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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.
Brandi says
Omg!!!!! Love these!!! Thank you and your Dad!!! These are so good and easy make and we all loved em!!!
Karly says
So glad you enjoyed them, Brandi!
Cynnamyn says
I have to say first of all, thank you for sharing! I made the biscuits with one modification… Well two I used 2c all purp flour instead of the bisquick mix… And I used buttermilk… There was no problem! They still came out perfectly fluffy, light, and delicious. Also, i used a food processor to mix the dry ingredients and butter, I really think this added to the lightness of the biscuit! Thanks again.
Sharese says
All I have to say is WOW!!! These are amazing ?
Joy says
Can I make ahead of time, freeze and then bake?
Julie says
Works for me.
Alureals says
Honeychile, I love this recipe and my picky 1 year old loves them its a staple from now on in my household God Bless You and your dad. I can’t thank you enough??
Karly says
So glad the biscuits were a hit! 🙂
Connie says
My mom used shorting in hers, well lard how does that work?
Karly says
I haven’t tried these with shortening or lard.
Christine says
Anyone use a steam oven to cook these? If so did you use auto steam bake or make any adjustments? Also I am at 7000 feet. Does this change the recipe?
Nalo Frazier says
These are absolutely great. My whole family loved them.I did exactly everything the recipe said and they turned out perfect. Mines were done in 10 minutes and I’m glad I was watching them as recommended. Can’t wait to do these again. Simple and simply great.
Karly says
So glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Julie says
These were a huge hit with my mom and daughter. The first time i made them they were kinda ugly but awesome. Made them again tonight and they were much prettier. I brushed the tops with melted butter this time. I might try adding garlic and cheese next time.
This is the only biscuits that I will make from now on. They are fabulous.
Karly says
Nothing wrong with ugly biscuits, but I’m glad you love them! Cheese and garlic would be an awesome addition!
Julie says
How much garlic and cheese?
Susan Billings says
These are really great biscuits! I will be making them regularly. Thank you for sharing
Karly says
Thanks, Susan!
Elizabeth M. says
Eureka!!!! Finally the best biscuit recipe I’ve ever tried. This is it! Thank you so much. And i made the sausage gravy. So good!
Karly says
Glad these worked out well for you! 🙂
Ang says
Made these last night and they turned out good! I was nervous because I ended up adding 3 tbsps of flour after the milk step and got nervous that it was too much and stopped even though my dough was really to sticky still. But when I moved it to the floured work surface and sprinkled more flour on top then folded it as stated it all came together! Question though, can you use a pastry blender rather than a spoon to incorporate the butter? Save a little on the hand cramping 🙂
Karly says
Honestly, I’m not sure if my dad uses the spoon because he doesn’t have a pastry blender or if he has tried a pastry blender and didn’t think it worked out as well. 😉 Worth trying with a pastry blender, for sure!
Julie says
I do it all in the food processor.
Jamie says
Made these this morning and smothered one in sausage gravy and the other in butter and jam. So so SO good and SO easy! Thanks for a great recipe, I will be making these again for sure!
Christina Sergott says
Absolutely awesome. I cook, but a baker, I am not. I leave that to Pillsbury….lol. But, this recipe made life simple, and they were so good. Leave it to dad….my dad was great at bread too. Thanks!
Karly says
So glad these worked out for you. 🙂
Delores Harrison says
Hi! I made your dads biscuits tonight!! I have one sentence that my husband said! “ keep this recipe”!!!
I have made the regular bisquick recipe, and never turns out! In your re pie, I didn’t add the whole cup of milk, it was plenty wet, and still put a little more flour, but boy oh boy! They are so flaky and good!!! Thanks for your re I’ve, and I did save it for the next time!!!
Karly says
Yay! Glad they were a hit with your husband! 🙂