This Easy Southern Biscuits and Gravy recipe is proof that you don't need a long list of ingredients to make a hearty homemade breakfast. It's a back-pocket recipe that relies on pantry staples that would make any Southern grandma proud.
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With just three main ingredients, self-rising flour, butter, and milk, you can have tender Southern-Style Biscuits and Country Gravy on the table in under 30 minutes. Whether you're feeding a crowd or just want a cozy brunch for two, this three ingredient recipe is a go-to classic for busy mornings, lazy weekends, and everything in between.
The idea for this recipe started with the base of my simple homemade biscuits and my creamy country gravy, but I wanted to find a way to simplify by bringing those two together. I experimented with making the gravy with the self-rising flour I keep on hand for breakfast favorites like my Grandma's cream biscuits and making my easy bagels. To say I was amazed at the results would be an understatement. Grandma would be proud!
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What You'll Learn in This Blog Post
- Why self-rising flour is the ultimate Southern shortcut.
- How to prep ahead for even quicker mornings.
- The three-ingredient method for ultra-creamy country gravy (aka sawmill gravy).
- Tips for making the best biscuits with the fewest tools (so much better than store-bought biscuits!)
- How to serve this classic breakfast of biscuits and gravy for brunch with style.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Three simple ingredients - Just self-rising flour, butter, and milk for both the biscuits and the gravy.
- Southern shortcut - Inspired by my Southern grandma who rarely kept more than one flour in her cupboard.
- Make-ahead friendly - You can prep the biscuit mix the night before, for a super chill morning.
- Budget-friendly - No fancy ingredients or special tools needed.
- Comfort food classic - Buttery biscuits and peppery gravy have been one of my favorite comfort foods my whole life!
Ingredients & Substitutions
The photo below shows everything you need to make both the biscuits and the gravy. Try not to get confused.
For the Biscuits:
- Self-rising flour - This is the key to keeping the ingredient list short. Southern Grandmas rarely kept multiple types of flour, and self-rising was often the only kind in their pantry. If you don't have access to self-rising flour you can make your own with 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt per cup of flour needed in the recipe.
- Unsalted butter - Cold and cubed or grated. Salted butter works, but your biscuits may be just slightly more salty.
- Milk - Whole milk makes the biscuits tender and almost everyone has it on hand. If you don't use whole milk you can use low-fat or you can even use your favorite plant based milk. I wouldn't recommend a fat-free milk because the biscuits and the gravy will both lack that rich flavor you're looking for.
For the gravy:
- Butter - Used to create a roux with the flour.
- Self-rising flour - Yes, even for the gravy! The small amount of leavening doesn't affect the final result.
- Milk - For that silky, creamy consistency.
- 📝 Optional but recommended: More kosher salt and some freshly cracked black pepper. Just like in any good cooking competition, salt and pepper are considered free ingredients, so they don't count against me in my three ingredient total 🤪
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Variations
This recipe is a skimpy-pantry dream, but that doesn't mean you can't dress it up. Here are a few delicious ways to take your biscuits and gravy to the next level:
- Add breakfast sausage to the gravy - Brown ½ pound of your favorite breakfast sausage in the skillet before making the roux. Once the sausage is cooked, sprinkle in the flour and proceed with the recipe as written.
- Make cheesy biscuits - Before adding the milk, stir 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or pepper jack for a little kick) into your flour-butter mixture. Or check out my cheddar bay biscuit recipe for how to add flavor to the dough and for a melted butter situation on top!
- Add herbs to the biscuit dough - Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh chives, rosemary, or thyme before mixing in the milk.
Cynthia's Recipe Review
This recipe is one of those "how is this so easy?" wins that I come back to over and over. The biscuits are tender and fluffy with a golden top, and the gravy is thick, creamy, and perfectly peppery!
Quick Recipe Video
Step-by-Step Instructions
Although I will always be a biscuits and sausage gravy girl, this is a great go-to when The Boy gets called into work early and I want to get something nourishing into him fast before a long shift in the emergency room. It just doesn't get any easier!
Step 1: Prep the biscuit mix
In a large bowl, combine self-rising flour and cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter, fork, or clean hands to cut the butter into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs.
