Our Step-by-Step Guide to Making Homemade Biscuits

Buttery, flaky homemade biscuits are the perfect comfort food. Making a big batch is easy with our step-by-step instructions. Once you know how to make biscuits, try our quick flavor variations like Greek and bacon-blue cheese.

Step 1: Gather the Ingredients

What You Need:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 cup butter or 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup milk
  

Step 2: Mix the Dough

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add milk all at once. Using a fork, stir just until mixture is moistened.

Related: Sweet Potato Biscuit Sandwiches with Ham and Red-Eye Gravy

Step 3: Knead the Dough

• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough by folding and gently pressing it for four to six strokes or just until dough holds together.
• Pat or lightly roll dough until 3/4 inch thick.

Related: Daddy's Biscuits by Trisha Yearwood

Step 4: Cut and Bake

• Cut dough with a floured 2-1/2 inch biscuit cutter; reroll scraps as necessary, and dip cutter into flour between cuts.
• Place dough circles 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. If desired, brush with additional milk. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove biscuits from baking sheet and serve warm.

Related: Flaky Biscuits

Try These Variations!

• Greek: Stir 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1/3 cup chopped Kalamata olives, and 1/3 cup snipped dried tomatoes (not oil-packed) into flour mixture.
• Chile Cheese: Stir 2 tablespoons chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and 1 cup shredded cheese into the milk.
• Cheddar and Prosciutto: Stir 3/4 cup shredded white cheddar, 1/3 cup sliced green onions, and 2 tablespoons chopped prosciutto into flour mixture.
• Garlic and Herb: Stir 3 to 4 cloves minced roasted garlic and 1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme into the milk.
• Bacon and Blue Cheese: Stir 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese and 2 slices crumbled cooked bacon into flour mixture.
• Pepper-Parmesan: Stir 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese and 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper into flour mixture. Sprinkle cut biscuits with Parmesan.
• Chocolate Chip-Orange: Stir 1/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate pieces and 2 teaspoons shredded orange peel into flour. Sprinkle cut biscuits with sugar.
• Cinnamon and Raisin: Use 2 tablespoons sugar in biscuits. Stir 1/3 cup raisins and 1 teaspoon cinnamon into flour mixture. Sprinkle cut biscuits with cinnamon-sugar.

Related: Blueberry Cream Biscuits with Blueberry Sauce