Amish Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
These Amish fluffy homemade biscuits are absolutely the Best! Just ask my kids. It took me a while before I found a biscuit recipe that I loved. But once I mastered these, I knew I finally had the perfect Amish biscuit recipe.
They are just so good, especially freshly baked. And these buttermilk biscuits never last long at my house. I can make a pile of them, but they are gone very quickly.
I make Amish biscuits a lot, especially in the winter. They are the perfect addition to any meal and go especially well with soup or beef stew.
Ingredients
- Flour (all-purpose): The primary dry ingredient in the biscuit dough. Flour provides structure and forms the base of the biscuits. All-purpose flour is versatile and produces tender biscuits with a good crumb.
- Baking Soda: Acts as a leavening agent in combination with the buttermilk's acidity. It helps the biscuits rise and contributes to their light and fluffy texture.
- Baking Powder: Another leavening agent that helps the biscuits rise. Baking powder reacts with the acidic components in the buttermilk and adds lift to the dough, resulting in a soft and airy texture.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor and helps to strengthen the gluten structure, contributing to the biscuits' texture.
- Sugar: Adds a hint of sweetness to the biscuits. While not a significant amount, sugar can enhance the overall flavor profile by complementing the other ingredients.
- Cold Butter: Adds richness, flavor, and moisture to the biscuits. The cold butter is cut into small pieces in the flour mixture. As the biscuits bake, the butter melts and creates pockets of steam, resulting in a flaky texture.
- Buttermilk: Provides moisture, flavor, and acidity to the biscuit dough. Buttermilk adds tenderness to the biscuits and reacts with the baking soda and baking powder to help them rise. Its acidity also contributes to the biscuits' tangy flavor profile.
Each ingredient helps to create tender, flaky buttermilk biscuits. The combination of flour, leavening agents, butter, and buttermilk results in biscuits with a delicate crumb and rich flavor.
How to Make Amish Fluffy Homemade Biscuits
Measure dry ingredients into a bowl. Cut cold butter into chunks and add to dry ingredients.
Using a pastry blender (affiliate link), or butter knives if you don't have a blender, cut butter until crumbly. It's okay if there are still small pea-sized pebbles remaining.
For years, I used my hands to crumble the butter because I didn't think spending money on a pastry blender was necessary. But I finally decided to buy one, and now I don't want to be without it. It really is a convenient tool for making biscuits, scones, pie dough, or any kind of pastry.
Do Not Overmix Biscuit Dough
After the butter is crumbled into the flour mixture, make a well in the center and add the buttermilk.
Now the secret to making fluffy Amish biscuits is to not mix more than you have to. Gently stir a bit to moisten. Then get in there with your hands. 🙂 It is messy, but you want to gently mix and squeeze together only until everything is moistened and sticks together.
Put a thin layer of flour in a circle on your countertop and place the dough on top, gently pressing it out. Sprinkle flour on top as needed. You can roll it out with a rolling pin if you desire.
I don't want to mess with this dough more than necessary. So I just press it into a nice circle with my hands leaving it about one to one and a fourth inches thick. It doesn't have to look perfect.
Cutting Old-fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits
Now you are ready to cut out your circles. If you don't have a biscuit cutter (affiliate link), you can just use a cup or any round object about the size you want. You may have to dip it in flour to keep the dough from sticking.
Try to make a clean cut and refrain from twisting as you're cutting.
After you've cut out all the biscuits that you could fit, shake off the extra flour and gently squeeze the remaining pieces back together into another circle. And just keep cutting biscuits until the dough is gone.
Making Tall Biscuits
Place the biscuits onto a greased cookie sheet or cake pan. If you want taller biscuits place them almost touching one another so that they will rise instead of spreading out.
Bake at 450 degrees on the top oven rack for 11-14 minutes. I like mine nice and golden on top.
I always make a double batch of these old-fashioned buttermilk biscuits for my family of six because everyone loves them so much!
Don't give up if they don't turn out perfect the first time. Getting a perfect pastry can take some practice. But it is well worth the effort when you succeed!
