Small Batch Buttermilk Biscuits for Two

This Small Batch Buttermilk Biscuits recipe is super easy to follow and makes 4 to 6 of the most delicious, buttery and flaky biscuits you'll ever taste!

Even though all of our daughters have long left the nest, I still struggle to make just enough food for two. I'm constantly trying to encourage The Boy (my husband) to eat just one more serving. I end up taking leftovers to the neighbors, my in-laws, and yes - even my daughters. I realize I need to start making small batch recipes of my favorite foods, starting with my favorite - biscuits!

Biscuits are that craveable bread that you want all the time, but you don't always need to make a big batch of them. This small batch biscuit recipe makes just 4 to 6 biscuits, and they're ready in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Not only do you probably have all the ingredients right now, you don't need that much of them. I mean, it's only a cup of flour!

See recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions

Here are few easy ingredient substitutions, should you need them.

• Buttermilk - If you don't have access to buttermilk you can make your own, "in a pinch", substitute. For the ⅓ cup of buttermilk needed in this recipe, place 1 teaspoons of lemon juice or vinegar in a measuring cup. Add enough whole milk to add up to ⅓ cup or 90 grams. Stir, then let stand for 5 minutes, until it looks thick and curdled.
  
  Alternatively, you can replace the buttermilk with yogurt, either plain or Greek. Because of the thickness of yogurt, you'll need more of it than you would buttermilk, to properly hydrate the flour. Replace ⅓ cup of buttermilk with ½ cup of yogurt.
  
  Check out my Easy Yogurt Biscuits for all the details! You can use the .5X button on the recipe card to make it a small batch.
  
• Sugar - The sugar is not here to add sweetness to the biscuits. It contributes to the tenderness on the inside and the browning on the outside of the biscuit. You can omit this if you want and they'll still be delicious.
  
• Egg - I prefer to brush all of my pastries with an egg wash. I find that the milk solids in butter, buttermilk, milk, and cream have a tendency to burn. If you don't want to use an egg, you can still brush the tops with dairy. Just keep an eye on them and remove before they burn.

Variations

As delicious as they are, you are in no way restricted to plain biscuits. Try these fun variations!

• Cheddar - Toss ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese with your flour/butter mixture, before adding the buttermilk. Bake as directed.
• Black pepper and romano - Toss 2 tablespoons romano cheese and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper with your flour/butter mixture, before adding the buttermilk. Bake as directed.
• Make it sweet - For a sweet biscuit, try increasing your sugar to 2 tablespoons and topping your biscuits with coarse sugar before baking as directed. Makes a delicious shortcake situation!
• Go fruity - My Strawberry Biscuits are perfect for small batching!

Instructions

In my opinion, biscuits are the perfect bread. With their fluffy and buttery insides, they are simply the best, and using my cut and stack technique will get you the flaky layers of your dreams!

Mixing the dough

1a. Mix together the flour, baking powder and baking soda, sugar, and salt.

1b. Add in cold butter cut into cubes.

1c. Using a "finger snapping" motion, cut the butter into the flour.

1d. You should end up with small and larger bits of butter, along with thin flat pieces.

1e. Add buttermilk to the flour and butter mixture.

1f. Mix together to a shaggy dough, with dry floury bits at the bottom of the bowl. Don't worry, it will all combine in the next steps.

1g. Dump the shaggy dough out onto a lightly floured counter.

1h. Using your hands, press the dough into a rough square.

Cut & Stack

2a. Using a bench scraper, or sharp knife, cut the dough into four pieces.

2b. Stack the dough quarters on top of each other and press down, forming another square. Repeat 1 more time.

2c. Press or roll out to ½ inch thickness.

2d. Using a 2 inch biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut out biscuits. Place on a parchment paper lined small sheet pan. Put into the freezer while you preheat the oven to 450°F.

Baking

3a. Remove biscuits from freezer. Brush tops with egg wash.

2b. Sprinkle tops with flaky salt, if desired. Bake at 450°F for 14 to 16 minutes, or until golden brown.

Alternatively, you can cut your biscuit dough into four larger biscuits and bake them on a sheet pan, or in a small cast iron skillet.

Recipe FAQ's