Optional: Store this mixture covered in the fridge overnight.
Step 2: Mix biscuits
Add cold milk to the flour-butter mix and stir until just combined.
Step 3: Gently work the dough
Turn out onto a floured surface and, fold the dough over onto itself a few times until it comes together, and then gently pat into a ½ to 1-inch thick rectangle.
Step 4: Cut and chill
Use a biscuit cutter or a sharp knife to cut into biscuits, rerolling scraps to make as many biscuits as you can. Place on a parchment paper lined large sheet pan and pop them into the freezer or refrigerator for 15 minutes while we preheat the oven to 450°F. Brush with a little bit more milk just before placing in the oven.
Step 5: Bake
Bake in your preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown on top. I like to brush a little melted butter on the hot biscuits and sprinkle with a little flaky salt.
Step 6: Start the gravy
While the biscuits bake, melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1-2 minutes to form a roux.
Step 7: Add milk and simmer
Slowly pour in milk while whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, continuing to whisk, and cook until thickened. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Step 8: Serve
Split your biscuits in half, ladle the creamy country gravy over the top, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestion: I like to serve my biscuits and country gravy with my crispy skillet potatoes and my creamy scrambled eggs made with cream cheese. All the delicious things on one plate… I could swoon. Again - my Grandma would be proud!
Cynthia's Helpful Tips
- Use cold butter: It's essential for flaky biscuits. Don't go crazy and think you have to use frozen butter though, before we place the biscuits in the oven we're gonna chill them in the freezer for 15 minutes while we preheat the oven.
- Don't overwork the dough: Mix just until the flour is hydrated to avoid tough biscuits.
- No biscuit cutter? No problem. Just cut the dough into squares with a knife-less waste, less rerolling.
- Make gravy while biscuits bake: It's the ultimate time-saver and keeps everything hot and fresh.
- Salt and pepper matter: Don't skimp. Your gravy should taste boldly seasoned but balanced.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but you'll need to add 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt per cup of flour.
Yes! Store it in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of milk to loosen.
Whole milk gives the richest flavor to both your biscuits and your gravy, but 2% works fine. Avoid skim if possible.
Store biscuits in an airtight container at room temp for 1-2 days or freeze. Gravy keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Absolutely. It scales up beautifully for feeding a crowd. Just click the 2X button on the recipe card and the ingredient amount will automatically be doubled. You can also make half of this recipe by clicking the .5 X button. The more you know 💫
Did you try this recipe?
Please consider leaving a comment with a ⭐️ rating below and tell me all about it! It helps me to continue to improve my content and lets others know what you think!
I appreciate it so much!
-Cynthia
📖 Recipe
Three Ingredient Biscuits and Gravy
Ingredients
For the Biscuits
- 2 cups (240 g) self-rising flour
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter 1 stick, cold and cubed
- ¾ cup (180 g) whole milk
For the Gravy
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons (22.5 g) self-rising flour
- 2 ½ cups (600 g) whole milk
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the Biscuits
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- In a large bowl, combine self-rising flour and cold cubed butter.
- Use a pastry cutter or clean hands to work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
- To make ahead: Cover and chill this mix in the fridge overnight.
- Pour in the cold milk and stir just until combined. The dough will be shaggy and sticky.
- Turn it out onto a well-floured surface and for the dough over onto itself a few times to bring it together. Gently pat it into a ½ to 1-inch thick rectangle.
- Cut into biscuits using a biscuit cutter, rerolling scraps to get as many biscuits as you can. You can also use a floured knife to cut into squares.
- Place biscuits close to each other on the prepared baking sheet for soft sides, or spaced apart for crisp edges.
- If you have time, pop into the freezer or fridge for 15 minutes while you preheat oven to 450°F.
- Brush with a little more milk and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top. While they are baking, make your gravy.
Make the Gravy
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.
- Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in warm milk while whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer and continue whisking until thickened, about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper to taste. If gravy thickens too much, whisk in a splash of milk until you reach your desired consistency.
- Split the warm biscuits and spoon the gravy over top. Serve immediately.
Save This Recipe! 💌
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later, plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!
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