Simple 3 Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits

These simple and delicious 3 Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits are as soft and fluffy as my grandmother's cast iron biscuits. With just self rising flour, butter, and buttermilk, you can have old-fashioned Southern biscuits on your table in under 30 minutes.

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There is nothing quite like the taste of a warm, fluffy biscuit straight from the oven, and these easy 3 Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits are no exception. Made with only self-rising flour, butter, and buttermilk, they are still a warm, buttery, nostalgic bite of Southern comfort.

I usually bake on a sheet pan, and my grandmother usually made cast-iron biscuits, but whether you nestle them together for soft sides or spread them out for crispy edges, these are everything you want in a biscuit; buttery, soft, layered, and delicious. Breakfast, brunch, or as a side dish at supper - this is the easy biscuit recipe you'll turn to again and again.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Simple - Only 3 simple ingredients.
• Quick - Ready in under 30 minutes.
• Great texture - Buttery, fluffy, and layered.
• Flexible - Customizable with different fats, liquids, and even mix-ins.
• Nostalgic - A taste of home in an old-fashioned Southern biscuit.

This simple biscuit recipe delivers the comfort of homemade, Grandma-style biscuits with very little effort, making it just as perfect for a busy weekday breakfast as it is for a slow Sunday brunch.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Everything you need is shown in the photo below. Let's go over them and how they can be swapped if needed:

• Self rising flour - If you only have all-purpose flour, you can make your own self rising flour by adding 1 tablespoon of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt to every cup of flour used in the recipe.
• Butter - Cold butter gives the biscuits their signature flaky layers. My Grandma usually used shortening, sometimes lard, and occasionally bacon fat. I doubt you'll use lard or bacon fat, but you can use all shortening or half butter and half shortening. Shortening makes the biscuits more tender, while butter adds more flavor.
• Buttermilk - The tang of buttermilk makes these biscuits special, but regular milk can be substituted. If using milk, you may need slightly less since it is thinner than buttermilk. You can also make yogurt biscuits if that's what you have.
• Optional finishes - An egg wash, made from one egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of water, gives the tops a golden shine, and brushing or rubbing butter on the hot biscuits right out of the oven makes them irresistible.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Variations

I think these are the perfect homemade buttermilk biscuits just as they are, but I for one have a hard time not playing with my food from time to time. Here are a few ideas:

• Use all shortening instead of butter for a softer biscuit.
• Add shredded cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of chives for a savory twist.
• Brush the tops with honey butter for a touch of sweetness.

Equipment

No special equipment required. All you need is a bowl and something to stir with. I have made these biscuits using nothing more than a big mixing bowl and a fork. If you want, you can use a pastry cutter, or your food processor, to work in the butter, but your fingers work just as well. The only other thing you need is either a cast iron pan or a parchment paper lined sheet pan. That is it. Simple, old-fashioned, and no fuss.

Quick Recipe Video

Step-by-Step Instructions

These three ingredient biscuits are so easy to make, you may find yourself making them multiple times per week, for multiple meals per day.

• Start by preheating your oven to 450°F and either lining a large sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper or rubbing the bottom and sides of a cast-iron pan with butter.

Making biscuits

Step 1: Measure your self-rising flour into a large bowl and add grated or cold cubed butter.

Step 2: Rub the butter into the flour by making a finger snapping motion, coating all of the flour in a little bit of butter. When done it should be the texture of coarse crumbs with small pieces of butter scattered throughout.

Step 3: Add in your cold buttermilk and begin mixing.

Step 4: Finish mixing when all of the dry ingredients are just incorporated. If you have dry bits at the bottom you can add one or 2 tablespoons more of buttermilk.

Step 5: Transfer to a lightly floured surface and fold your dough over onto itself a few times until you have a cohesive dough. Roll or pat out to a rectangle about ½ to ¾ inch high.

Step 6: Use a sharp biscuit cutter, or knife, to cut out biscuits. Bring scraps together on the work surface and continue to cut out as many biscuits as you can. Place on a baking sheet and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven for to 450°F

Bake

Step 1: Brush tops of the biscuits with an egg wash, or more buttermilk, and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Rub or brush the tops of your biscuits with butter as soon as they come out of the oven.

Step 2: Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if you like.

Hot tip: I know it's super tempting to open a biscuit as soon as they came out of the oven. I've certainly done it on social media because seeing that steam come out is mesmerizing. Resist. Your biscuits are still baking as they cool. Give them 10 minutes. You can do it.

Flakier biscuits

If you want all the layers of my original flaky buttermilk biscuits, use my cut-and-stack method. Just cut your dough into quarters, stack, press down, and repeat two more times. Then cut out your biscuits as usual.

Serving Suggestion

My absolute favorite way to eat these soft and buttery biscuits is to make my small batch sausage gravy, split open a few biscuits, and pour until my heart says stop. It's creamy and savory and every bite is the perfect bite. Add a fried egg and some crispy bacon and that's the South on a plate. Dig in!

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