Buttermilk Substitute
Commercial buttermilk (store-bought) makes the best biscuits. However, I don't always keep buttermilk in my refrigerator, so I substitute it with homemade.
If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, put 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar into your cup and fill it with whole milk (you can use 2%, but whole milk works best). Let this sit for a few minutes, it will thicken and work like buttermilk.
If you buy buttermilk, I have more great recipes using it, such as buttermilk pancakes and delicious buttermilk cookies.
Old-fashioned Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
Frequently I'll make sausage gravy and biscuits because my family loves this for breakfast. I don't cook breakfast every day as many Amish women do, and most of the time everyone is responsible for getting their own breakfast.
But years ago we started a tradition, where I cook a large breakfast on Saturday mornings. Actually, it would be more of a brunch meal because Saturday mornings are good for sleeping in. But these Amish fluffy homemade biscuits and sausage gravy have found their way to our table quite often on Saturday mornings.
For the last number of months, I have been working on Saturdays, and I miss not being at home with my family for our Saturday morning brunch.
So my husband has taken over doing the cooking on Saturday morning, and he tends to stick to the few dishes he has mastered. I give him credit for trying to make biscuits and gravy once, but he may need a few tips on getting the biscuits fluffy.
More Amish Bread Recipes
I hope you get to try this homemade buttermilk biscuits recipe, they're so fluffy and delicious! If you try this Amish recipe, I'd love to hear from you in the comments below. Thank you!
Amish Fluffy Homemade Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 c. flour I use all purpose
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1 Tbs. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 6 Tbs. cold butter
- 1 scant c. buttermilk
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients in large bowl.2 c. flour, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, 1 Tbs. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. sugar
- Slice butter into chunks and cut in until crumbly.6 Tbs. cold butter
- Add buttermilk.1 scant c. buttermilk
- Gently mix until everything is moistened and combined. Do not overmix.
- Place dough onto a floured surface, and roll or pat into a circle about 1 inch thick.
- Cut circles with biscuit cutter or cup.
- Place on greased cookie sheet with the sides touching.
- Bake at 450° for 12 - 14 minutes. They're yummy when browned on the top.
Sandy
This is the way I have been baking biscuits for years. Watched my grandma for years make these. Try adding cheddar cheese. They are awesome.
Anna
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Abc 123
Have Been making buttermilk biscuits from scratch for a while, no store boughten in over a year, I'm a big fan of biscuits and gravy, I like how these turned out flakey crunchy on top and bottom. This recipe is my favorite so far. Thank you for sharing with our kitchen
Anna
I'm glad you enjoyed them!
sue
What is a scant c of buttermilk?
Anna
A scant cup simply means that you may need just a little less than a full cup. In other words, don't fill the cup completely full to the very top (just shy of a full cup).
Sharon Grier
Great recipe! Biscuits are big and fluffy. I used lactaid 2% milk with 2 tbsp of white distilled vinegar to thicken. And the taste is scrumptious. Thank you for sharing.
Anna
Glad you enjoyed them!
Ed M
Hi, haven't tried these yet. I've been wanting to make something like this though. Glad to have found it.
Regarding buttermilk substitution, I wondered if using yogurt would work. Not a full cup of it, but say, the ¼ cup I have left in the fridge, and add 2% milk (bcuz that's what we have now) for the rest of the volume. I can blend them together seamlessly, I'm pretty good at that. You made it easier with the note about using an acid. I'm still curious. Thoughts?
Anna
You could try it. But personally, since you're using only 1/4 c., I would still add some lemon juice so that it curdles and thickens. Although I'm sure they'd turn out fine without the lemon juice too. But if it's too thin, don't add quite as much milk.
Diana Rosario
Thanks for the recipe, this biscuit can be stored?
Anna
Homemade biscuits are the best when warm and fresh. But yes, you can store them (tightly covered) at room temperature for at least 2-3 days. Refrigerate for up to a week (when ready to enjoy, pop it into the microwave for about 10-15 seconds to warm it up again.)
Clara
Delicious.