Ina Garten’s Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe for First-Time Bakers

Buttermilk biscuits represent the ultimate comfort food that transforms ordinary meals into memorable experiences.

Southern kitchens have long celebrated these tender, flaky delights as essential accompaniments to hearty spreads.

Rich and buttery, these golden treasures emerge from ovens with a crisp exterior and impossibly soft interior.

Crafting perfect buttermilk biscuits requires precise technique and quality ingredients that blend seamlessly.

Professional and home bakers alike understand the delicate balance of mixing without overworking the dough.

Tender, light biscuits demand a gentle touch and understanding of how ingredients interact.

Warm from the oven, these golden rounds promise to elevate any meal with their irresistible charm: get ready to bake magic.

Why Buttermilk Biscuits Are Always a Hit

• Craft Flaky Perfection: These buttermilk biscuits deliver irresistibly light and crispy layers that practically melt in your mouth, creating a texture so delicate it feels like biting into a buttery cloud.
• Speedy Kitchen Magic: With just 30 minutes from start to finish, this recipe transforms simple ingredients into restaurant-quality biscuits, making it perfect for busy home cooks craving quick, impressive results.
• Versatile Comfort Classic: Whether served alongside hearty breakfast plates, tucked into weekend brunch spreads, or paired with soups and stews, these biscuits elevate any meal with their golden, salty-topped deliciousness.
• Professional Baker Techniques: Ina Garten's method of grating cold butter and using minimal mixing ensures tender biscuits with maximum flavor, bringing professional bakery skills right into your home kitchen.

What You’ll Need for Ina Garten’s Buttermilk Biscuits

• All-Purpose Flour: A key foundation for light and fluffy biscuits, provides structure and texture.
• Baking Powder: Essential leavening agent that helps biscuits rise and become airy.
• Kosher Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances the richness of the biscuits.

• Cold Grated Butter: Crucial for creating flaky layers, best when extremely cold and grated.
• Buttermilk: Adds tanginess and helps create tender, soft biscuit texture.

• Egg: Provides richness, helps bind ingredients, and creates golden brown color when used as wash.
• Flaked Sea Salt: Adds a delightful crunchy finish and enhances the biscuits' flavor profile.

How to Bake Ina Garten’s Buttermilk Biscuits

Step 1: Prepare The Oven

Warm up your oven to 220°C (fan 200°C) / 425°F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper for perfect baking.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Kosher salt

Blend these dry ingredients gently.

Step 3: Grate And Add Butter

Incorporate cold butter into the flour mixture. Grate the butter directly into the bowl and mix until just combined.

Step 4: Create Wet Mixture

• Buttermilk
• One egg

Blend these ingredients lightly with a fork.

Step 5: Form Biscuit Dough

Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.

Step 6: Knead And Shape Dough

Transfer dough onto a generously floured surface. Knead gently about 6 times. Roll out the dough to approximately 2 cm / ¾ inch thickness.

Step 7: Cut Biscuit Rounds

Use a 6 cm / 2½ inch round cutter to create biscuit shapes. Place rounds onto the prepared baking sheet. Gather remaining dough scraps, re-roll, and cut additional biscuits.

Step 8: Add Final Touches

Brush biscuit tops with remaining egg wash. Sprinkle flaked sea salt over each biscuit for extra flavor.

Step 9: Bake To Golden Perfection

Slide the baking sheet into the preheated oven. Bake for 20-22 minutes until biscuits turn golden brown and are fully cooked.

Step 10: Serve And Enjoy

Remove biscuits from oven. Serve immediately while hot and watch everyone’s eyes light up with delight.

Tips for Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

• Chill Butter Quickly: Dice butter and freeze for 10-15 minutes to ensure it's super cold and creates maximum flakiness.
• Handle Dough Gently: Use light touches when mixing and shaping to prevent developing tough gluten that makes biscuits dense.
• Create Tall Layers: Fold the dough several times to create beautiful tall layers that will rise beautifully in the oven.
• Check Freshness of Buttermilk: Use fresh buttermilk within its expiration date for the best tangy flavor and optimal rising.
• Rest Biscuits Before Baking: Let cut biscuits rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to help them maintain their shape and rise evenly.

Best Way to Store Buttermilk Biscuits

• Freeze: Seal baked biscuits in freezer-safe bags, removing excess air to prevent freezer burn. Stack them carefully with parchment paper between layers, ensuring maximum preservation for up to 2 months. Perfect for meal prepping or unexpected breakfast cravings.
• Refrigerate: Transfer cooled biscuits to an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for maximum freshness, consuming within 3 days for optimal taste and texture. Keep away from strong-smelling foods to maintain their delicate flavor profile.
• Reheat: Revive cold biscuits by wrapping them loosely in aluminum foil and warming in a preheated oven at 170°C (350°F). Sprinkle a few drops of water on the foil to prevent drying, heating for 5-10 minutes until warm and soft.

