Description
This easy recipe uses self-rising flour to create warm, homemade, flaky, and tender biscuits. Perfect for busy families, it offers a quick path to a comforting side or a satisfying breakfast.
Ingredients
- 360 g (3 cups) self-rising flour
- 170 g (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter (110 g (8 tbsp) very cold, cubed; 60 g (4 tbsp) melted, browned)
- 10 g (about 15–20 small leaves) fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper
- 2 g (0.5 teaspoon) fine sea salt
- 240 ml (1 cup) cold buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 220 degrees C (425 degrees F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Brown Butter and Infuse Sage: Brown 60 g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until nutty and golden. Immediately remove from heat and stir in 5 g of finely chopped fresh sage. Pour the brown butter into a small, heatproof bowl to cool slightly, reserving about 2 tablespoons for later brushing.
- Mix Dry Ingredients and Cut in Butter: In a large bowl, whisk together the 360 g (3 cups) self-rising flour, 5 g (1 teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper, and 2 g (0.5 teaspoon) fine sea salt. Add the remaining 110 g (8 tablespoons) of very cold, cubed unsalted butter. Use a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Create a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the 240 ml (1 cup) cold buttermilk and the cooled brown butter (including solids and sage bits) into the well. Mix with a fork or rubber spatula just until combined; the dough should still appear shaggy. (If your dough seems too dry to come together, add cold buttermilk one tablespoon at a time until it’s just shaggy.)
- Fold and Layer Dough: Turn the shaggy dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat the dough into a roughly 2.5 cm (1-inch) thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half, then gently pat it down again to about 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick. Repeat this folding and patting process 2-3 more times; this layering is crucial for flaky biscuits. Do not overwork the dough.
- Cut Biscuits: Using a 6 cm (2.5-inch) round biscuit cutter, press straight down firmly into the dough to cut out biscuits. Do not twist the cutter to maintain those flaky layers. Reroll scraps gently once to cut additional biscuits, aiming for 8-10 total.
- Bake Biscuits: Place the cut biscuits onto your prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are slightly touching for softer sides. Bake for 12-15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until they are deeply golden brown on top and bottom.
- Brush with Brown Butter: Remove the biscuits from the oven. Immediately brush the tops generously with the reserved 2 tablespoons of warm brown butter for an extra rich, glossy finish.
Notes
Use very cold butter (grate for even distribution) and fresh self-rising flour for best results. Avoid overmixing dough for tenderness. Substitutions: use organic butter or omit salt if using salted butter; use fresh rosemary instead of sage; create homemade buttermilk with milk and lemon juice/white vinegar. For quicker prep, a food processor can cut butter, or make drop biscuits by spooning dough onto the baking sheet.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 biscuit (approx 70 g)
- Calories: 290 calories
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg