Dad's Easy Buttermilk Biscuits

These are the biscuits for cooks who don’t want to fuss with cutting cold butter into flour with a pastry blender. The clever trick: use melted butter instead. The melted fat coats the flour the same way the small chunks of cold butter would, but mixing is faster and more forgiving. The trade-off is slightly less flake than a classic Southern biscuit, but the texture is still tender and fluffy with that signature buttermilk tang.

The baking soda paired with baking powder is doing double-duty leavening here. The soda reacts with the buttermilk’s acid for an immediate lift; the powder kicks in during baking for a second rise. Together they push the biscuits taller than either could alone.

Kneading just a few times on a floured board is the cap. Two or three quick folds smooth the dough into a workable ball without developing the gluten that turns biscuits tough. Roll to half an inch thick, cut, and onto the sheet.

The high oven temperature is what gives biscuits their dramatic rise. Slide them into a roaring 450°F (230°C) oven and the trapped steam puffs them straight up before the crust sets, which is exactly what you want.

Pro Tips

• Cut straight down with the biscuit cutter and lift straight up. Twisting seals the edges and the biscuits won’t rise as high.
• Place the biscuits close together on the sheet (almost touching). They support each other as they rise and you get taller, fluffier biscuits with soft sides.
• Brush the tops with extra melted butter or buttermilk before baking for a deep golden crust.
• Don’t overhandle the dough. Each extra knead makes the biscuit denser; treat it like you are trying to break the dough, not smooth it.

Variations

• Add a half cup of grated sharp cheddar and a teaspoon of garlic powder for cheddar-garlic biscuits that pair with soup.
• Stir a tablespoon of fresh chopped chives or rosemary into the flour for an herbed version.
• Substitute half the flour with whole wheat for a heartier, nuttier biscuit.