by creating layers of dough that puff up during baking. To achieve this, always use cold ingredients, and take care not to overwork the dough, which can make the biscuits tough and dense. Make sure that your baking powder or other leavener is fresh and active so that you get maximum rise during baking.
What are the various types of biscuits?
Biscuits can be made from a variety of ingredients and use different techniques, ultimately resulting in different textures. A few types of biscuits include:
– Drop biscuits: These are the easiest type of biscuits to make since the dough is simply dropped onto the baking sheet before baking.
– Rolled biscuits: These types of biscuits are generally folded and rolled, then cut into shapes using a knife or biscuit cutter.
– Buttermilk biscuits: Buttermilk adds a tangy flavor and contributes to a light and tender texture, making buttermilk biscuits very popular, particularly in the Southern US.
How do I prevent my biscuits from spreading?
To stop your biscuits from spreading, always use cold ingredients, and chill the biscuit dough before baking.
Not only is there an abundance of types of biscuits to enjoy, but there are also countless ways to enjoy them. Schmeared with butter or jam, drizzled with honey, smothered in gravy, or stuffed with fried chicken are just a few of our favorites. Let us know your best-loved ways to enjoy them in a comment below.
