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Light, fluffy homemade biscuits, as made by my dad! His biscuits are seriously the best. We’re sharing all of his tips and tricks below. Scroll down to get straight to the recipe or keep reading to find out how to make homemade biscuits!
I recently shared a photo of my dad’s famous homemade biscuits on Instagram and you guys ate them up. Figuratively, of course. Literally, I did the eating.
I wanted to be sure that I had his biscuit recipe down pat before I shared with you, so I spent the next few weeks making batch after batch. We ended up making 10 batches of 10 biscuits each. It took me awhile to be sure I had them juuuuuust right.
I also wanted to make sure that I could answer any questions you guys might have and I knew that meant mastering the homemade biscuit.
I spent some time with my dad and he showed me all of his tips and tricks for making the perfect homemade biscuits. And then I came home and I made an unholy amount of biscuits over the course of the next few weeks.
Can confirm I am now a biscuit master.
Will I still make our 7 Up Biscuits? Absolutely – those are easy and delicious. But the truth is that this biscuit recipe from my dad will always have my heart!
Ingredients for Homemade Biscuits:
The Flour: You’re going to use a mixture of all-purpose flour and Bisquick biscuit mix. I haven’t tried this with any substitutions and I haven’t tried it with a homemade Bisquick biscuit mix myself, so I can’t tell you how well that will work. If you do try it, please report back so I can update this!
The Butter: We’re using softened butter instead of cold butter. I know, your whole life you’ve heard that you need to use cold butter! Some of you are probably grating frozen butter into your biscuits. This recipe works perfectly with room temperature butter!
The Leavening Agents: There’s a lot of baking powder in this recipe. I was actually pretty surprised by the amount my dad uses. But it doesn’t have a metallic or soapy taste! Baking soda is normally used when there is an acid present – like buttermilk, lemon, or vinegar, There isn’t any in this recipe, but my dad still adds a little baking soda and it just isn’t the same without it!
The Milk: You can use buttermilk if you really feel the need to, but my dad uses regular 2% milk and so do I. I actually prefer the biscuits that way. They get too tangy for me when you use buttermilk.
What Readers are Saying!
“I have never made homemade biscuits before so this was my first attempt. Oh my goodness! They turned out amazingly delicious. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe and tips!!” – Christen
How to Make Homemade Biscuits:
Dry Ingredients: These aren’t your average Bisquick biscuits! That means you’ll be adding some extra ingredients to the mix.
Add the Bisquick biscuit mix, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda to a mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
Wet Ingredients: Now you can start adding in the butter. Start with two tablespoons and work it into the flour, then repeat with the remaining butter. Next you can pour in the milk and stir it with a spoon until just combined. To finish fold the dough over on itself three times.
Shape: Pat the dough out into a circle about 3/4 of an inch thick onto a floured surface.
Helpful Tip!
Is the dough too soft to work with?
You may need to add more flour if the mixture is too wet. Just add in a tablespoon at a time until the dough is dry enough to handle.
Helpful Tip!
Don’t be shy about re-rolling the dough!
Get in there and re-roll that dough to get extra biscuits. You’ll probably get about 5 biscuits from your initial pat down of the dough. Definitely pat it back out and cut out the remaining biscuits. My dad isn’t at all shy about re-working the dough and you shouldn’t be either.
Bake: Place the biscuits on a baking sheet and let them sit for 5 minutes before baking. They’ll take about 10 to 15 minutes in the oven or until the tops begin to turn golden brown!
FAQ:
These brown spots are happening because you’re not mixing the dry ingredients together well enough. I won’t make you sift things (heaven forbid), but do really stir everything together, more than you think you probably need to. At least 30 seconds of non-stop stirring things around with a fork. Trust me. Even if you do end up with brown spots, the biscuits will taste great, they’re just not quite as pretty.
Is your baking powder old? It does eventually stop working well and you may need to replace it. If it’s definitely not that, are you mixing in your butter really super-duper good? Because you need to. I take a spoon and smear the softened butter into the flour against the sides of the bowl. I keep at it long after I’m bored of it, until the entire bowl looks like lightly damp sand. Almost like if you grabbed a handful of it and squeezed it, it *might* stick together.
Add in more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until it’s just workable. The very least amount of flour you can get away with is the best in these biscuits, but don’t be killing yourself trying to roll out dough that is just too sticky. When you touch it, your hand should come away clean. When you pinch it, you should have a bit of dough left on your fingers.
Sounds like you overworked the dough or added too much flour. I had this problem the first few times I made these too. Just use a light hand when mixing and add just enough flour to hold the dough together.
Some days these guys only take ten minutes and other days they take 15. I can’t explain it (Humidity? Magic?), but I’m aware of it. I’m also aware that every oven is different. Some heat evenly, some do not. Some can’t hold a temperature and are fluctuating like crazy. So, get to know your oven and react accordingly. Or just set the timer for 10 minutes and start babysitting them. Pull them when the tops are just lightly golden. Nobody likes a crunchy biscuit, so don’t over bake these guys.
How to serve these biscuits:
- Cinnamon Honey Butter is the perfect topping!
- Sausage Gravy is a classic.
- Use these biscuits in my biscuits and gravy casserole.
- Chocolate Gravy is a Southern favorite and the kids will love it!
- Of course, butter and jam is always a win.
MORE BREAKFAST RECIPES!
- Fruit Loop Donuts
- Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Keto Oatmeal Breakfast Bowl
- Amish Breakfast Casserole
- Air Fryer Sausage Patties
- Chocolate Glazed Donuts
Easy Homemade Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour, plus more as needed
- 1 cup Bisquick
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Add the flour, Bisquick, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda to a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine the dry ingredients thoroughly.
