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Trusted for the last 40 years, this easy Homemade Biscuit recipe requires just 3 ingredients. Whip up a batch of homemade biscuits for a dinner side dish, shortcake-starter, or as the base of a breakfast entree.
When someone makes biscuits for 40 years, you know the recipe is a keeper.
Sometimes that person is your mom or your grandma, and sometimes that person is your culinary school BFF’s mother (thank you, Barbie!).
It doesn’t matter who it is. What matters is that you get your hands on that recipe, and I have the tricks for these time-honored biscuits here.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Self-rising flour: If you can’t find this or don’t want to invest in a special flour just for baking, make your own self-rising flour. In a bowl, stir together 2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 tablespoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cold butter: “Cold” is key. As the butter melts in the oven when the biscuits bake, it creates steam that yields a flaky, tender crumb. If preferred, you could use cold shortening instead.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups self-rising flour and ½ cup cold butter (cut into small cubes). Using a pastry cutter, a fork, or 2 knives, cut in butter until a coarse meal develops and butter is evenly distributed.
- Add 6 tablespoons milk and stir until a soft dough forms. If the dough is sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If dough is dry, add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 20 seconds. If the dough becomes sticky at any point, add a dusting of flour.
- Roll out to 1/2-inch thick and cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Press together the uncut dough and continue rolling and cutting biscuits.
- Bake until lightly golden brown on top and fragrant, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 12 flaky biscuits. You can absolutely cut the recipe in half for a small batch of 6, or double the recipe to make 24.
- Storage: Place any extra biscuits in an airtight container or a zip-top storage bag. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Make ahead: Instead of baking then freezing biscuits, try mixing the dough, cutting into rounds, then freeze the unbaked biscuits individually on a tray or baking sheet for quick carbs any day of the week. Once frozen solid, transfer the biscuits to a freezer-safe container or a zip-top storage bag and freeze for up to a month. When you’re ready, place the prepared frozen biscuits on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Cook at 450 degrees for 13 to 17 minutes.
Put your biscuits to work
Breakfast Recipes
Biscuits and Gravy
Soup and Stew Recipes
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Fruit Dessert Recipes
Strawberry Shortcake
Chicken and Turkey Recipes
Turkey à la King
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3-Ingredient Homemade Biscuits
Trusted for the last 40 years, this easy homemade biscuit recipe requires just 3 ingredients. Whip up a batch of homemade biscuits for a dinner side dish, shortcake-starter, or as the base of a breakfast entree.
Equipment
- Pastry Cutter (this makes cutting butter so much easier)
Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising flour (see notes)
- 1/2 cup butter cold, cut into pea-sized cubes
- 6 tablespoons milk plus more, if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large bowl, combine flour and butter. Using a pastry cutter, a fork, or 2 knives, cut in butter until a coarse meal develops and butter is evenly distributed.
- Add milk and stir until a soft dough forms. If the dough is sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is dry, add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 20 seconds, adding flour if the dough becomes sticky.
- Roll out to 1/2-inch thick and cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Press together the uncut dough and continue rolling and cutting biscuits.
- Bake until lightly golden brown on top and fragrant, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Self-rising flour: If you can’t find this or don’t want to invest in a special flour just for baking, make your own self-rising flour. In a bowl, stir together 2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 tablespoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cold butter: “Cold” is key. As the butter melts in the oven when the biscuits bake, it creates steam that yields a flaky, tender crumb. If preferred, you could use cold shortening instead.
- Yield: This recipe makes 12 flaky biscuits. You can absolutely double the ingredients called for in this homemade biscuit recipe to bake 24 biscuits, or triple for 36.
- Storage: If you’re lucky enough to have them, place any extra biscuits in an airtight container or a zip-top storage bag. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Make ahead: Instead of baking then freezing biscuits, try mixing the dough, cutting into rounds, then freeze the unbaked biscuits individually on a tray or baking sheet for quick carbs any day of the week. Once frozen solid, transfer the biscuits to a freezer-safe container or a zip-top storage bag and freeze for up to a month. When you’re ready, place the prepared frozen biscuits on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Cook at 450 degrees for 13 to 17 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1biscuitCalories: 148kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 64mgPotassium: 34mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 249IUCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Great recipe. Not super flavorful. However does the trick in a pinch without baking powder. Thanks for the recipe! Made homemade gravy to go with it!
Megan,
There is still an error in this recipe. The amount of mild that is required is incorrect. You list 6 Tablespoons of milk but when you switch to metric, is indicates 183 ml of milk which is 12.2 Tablespoons of milk. I made this recipe last night and started with the US Customary amount of 6 Tablespoons and this amount was not even close. I added another 5 Tablespoons of milk in order to get it to the proper dough consistency. I believe that the proper amount of milk required for this recipe is, indeed, 10 – 11 Tablespoons of Milk. Other than that, these biscuits came out GREAT. Very flavorful with a good rise and very moist.
Hi Greg, thank you for the feedback. I’ll look into it. Thank you again and take care! – Meggan
Mine came out too stiff and dry. We are in Florida and it may make a difference. I had to add Tablespoon after Tablespoon more milk. Finally it was a soft dough. Sticky but pliable. I kneaded it and popped it into a 450 degree oven as directed and the biscuits were great.
Hi Aurliee, possibly! I’m glad they turned out great! – Meggan
I made these last night and had to use about 11 Tablespoons of Milk. If you use the toggle switch in the online version and change it from US Customary to Metric, you will see that it calls for 183 ml of milk which translates to 12.2 Tablespoons. I did find that this was a little too much. It came out to about 11 Tablespoons of milk to make the dough the proper consistency.
I didn’t have milk so I had to use Caramel Almond Milk Coffee creamer. I also didn’t have parchment paper or rubber mat so I put olive oil on my cookie sheet. Despite these substitutions, these were so easy to make and they taste delicious. I’ll definitely make these again. I can’t wait to taste how they come out with real milk! Thank you for the recipe.
You’re so welcome, Deborah! I’m so happy they worked out! I was worried as I began reading your comment. I hope you love them when you try it again! – Meggan
Definitely 5 star rating!!❤️
Thank you, Ronda! – Meggan
The easiest best homemade biscuits ever!! Thank you!!
I am not a baker per se, but I made these simple biscuits and they were divine!!! My husband really raved and I thought they were delicious and oh so easy!! Thank you for my new “go to” recipe!
I’m so glad you and your husband loved these, Sandy! Take care! – Meggan