Brown Butter Biscuits

Buttery, flaky, browned butter biscuits only take 30 minutes to make from start to finish!

If you’re looking for a quick, easy, old-fashioned biscuit recipe – look no further.  This flaky, tender biscuit recipe is one of the first recipes I made up myself years ago and has been in our regular recipe rotation since.   It takes just a couple of minutes to throw this easy dough together and only 15 minutes to bake.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• If you’re into sourdough, I’ve got a sourdough version of this recipe that is just as quick and delicious – but you’ll love this original brown butter biscuits recipe and all the flaky layers.
• This biscuit dough is SO versatile.  I use it to make dumplings, cinnamon rolls, and so many more fun twists on baked creations!
• This delicious biscuit recipe is super buttery and full of flaky layers just like the biscuits you’d buy in a can at the store – but way better and better for you!

Spend the day with me in my homestead kitchen as I await the arrival of our fifth baby and make these biscuits with smoked sausage gravy – my favorite way to have biscuits!

What You’ll Need

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup cold, unsalted butter
• 1 whole egg
• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tablespoons butter for the skillet

TOOLS

• a large bowl & cheese grater or pastry cutter for the butter
• OR a food processor
• biscuit cutter or bench scraper
• cast iron skillet or 9×13-inch baking dish lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat

Step-By-Step Instructions

Preheat a standard cast iron skillet on the stove or in the oven at 425F

MAKE THE BISCUIT DOUGH

Add the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder to a mixing bowl or bowl of a food processor and mix to combine.  Grate/cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients.  Add the egg and milk – then stir until the wet ingredients are combined with the butter and flour mixture in a shaggy dough.

SHAPE AND CUT THE BISCUITS

Turn the biscuits out onto a lightly floured surface and fold the dough over onto itself until the dough sticks together in one piece.  Then, flatten the biscuit dough with your hand or a rolling pin into a thick rectangle and tri-fold the dough.  Then flatten it out and tri-fold it again.  Repeat this flattening and folding process 5-6 times.  Never knead the dough, just flatten and fold it -this technique is what will give you flaky biscuits with lots of layers. 

Flatten or roll the biscuit dough out into a thick rectangle and use a biscuit cutter or bench scraper to cut the biscuits.

BAKE THE BISCUITS

Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the hot skillet (don’t skip this step!  This bit of butter is the key ingredient for brown butter bottoms on your biscuits) and return it to the preheated oven for a few minutes until the butter is a medium-brown color.  

Once the butter is browned, make sure to spread it around to cover the entire surface of the skillet, then add the cut biscuits and bake at 425 for 15-18 minutes until the tops just start to turn golden brown.

Serve immediately or store for later.

FAQ

Can I brown the butter I use in the biscuit dough as well?

• Yes, if you really want to improve the flavor profile of these biscuits, brown the 3/4 cup butter before adding it to the biscuit dough.  This will add a significant amount of time to this recipe because the butter will need to be browned in a medium saucepan on medium heat until it’s golden brown and you can see brown milk solids in the bottom of the pan.  Then, transfer the browned butter with the browned bits of milk solids to a small bowl, cover, and place butter in the fridge to cool and solidify before grating or cubing into the biscuit dough.  Once the butter is solid and cold, prepare the recipe according to the instructions in the recipe card.

Can I make brown butter biscuits in advance?

• Yes, you can make these homemade biscuits in advance.  Just prepare the dough the night before baking, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight, and then bake the next morning.

Tips

Use cold ingredients: Make sure the butter and milk are cold. Cold ingredients help create a flaky texture by keeping the butter from melting too quickly before the biscuits go into the oven.

Handle the dough gently: Overworking the dough can lead to tough biscuits. Mix the dough just until it comes together and is shaggy, and handle it as little as possible when shaping or cutting if you want tender biscuits.

Don’t overmix or knead: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until the dough starts to come together. Overmixing can develop gluten, resulting in tough, bread-like biscuits.

Use a sharp cutter: When cutting out the biscuits, use a sharp biscuit cutter or bench scraper. Press straight down without twisting to ensure the biscuits rise high and evenly.

Place biscuits close together: Placing the biscuits close together on the baking sheet helps them rise taller rather than spreading out. This creates more tender biscuits.

Storage

Homemade biscuits can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days.  Be sure to let them cool completely before storing them in plastic wrap or an airtight container to avoid moisture building up.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and freeze for up to 3 months.

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