Your easy buttermilk biscuits – just scratch

These easy buttermilk biscuits are flaky, tender, and buttery with a slightly tangy flavor. Serve with your favorite dish or enjoy with butter, jam and/or honey or drizzle with homemade sausage sauce. Really, these go with everything. Makes 6 to 8 (depending on the size of the cutter).

There’s nothing quite like buttery and flaky cookies.

Bonus points if it’s served with sausage sauce! However, if I’m being honest, I don’t really like baking cookies. Or should I say i usually do hate baking cookies. In the past I found it stressful, messy with mediocre results. I was recently asked for an easy cookie recipe, and while I have one in my cookbook, it wasn’t quick or easy. This got me thinking about how to make cookies Easier. Easy enough that I want to make them over a weekend or weekday for that matter.

Thinking back to my homemade cake batter recipe, I wondered if the same technique (using a food processor) could work for cookie making as well. Turns out it can. Of course, if you don’t have a food processor, you can use a cookie cutter or two knives. But the food processor really helps speed up the process.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy cookies?

To make these easy buttermilk biscuits you will need:

• unbleached all-purpose flour – Gives structure to the biscuits.
• baking powder – Creates a lightness in the dough that makes the cookies rise and gives them a fluffy crumb. Read labels and avoid baking soda with aluminum.
• sugar – Added for flavor and a touch of sweetness.
• fine salt – Enhances the flavor of the biscuits. Can use sea salt or pink himalayan.
• unsalted butter – Cut the butter into cubes and refrigerate or freeze. Using cold butter makes for lighter cookies.
• buttermilk – Adds a pleasant sparkle.

In a mesh sieve set over a large bowl, measure and add 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, 2 tablespoons baking soda, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon fine salt. Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl.

In your food processor fitted with the blade attachment, add the sifted ingredients and 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter.

What Kind of Butter is Best for Making Cookies?

Honestly, you can use any butter in a cookie recipe. However, for better flavor and texture, I recommend a quality grass-fed or European butter.

Close the lid and pulse 6 to 8 times or until coarse crumbs form.

Transfer the butter/flour mixture back to the bowl and add 1 cup buttermilk. Use a fork to mix.

Scrape out the bowl and form the dough into a ball.

Roll out the dough on a well floured surface.

Using floured fingers, press into a 2.5 cm thick rectangle.

Fold in thirds (like a letter) and turn.

Press into a rectangle again.

Repeat, fold in thirds…

And press into a 10 x 6 rectangle.

Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 25 to 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Use a floured cookie cutter (or drinking glass) to cut out 6 to 8 cookies. Don’t twist the cookie cutter or they won’t rise properly. The amount of cookies depends on the size of your cutter. If you decide to cut the cookies into squares, one or two sides may not rise as much as others. Just something to note!

Place the cookies on a rimmed metal baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush the tops with additional buttermilk or a little melted (salted) butter.

Bake on the middle shelf for 10 to 12 minutes.

The tips should be golden brown.

Serve immediately.

What to serve with cookies?

for breakfast:

for dinner:

How long do homemade cookies keep?

Enjoying these during the day is best. However, you can wrap cookies in foil or cling film to prevent drying out and leave at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. Or wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Why would buttermilk be used in this recipe?

I use Guernsey Farms buttermilk, which is full-fat and thick. For me I use exactly 1 cup. If your buttermilk is thin or runny, try 3/4 cup and add more as needed.

Can milk be used instead of buttermilk in this recipe?

Yes! No changes required. Although I would start by adding 3/4 and add more as needed.

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Enjoy! And if you try this easy buttermilk biscuits recipe, let me know! Take a picture and tag me chirp or instagram!