You need to know how to make a good biscuit. There are tons of recipes out there but this is a lovely tasty and versatile recipe. In other words, if you can make this, it can be an accompaniment to a soup, a dish with gravy/sauce, a breakfast addition – well you get the idea.  You can also impress the heck out of friends and family – everyone loves a biscuit!

It does contain buttermilk, but don’t let that deter you. My rule is if it contains buttermilk in the title of the recipe, I recommend buying ready-made buttermilk. If buttermilk is just one of the ingredients in the list, then make your own – easy really, 1 cup milk to 1 tbsp. vinegar, let it sit for 5 minutes and voila! So you decide if you want to buy or make your own. I have other buttermilk recipes on my site, so you could always go find other uses for it – oh no, buttermilk cakes, cookies and bread recipes 🙂.

I called this versatile, check out the Substitutions and Alterations section. Learn to make these and keep this recipe handy. Then make it your own with your imagination. Just share the idea with me –I’m always looking for new ideas. As always – enjoy

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 1 tbsp. baking powder
    • 8 tbsp. butter, room temperature
    • 3/4 cup buttermilk, (always start with just under the quantity specified, add more if needed)
    • 1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 425°F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together
Cut butter into mixture until it begins to look like cornmeal – I added 1 tbsp. of za ‘atar to my dry mix at this stage
Make a well with flour mixture and slowly add milk into the middle
Knead dough with your fingers and add the buttermilk as necessary – don’t overwork the dough, but bring it together
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to desired thickness – or simply pat it into a circle, oval, square etc. 
Cut with small biscuit cutter into rounds or with a knife into squares or pie style (pictured) and place biscuits on lined tray
Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden brown
Remove from the oven and while still hot – brush with the optional butter/olive oil/seasonings

Substitutions and Alterations:

    • In a small microwaveable bowl, combine 1/4 cup butter and ¼ cup olive oil – add any seasoning mix you like i.e. Herbes de Provence, peri peri, Harissa, Za’atar – about 1 tsp. – stir to combine, microwave in 10 second bursts 3 – 4 times, let cool slightly and when biscuits come out of the oven, brush lightly with this mixture – TIP: You should actually do this every time you use a dry spice mix on meats, fish, veggies etc – just leave out the butter – or not!  Gentle heat brings out the flavors of the spices used in the mix
    • Cook 4 strips of bacon (eat one, you’re welcome :)) and crumble/chop the remaining 3 pieces. Add this as a flavoring to your biscuit dough
    • Add fresh fruit such as blue berries loosely chopped or strawberries – this may take longer in the oven to bake
    • Add chopped fresh herbs – basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary to the dough before rolling out – no extra baking time
    • Add garlic finely chopped and sautéed or better yet, roast the garlic first then add it in