Amish Buttermilk Biscuits (Best Homemade Biscuit Recipe)

Amish Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

These homemade Amish buttermilk biscuits are light and fluffy with a tender crumb. They have a golden-brown, slightly crisp exterior that gives way to a soft and pillowy interior. The tangy richness of the buttermilk enhances their flavor, making them perfect for slathering with butter and honey or strawberry jam.

Amish biscuits are the perfect addition to any meal and go especially well as a side with soup or beef stew. They are also my go-to biscuits for serving with sausage gravy.

Ingredients

1. All-Purpose Flour provides structure and forms the base of the biscuits. It produces tender biscuits with a good crumb. (I use the unbleached flour.)
2. 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.
3. Baking Powder is another leavening agent that helps the biscuits rise. It reacts with the acidic components in the buttermilk and adds lift to the dough, resulting in a soft and airy texture. (I use aluminum-free baking powder.)
4. Salt enhances the flavor. (I prefer sea salt.)
5. Sugar adds a hint of sweetness. While not a significant amount, it enhances the overall flavor profile by complementing the other ingredients.
6. Cold Butter adds richness, flavor, and moisture. It is cut into small pieces in the flour mixture. As the biscuits bake, the cold butter melts and creates pockets of steam, resulting in a flaky texture. The colder the butter, the better. So you may want to freeze it for about 15 minutes before crumbling into the dough. (I use salted butter, but unsalted will work too.)
7. Buttermilk: Provides moisture, flavor, and acidity. It adds tenderness to the biscuits and reacts with the baking soda and baking powder to help them rise. Its acidity also contributes to the 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.

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.

Tip - 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 inch 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. Keep cutting biscuits until the dough is gone.

Making Tall Biscuits

Place the biscuits onto a greased cookie sheet, cake pan, or cast iron skillet. If you want taller biscuits place them touching one another so that they will rise instead of spreading out.

Bake at 450 degrees on the top oven rack for 11-15 minutes or until golden. I like mine nice and golden on top for a crispy exterior.

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, and I highly recommend using the real deal. 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, you can 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.

Another option is using 2 tablespoons of milk plus enough plain yogurt to make a cupful.

If you buy buttermilk, I have more great recipes to use up the leftovers, such as buttermilk pancakes and delicious buttermilk cookies.

Storage

If you have any leftover buttermilk biscuits, store them in an airtight bag or container at room temperature for a day or two. Refrigerate for longer storage, and reheat before serving. Approximately 30 seconds in the microwave should be good.

Can I Freeze Biscuits to Bake Later?

Yes, you can. Mix and cut the biscuits following the recipe. Place them on a baking sheet and flash-freeze them for 2 hours. Store them in an airtight freezer bag for up to 2 months.

When ready to bake, remove them from the freezer, and let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed.

More Amish Bread Recipes

• Easy White Bread
• Easy, Moist Homemade Cornbread
• Cinnamon Swirl Bread
• Quick Yeast Dinner Rolls
• Honey Oat Bread