To make amazing buttermilk biscuits, you don’t have to make them by hand. Using a stand mixer is the way to go when changing up a few ingredients that yield tender, flaky biscuits every time.
This recipe also calls for cake flour which is not the norm for biscuits. However, cake flour has a lower protein content, allowing the dough to withstand more mixing without overworking it and developing gluten, which will ultimately toughen the biscuits.
By pulsing (quickly turning on and off) the shortening and butter into the cake flour with the stand mixer, you prevent the heat from your hands from melting the fats during the typical “cutting in” stage. This also helps keep the flakes large for flakier biscuits.
Tips & Tricks for High-Rise Biscuits
-For bigger rise, place any tools, especially the stand mixer bowl and paddle into the bowl, into the freezer for a few minutes before mixing to ensure the fats won’t melt until they are in the oven.
-Patting the dough into a circle compresses it less than rolling it with a rolling pin, giving you a loftier biscuit.
-Use a sharp biscuit cutter to cut your biscuits. The sharp edges don’t seal the sides thus promoting rising . Juice glasses and tin cans trap air and compress biscuit dough, sealing the sides and reducing rise.
-Excess flour on the tops and bottoms can make the biscuitsseemdry, brush off any excess flour from both sides before baking.
-You can reroll the dough once (you’ll need to) and still yield tender biscuits. To do so, brush any flour from the scraps and gently fold the dough back together before patting into a circle.
Preheat oven to 450o F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl; set aside. Pulse cake flour, shortening and cubed butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until fats are pea-sized flakes. Mix in all-purpose flour mixture just until blended. Add buttermilk to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. To avoid over-mixing the biscuit dough, stop when the ingredients are just moistened. Even though the dough is wet, don’t add more flour, that leads to over-mixing.
Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead just until dough holds together. Do not overwork it. Flour your hands to keep the dough from sticking before patting dough into a 1″ thick circle. Using a 2.25″ thick biscuit cutter, cut dough into 10 biscuits.Pull cutter up without twisting, as you remove. Twisting results in jagged edges on the biscuits.
Transfer the biscuits to prepared baking sheet and bake until golden, 15-18 minutes. Brush tops with melted butter during last few minutes of baking.
Warm, flaky, tender…perfection.
Basic Buttermilk Biscuits
From Cuisine at Home
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups cake flour
5 Tablespoons cold vegetable shortening, cubed
4 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 450o F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl; set aside. Pulse cake flour, shortening and cubed butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until fats are pea-sized flakes. Mix in all-purpose flour mixture just until blended. Add buttermilk to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. To avoid overmixing the biscuit dough, stop when the ingredients are just moistened. Even though the dough is wet, don’t add more flour, that leads to overmixing.
Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead just until dough holds together. Do not overwork it. Flour your hands to keep the dough from sticking before patting dough into a 1″ thick circle. Using a 2.25″ thick biscuit cutter, cut dough into 10 biscuits.Pull cutter up without twisting, as you remove. Twisting results in jagged edges on the biscuits.
Transfer the biscuits to prepared baking sheet and bake until golden, 15-18 minutes. Brush tops with melted butter during last few minutes of baking.
Kathy Maister says
These look fantastic!
I will have to give the cake flour a try.
Have you ever added cheese or chopped herbs to this recipe?
Noble Pig says
I haven’t.
Patty says
I cannot wait to give these a try!
I found the perfect biscuit cutters the other day at World Market and I’ll be making these this evening!
Thank you Noble Pig!
Sincerely,
Patty
Bloom & Grow LLC
http://www.bloom-and-grow.com
Cindy says
I think you have a typo on the 1/4 teaspoon measurement. That’s baking soda, isn’t it?
I don’t have a stand mixer, but I’m guessing a food processor would work. Dh loves biscuits and I’ve only made the cheater (Popeye’s) version. I’m intrigued by your use of cake flour. I’ll pick up a cutter this week and give this recipe a try.
I’m finding a lot of your recipes that appeal to me. I think I need to check out Cuisine at Home.
Noble Pig says
Fixed!!
Sunny says
Isn’t one of the ingredient supposed to be baking soda? There’s two measurements for baking powder.
I also put my pre-baked biscuits in the fridge for about ten minutes before putting it into the oven for a nice flakey texture.
Veronica says
They look gorgeous. Sometimes my biscuits don’t rise as much as I’d like. Never seen a recipe that used cake flour, but it makes sense. I love that I can use my stand mixer with this. I will definitely try it!
Julie says
Love the idea of using the stand mixer…sounds way easier. And obviously makes super looking biscuits, YUM!
Tamatha says
These look fantastic—quick question, though. In your description you say …”this recipe also calls for cake flour which is not the norm for biscuits” but the recipe calls for all-purpose. Should I substitute cake flour for the all-purpose? Thanks!
Noble Pig says
It calls for both.
Kocinera says
What a cool idea to use cake flour for biscuits! These look so light and fluffy. I’ve never made homemade biscuits before, but these are definitely making me want to give it a try!
cara says
oh, I’ll have to try making them in the mixer and your other tips. I see breakfast for dinner in our future this week!
Tamatha says
Hmm-that’s what I get for skimming the recipe. I was trying to read and comfort a baby-obviously not my forte.
The Teacher Cooks says
I just posted a biscuit recipe, too. I have never made biscuits with cake flour nor have nor have I used a mixer. I am trying this recipe out!