- Add two tablespoons of the butter to the dough and use a spoon to press it into the flour mixture. I find it easiest to smear the butter against the sides of the bowl while working it into the flour. Once the first two tablespoons are completely incorporated, add in the last two tablespoons and repeat the process.
- Pour in the milk and stir with a spoon until just combined. The dough will likely be too wet. Add in more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is just dry enough to handle. Dough should come away clean from your fingers when you touch it, but stick to your fingers if you pinch it.
- Dump dough onto a well floured work surface. Sprinkle lightly with flour.
- Fold dough over on itself three times.
- Use your hands to pat the dough to 3/4 of an inch high.
- Cut dough out with biscuit cutter and place on baking sheet. Let sit 5 minutes before baking.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until tops are just beginning to turn golden. Do not overbake these!
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This recipe was originally published in March 2016. It’s been updated with a new video and FAQ section in March 2018.
Steven Blanchette says
Trying this recipe in the morning. My dad made killer biscuits too.
Karly says
Hope you love them! 🙂
MJ says
These biscuits are amazing. They were super easy to make, perfect consistency and still soft 3 days later, which is unheard of. Thanks so much for sharing!
Karly says
So glad you gave them a try!
Wendy says
Delicious ?!! Thanks for sharing my go to from now on
Momma Myers says
I’ve always made decent biscuits, but they’re temperamental and can easily get tough. Not anymore – This recipe will now be my go-to! I prefer a fluffy biscuit to a flaky one and this recipe plus your detailed tips makes a perfect batch. Thanks!
Karly says
So glad you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Jane says
1st time making: It was more like cake batter, so I had to add about another full cup of flour to be able to handle this dough (after scraping the messy dough off my fingers repeatedly!) – I was concerned that so much flour would make the biscuits tough, but they were not tough at all.
2nd time making: With the 1 cup flour & 1 cup Bisquick, I only used 2/3 cup milk, which was just right! The biscuits were tender, flaky and melt-in-your-mouth good.
Karly says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jane! Sometimes the biscuits will need more flour than other times…just depends on the humidity. 🙂
Rhoda says
Great recipe! Ended up adding about 1/2 cup additional flour in order to be able to work the dough. Measured out the biscuits with a 1/4 cup measure & baked in a cast iron skillet as suggested in one of the reviews. Better than what is served in a restaurant! Thank-you for a great recipe.
Karly says
Love to hear that! 🙂
Barb says
I am trying to make these low carb with almond flour and Carbquick. I will update wirh results. Wish me luck!
Barb says
Me again? I am very pleased with the low carb version. I did have to add quite a bit more of the almond flour, might increase it to an extra 1/4 to 1/3 cup next time. Also used almond milk.
Karly says
Glad to hear they turned out. THanks for sharing!
Barbara Kramer says
Very good flavor and texture. One question, Can you freeze these and bake them later?
Karly says
We’ve never tried freezing these. I think they’d turn out fine, but can’t say for sure.
Maghie says
These biscuits are so tender they melt in your mouth.
Karly says
So glad you liked them, Maghie!
Deloris Brantley says
Could not do with out it.
Constance Worthington says
Eager to try this recipe, just seeking a little more info – bake at 450 in what kind of pan? Photos show different things; greased or not; spread with melted butter or not? Thanks!
Karly says
Hi Constance! We use a sheet pan or a 9×13 metal dish for baking these. Either works well. We do not grease the dish. 🙂
Bette says
I bake mine in a cast iron skillet, wonderful !!!
Amaris Anders says
Absolutely my favorite recipe so far! I followed the directions carefully but added a few tablespoons of Hellmans mayo (old Southern recipe). I compensated by using a few less tablespoons of milk. I used 2% milk. Good job dad!!
Karly says
Interesting! I’ll have to give the mayo a try sometime.
Erin says
I really wanted this recipe but your ads are atrocious. I understand the need to advertise but there is no need to assault people with them. I could not even get out of them. Sorry just dissapointed
Karly says
Hi Erin! I’m sorry you’re finding the experience frustrating. We try our best to balance the number of ads for user experience vs. paying the bills. This is our family’s only source of income (plus we have employees), so it’s a tough balance. I’m sorry we missed the mark for you. Can you explain what you mean by ‘can’t even get out of them?’ The ads should just be there to scroll by…nothing should pop up (aside from an offer for a free recipe ebook if you sign up for my newsletter), so I just want to be sure there isn’t a rogue ad out there that I need to look for.
Danyelle says
I’ve made these twice now! They are so simple and so delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Karly says
So glad to hear that! Thanks, Danyelle!
Tamara says
There is NO way the measurements in this recipe are correct. I bake a lot and was looking for a new biscuit recipe for sausage gravy and came upon this one. I followed exactly – 1 cup flour, 1 cup Bisquick plus
(Baking power, soda, sugar, salt and butter) and 1 cup milk. This dough was unworkable, like a batter. I added tons more flour and it was still not manageable and I tried to use as drop biscuits which were a disaster. There is no way that 2 cups dry and 1 cup wet can make a dough, even with additional for working, that is manageable. Terrible recipe.
Karly says
Hi Tamara,
If you read step 4 of the recipe it says to keep adding flour until it comes together. The reason we call for 1 cup of flour is because adding too much is what causes tough/dry biscuits. Adding it a little bit at a time ensures you won’t add too much.