All-Purpose Biscuits Recipe (2025)

No, please don't turn the oven on to 425 degrees as your first step. No need to waste energy while you let the biscuits rest for 30 minutes!

Freeze the butter and then grate it. Use a fork to mix up the dough. Works like a charm and no need to wash the bowl of a food processor!

I'm 78, Southern and these were the best biscuits I've ever made. Probably because I followed the recipe and used 2 tablespoons of baking powder.
Geez and from and a Yankee!

Many of the notes here raise questions or concerns about the amount of baking powder. Everyone should know that baking powder formulations vary from brand to brand. Go to your supermarket and read the ingredients. The products that use aluminum salts in their formulation are likely the ones that result in an unpleasant flavor. Also see Wikipedia article on Baking Powder.

Needed only 3/4 cup milk. Mixed dough before bedtime, wrapped in plastic and refrigerated 8 hours.
Baked for breakfast. They rose to twice their original height, crunchy bottom and top, tender crumb, scrumptious. I think the dough "matured" in the fridge overnight, and so the baked product had less of the raw flour taste that I usually get with my quick breads.

Instead of cutting in the butter, I've been using a simple technique I read about for getting the butter worked into the dough. Try melting the butter, either over low heat or low power in the microwave, then pour it into the cup of very cold milk. It will reform in smallish chunks that work into the dough very well.

Great recipe that makes for a very light and flaky biscuit, plus is very flexible.
- I did not find 2 Tbsp of baking powder excessive.
- The 30 minute resting period can be skipped if time's short, but it really improves the final texture.
- Works both as rounds and squares -- but squares rise "lopsided" since one or two of the sides won't be cut.
- Buttermilk substitutes nicely for the milk, no baking soda needed.
- Have also swapped a bit of white flour with whole wheat. Also delicious!

"European style" here in the US means imported butter that has a higher butterfat content than we ordinarily get with domestic butter. (which means more flavor). European brands I see here include Plugra, Lurpak, Presidente and Kerrygold, if that helps.

I pat that rectangle out on the cookie sheet and then, with a sharp knife, cut square biscuits. I don't saw them to cut, as Sam indicates this will impede their rising. I lay the blade on top and press down through the dough.
This way, no re-rolling scraps of dough.
And since the NYTimes health section has informed us to "stop fearing fat"......., melt some bacon grease, shortening or butter. Make sure it's not hot. Dip each biscuit in the extra fat before baking. Double yum.

I will never understand the use of a Cuisnart in making a biscuit or pie dough for that matter. However, unless you're putting out the biscuits for the Queen, one can simply gather the left-over pieces together and push them into crooked little mounds and bake. The 2nd best advice I received for biscuits was to never roll the dough out twice.

I have tried these several times and this recipe hasn't failed me yet! Key point...do not twist the biscuit cutter! I like to place my biscuits in a 8 or 9 inch round cake pan so the sides of the biscuits touch each other...it helps them rise and the sides are soft. Great recipe!

to take this recipe to a new level of perfection. Take about 4-6 ozs. of sharp cheddar cheese, cut it into 1/4 inch squares (more or less) and mix them into the flour before you add the milk. Do not use the food processor to add the milk, use a spoon or fork to mix. When the biscuits are done, the cheese will have melted throughout and you will swoon with pleasure.

I saw this recipe and and five minutes later I was in the kitchen looking for the ingredients and pre-heating the oven. I think the recipe is forgiving-I used 4 Tsp aluminum free baking powder, no sugar, and just used a fork (no food processor) to cut the butter into the flour. I used 2/3 cup half & half instead of milk (what I had on hand)! I kneaded the dough, pressed it out by hand, and cut into squares with a knife. I am having them with honey and tea right now and they taste delicious!

Excellent biscuit recipe; flakey, buttery perfection! Will be using this recipe again.

Northern guy here, who still relies on a recipe: This one turned out great, even tho' I used 1% milk. I simply cut 6 rectangles with a bench scraper, so probably didn't get the lift I would have by cutting them properly. 6 large biscuits, took 16 mins to bake. Not quite as light as I would have liked, but were plenty flakey. To those who think there's too much baking powder in this recipe: There are hundreds of biscuit recipes out there - find one that aligns with your biscuit worldview!

I actually increased the baking powder slightly, added 1 egg, and used a mixture of heavy whipping cream that needed using and oat milk. The dough was stickier and a bit harder to work, but the biscuits came out fluffier and more biscuit-y. Parchment paper is a must for baking, transferred immediately to a cooking rack.

I use a pizza cutter and cut into squares. My biscuits are higher and more layered.

Something wrong with this recipe, which I tried. Too much milk for the 2 cups of flour. Dough too gooey to roll and shape, probably 2/3 c milk about right for 2 cups flour. Maybe a misprint???

Has anyone tried this with gluten free flour?

Want to cook this for my gluten-free dad. Would using a gluten-free flour impact anything?

Why not just cut up the rectangular dough into 6 or 8 pieces with a sharp knife? Is there a law against square/rectangular biscuits?

White Lily Flour instead of regular all-purpose flour!

I've been using a heart-shaped cookie cutter for my biscuits for decades, and it always makes everyone a little bit happier.

It's always a puzzle to me why recipes call for salt and unsalted butter. Wouldn't salted butter work just as well?

Taking an empty can wash, well cut off both the top and the bottom and use it to cut the biscuits. You will get a clean cut, and it will release it easily.

Do not not not omit the baking soda, even if you substitute buttermilk! Biscuits will not rise without soda. I followed the suggestion below and learned by doing.

I add coarsely grated sharp cheddar (5+ yrs old) and a tsp or so of cayenne to bring out the cheddar flavour. If I have it, I'll substitute some yogourt to top up the milk. Instead of making circular biscuits, I pat the dough out in a long rectangle, cut diagonally/vertically to make triangles, sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt for crunch, and bake close together on a baking sheet covered with parchment. They rise ridiculously high when baking.

I’ve made biscuits for years but never put sugar in the recipe and don’t want to now. I read recently about using Lily flour since it’s softer wheat. And it does seem to make a very nice biscuit that rises well and is very flaky.