Twists You Can Try with Buttermilk Biscuits

• Herbed Haven: Fold chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, and chives into the dough for an aromatic herb-infused biscuit that pairs perfectly with roasted meats and soups.
• Cheese Champion: Mix in sharp cheddar or aged parmesan during the dry ingredient stage, creating a rich, savory biscuit with crispy cheese edges that add incredible depth of flavor.
• Whole Wheat Wonder: Replace half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a nuttier, more robust biscuit that brings added nutrition and a hearty texture to your breakfast or dinner table.
• Southern Comfort: Incorporate finely chopped cooked bacon and green onions into the dough, transforming the classic biscuit into a Southern-style crowd-pleaser that's packed with smoky, salty goodness.

Thoughts on Ina Garten’s Buttermilk Biscuits

Southern charm meets culinary artistry in Ina Garten’s buttermilk biscuits, where rustic simplicity dances with gourmet sophistication.

Crisp golden exteriors give way to tender, flaky interiors that whisper comfort and warmth.

Butter-laden layers create a sensory experience that transports diners to cozy kitchen memories.

Precise technique ensures each biscuit emerges as a perfect golden medallion, promising delightful texture and rich flavor.

Flaked sea salt adds a subtle crunch, elevating these biscuits from ordinary to extraordinary.

Companions to hearty meals or stars of elegant brunches, these biscuits invite culinary exploration – so go ahead, share this recipe, spread delicious joy, and let fellow bakers marvel at your newfound skills!

Ina Garten Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.9 from 30 reviews

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Ina Garten’s buttermilk biscuits embody Southern comfort with their flaky, golden perfection. Warm, buttery layers promise a melt-in-your-mouth experience that beckons you to savor each delightful bite of homemade goodness.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 2 cups (480 ml) all-purpose flour
• 12 tablespoons (170 grams or 1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, coarsely grated
• 1 cold extra-large egg

Leavening and Seasoning:

• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Kosher salt
• Flaked sea salt (such as Maldon)

Liquid Ingredients:

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (150 ml) cold buttermilk, shaken
• 1 extra-large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk, for egg wash

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Prepare the oven environment by heating to 220°C (fan 200°C) / 425°F and positioning a parchment-lined sheet pan for baking.
2. Combine dry ingredients in an electric mixer’s bowl, incorporating flour, baking powder, and kosher salt with precision.
3. Incorporate cold grated butter into the dry mixture using the paddle attachment, mixing on low speed until the texture becomes crumbly and integrated.
4. Create a liquid mixture by whisking buttermilk and one egg in a small measuring cup until thoroughly blended.
5. Gently fold the buttermilk-egg liquid into the flour mixture, mixing on low speed until the dough becomes just moistened and cohesive.
6. Transfer the dough onto a generously floured surface and perform a brief kneading technique, approximately 6 gentle turns to maintain delicate texture.
7. Roll the dough to a uniform thickness of 2 centimeters (¾ inch), ensuring even consistency across the surface.
8. Utilize a 6 centimeters (2½ inch) round cutter to shape biscuits, strategically placing them on the prepared sheet pan.
9. Collect remaining dough scraps, re-roll, and cut additional biscuits to minimize waste.
10. Apply a delicate egg wash across the biscuit tops, then sprinkle with flaked sea salt for enhanced flavor and visual appeal.
11. Bake the biscuits for 20 to 22 minutes, monitoring until the surfaces achieve a golden-brown coloration and the interior becomes fully cooked.
12. Serve immediately while warm to maximize flavor and texture enjoyment.

Notes

• Preserve the cold temperature of butter by removing it directly from the refrigerator, ensuring maximum flakiness in your biscuits.
• Stop mixing the dough the moment ingredients combine, preventing tough textures and maintaining a tender crumb.
• Select a razor-sharp biscuit cutter to create precise edges that guarantee beautiful rising during baking.
• Apply a generous egg wash coating for a lustrous, golden-brown exterior that looks professionally crafted.
• Transfer unbaked biscuits to the oven immediately after preparation to maintain their light and airy structure.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 biscuit (approx. 55g)
• Calories: 150
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 530mg
• Fat: 4g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 4g
• Cholesterol: 5mg