Pioneer Woman Buttermilk Biscuits

Pioneer Woman buttermilk biscuits turn cold butter, shortening and tangy buttermilk into golden, flaky square biscuits in 45 minutes. It's an easy homemade biscuit recipe for Sunday brunch, Thanksgiving dinner or a comfort food spread, and it's make-ahead friendly.

Freeze the cut biscuits for 15 minutes before they go in the oven, because the butter has to stay cold. Skip it and the butter melts early, so the biscuits spread out instead of rising tall.

Cutting the dough into squares and stacking it three times builds dozens of thin layers, so you get flaky biscuits without any special skill. Squares also mean no scraps to re-roll, which keeps the dough cold and the layers clean.

Pioneer Woman Buttermilk Biscuits

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: BreakfastCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Medium

Servings

16

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

18

minutes

Calories

246

kcal

Folded and stacked dough bakes into tall biscuits with a crisp golden top and soft, pull-apart layers inside. A brush of melted butter and a drizzle of honey finish them while they're still warm.

Ingredients

• 4 c. all-purpose flour
  

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  

• 4 tsp. baking powder
  

• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  

• 2 tsp. granulated sugar
  

• 12 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  

• 4 tbsp. cold shortening
  

• 1 1/2 c. buttermilk
  

• 2 tbsp. salted butter, melted
  

• Honey, for serving
  

Directions

• Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 425°F, then line a baking sheet with parchment paper. That way the pan is ready the moment the biscuits come out of the freezer.
• Whisk the dry ingredients: Whisk 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 2 teaspoons granulated sugar in a large bowl. Whisking well spreads the leavening evenly, so every biscuit rises the same.
• Cut in the fat: Add 12 tablespoons cold cubed unsalted butter and 4 tablespoons cold shortening, then work them in with a pastry blender. Stop once the butter looks like large peas, since those chunks make the steam that lifts the layers.
• Add the buttermilk: Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in 1 1/2 cups buttermilk. Stir just until combined, because overmixing makes the biscuits tough.
• Fold and stack the dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 1/2-inch thick square. Cut it into 4 squares, stack them, and pat the dough out again.
• Repeat the layering: Repeat the cutting, stacking and rolling 2 more times. On the last round, finish the dough at 3/4 inch thick so the biscuits bake up tall.
• Cut and freeze: Use a long, sharp knife to cut 16 two-inch squares. Place them on the prepared baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart and freeze for 15 minutes.
• Bake the biscuits: Bake the frozen biscuits for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Brush the warm tops with 2 tablespoons melted salted butter, then serve with a drizzle of honey.

Tools for this recipe

• Spring Chef dough blender (pastry cutter), Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Reynolds unbleached parchment paper, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use a round cutter instead of cutting squares?

Yes, a round cutter works fine if you like the classic shape. Press straight down without twisting, since twisting seals the edges and keeps the biscuits from rising tall.

How do I store leftover biscuits?

Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. Warm them in a 350°F oven for a few minutes to bring back the crisp edges, because the microwave makes them soft.

Can I make the biscuits ahead of time?

You can cut the biscuits and freeze them on the baking sheet until solid, then bake them straight from frozen. They're already meant to bake from frozen, so you may need a minute or two more in the oven.

Can I make these without a pastry blender?

Yes, a box grater or your fingertips will do the same job. Work quickly so the butter stays cold, and stop while you can still see pea-sized pieces.

Why didn't my biscuits rise very high?

The most common cause is butter that warmed up before baking, so skipping the freeze is the usual mistake. Old baking powder or overmixed dough can flatten them too.