Baking Powder Biscuits
This vintage recipe makes tender and flaky homemade biscuits, especially when served warm. The best part? You only need a handful of pantry staples, and you can freeze the unbaked rounds and have freshly baked biscuits when the craving hits.
Servings 12 biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter in pieces
- ¾ cup cold milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure the butter and milk are cold.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt and 1 tablespoon sugar until well combined.
- Add ½ cup cold unsalted butter, in small pieces, to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. This is crucial for flaky biscuits so don't overwork it!
- Pour in ¾ cup cold milk and stir with a fork just until the dough comes together. It should look a bit shaggy; that's perfect!
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter, then pat it down again. Repeat this process twice more; this creates those lovely flaky layers. Don't overwork the dough or the biscuits will be tough!
- Finally, pat the dough to about ¾ inch thickness (I use my hands, but, if you use a rolling pin, don't press too hard so it doesn't compact the dough too much) and cut biscuits with a 2-inch biscuit cutter for smaller and 2.5 to 3-inch cutter for larger biscuits. Gather the biscuit dough scraps without kneading them too much, and cut more rounds.
- Flour the cutter between cuts so it doesn't stick to the dough. Press straight down with your cutter - don't twist, as this can seal the edges and prevent proper rising.
- Place rounds on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown on top.
Notes
Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use an oven thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Milk: I use whole for richness, but you can use 2% milk or buttermilk.
Baking powder: make sure it hasn't expired.
Add-ins: you can add a tablespoon of minced herbs, some spice like cayenne or chili powder or grated cheese to the dry ingredients before adding the liquid.