Carla says
I really love the fact that you are taking time to cook through this magazine. I received my copy in the mail and every single recipe I’ve made a notation to make – you have made! Love this magazine and this has felt like the most inspired edition in a while(I don’t know if you subscribe).
Anyway, nice to see you have had successes with the recipes!
elra says
They look so flaky and mouth watering!
Laurie says
Can’t wait to try this recipe. My grandmother always put her biscuits onto the baking sheets so they were just touching. They don’t rise out but help each other rise up. Ever heard of that??
Stephanie says
Thanks for all the tips!
Tami Lyn says
Ooo, warm out of the oven with some jam. Swoon!
grace says
great post, cathy! perfect buttermilk biscuits are nearly impossible to obtain, but anywhere close is enough for me! đŸ™‚
Roberta David says
Ohhhh….goodness! They look like a little bit of heaven!! Can’t wait to try these with your sausage gravy recipe! They just sound delicious! Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes. I thoroughly enjoy your blog!
Rachel the SdOC says
I love biscuits! I usually use a food processor when I’m prepping my dough. I think I will give the stand mixer a try in the future.
Barbie with a T says
Comfort food to the max!! Who wouldn’t like to wake up to the smell of freshly baked biscuits?
HoneyB says
I am so happy to see this post! I am such a biscuit failure yet I love them so much. Will definitely be trying them now with your recipe and tips! Thank you!
Cindy says
I had such high hopes, but just wasn’t meant to be, lol. I even did a few things that I hoped would edge me closer to “perfection” … chilling the ingredients after mixing, but before adding the buttermilk and then chilling the cut biscuits before baking.
Guess I could blame my 7 cup food processor (no stand mixer), but the sad fact is I just can’t make biscuits.
Thanks for the nudge to try. Guess it’s back to Popeye’s. đŸ˜‰
Mrs. L says
Seriously, the last time I made biscuits, they were hockey pucks. I keep saying I need to practice so I can make awesome biscuits. With your recipe and tips, who knows, maybe this will be the recipe that redeems me!
Emelie says
these biscuits are beautiful! I have been searching for the perfect recipe and I think I finally found it! thank you!
AlanRaj says
Hello there,
Any aubstitute for the buttermilk? Not many shops that sell them here in Singapore.
Noble Pig says
You can easily make your own:
1. Place a Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.
2. Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup line.
3. Let stand for five minutes. Then, use as much as the recipe calls for.
Stephanie says
I made these the other night and I was thrilled at the result!
I didn’t have a cutter so instead of using a glass (didn’t want to seal the edges) I just cut them into squares with a sharp knife.
They rose beautifully! And really.. it was so easy to make
Atropos says
If you roll these out so they are about half as thick, then cut and press each round into a muffin tin, they make a great little “cup.” Fill with a mixture of cooked bacon, onions, smoked cheddar, and mayonnaise (or whatever else sounds good).
Stefani says
These sound awesome. I have been looking for the perfect biscuits recipe.
I have bookmarked your recipe and plan to try it.
Grandma Reis says
As an old bisquit maker, these sound great. I always use Stephanies idea, shaping them lightly into a square and cutting with a sharp knife, no re-rolling and never tough. thanks for all the fun recipes
Grandma Reis says
always keep powdered buttermilk on hand, no waste and keeps a long time.
Sam says
You melt while looking at this amazing pics!! Ah amazing đŸ™‚
Terrie says
I have a question about cake flour. I have never used/bought it before. When I went to the grocery store, they had two brands of cake flour. Both were in boxes rather than the bags I am used to for flour. And they both were enriched, meaning not just flour. Is that what I should buy for this recipe?
Cathy says
Yes, that’s exactly what you want.
SAV says
http://www.ehow.com/info_8523064_substitutes-cake-flour.html
If you don’t have cake flour you can make your own..
Cathy says
I have done that but it is never the same silky consistency of the store bought version, which is what you really need for this recipe.
Stacy says
I just made these & they are PERFECT. They look good & are so airy!
Sue Garnhum says
Can i use just plain flour rather than cake flour??
Cathy says
If you go back and read the post, you’ll see why cake flour is used and preferred.
Yabadee says
Just made these and YUM!!!! Light yet with body and very good flavor. This is my favorite recipe so far. Thanks so much!
Flea says
Twisting while cutting seals the edges so they don’t rise. I freeze my butter and grate it into the dough. Nice and cold. Recipe looks GOOD. đŸ™‚
Elly says
My mom taught me to replace 2 Tbs of all-purpose flour with cornstarch for each cup of cake flour wanted. Haven’t tried these yet, but it’s worked whenever I’ve used it for other recipes.
Nicole says
I have a large party coming up and would love to use this recipe for my “biscuit bar”. I’m not a natural born baker. So, I’m wondering if I make smaller sizes of biscuit’s, does the baking time change?
Cathy says
Yes, smaller will cook faster.
Kirstn Swanson says
I found my self not being able to sleep and thought yum sausage gravy and biscuits!! I will be trying this recipe shortly. I just had to leave and comment and say I’m originally from Seattle, WA and currently live in NY but I have family in Mcminnville!!!!!! Small world!!
Cathy says
Yes small world! Thanks for stopping by.
steve howell says
I love this recipe. Wondering if you could use all White Lily flour (we live in the South), which has about 25% less protein than most other supermarket flours, as opposed to adding the cake flour.
Cathy says
Let us know how it turns out.
steve howell says
Your way is better. The White Lily flour by itself made great biscuits but not as finely textured as your method. Still, it was worth a try. Either way, the idea of using the stand mixer to cut in the shortening is a terrific idea!