Ina Garten buttermilk biscuits use an easy trick that changes everything: grating cold butter on a box grater instead of dicing it. The shreds melt into flaky, tender layers without overworking the dough. Freeze a batch and pull them out for any weeknight side dish.
The key is keeping everything cold: butter, buttermilk, and even the egg. Warm butter blends into the flour instead of creating pockets, and those pockets are what make biscuits rise tall and flake apart.
Source: Go-To Dinners (2022)
Ina Garten Buttermilk Biscuits
Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes20
minutes235
kcalTall, golden biscuits with a crisp top from flaked sea salt and tender, pull-apart layers inside. The dough comes together in minutes using a stand mixer and needs just six quick kneads before cutting.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Kosher salt
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, coarsely grated (see note)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons cold buttermilk, shaken
1 cold extra-large egg
1 extra-large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk, for egg wash
Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon
Directions
- Prep the oven: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Place the flour, baking powder, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix only until combined.
- Add the wet ingredients: Combine all the buttermilk and one egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix just until all of the dough is moistened.
- Shape the biscuits: Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead quickly about 6 times. Roll the dough out ¾-inch thick. Cut with a 2½-inch round (not fluted) cutter and place on the prepared sheet pan.
- Egg wash and bake: (You can reroll the scraps to make one or two more biscuits.) Brush the tops with egg wash, sprinkle with flaked salt, and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the tops are browned and the biscuits are cooked through. Serve hot or warm.
FAQs
Can I make these biscuits ahead of time?
Cut them out, place on a sheet pan, and freeze until solid. Then transfer to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from frozen at 425 degrees, just add two to three extra minutes. The dough keeps in the freezer for up to a month.
How should I store leftover biscuits?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Beyond that, they dry out fast. Reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes to bring back some warmth.
What can I use instead of buttermilk?
Add a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup, then fill to the half cup plus 2 tablespoon mark with regular milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it curdles slightly. Not identical, but close enough for good results.
Do I need a stand mixer to make these?
No, but it makes the job faster. You can use a pastry cutter or two knives to work the grated butter into the flour, then stir in the wet ingredients with a fork. The main rule is the same: do not overmix the dough.
Why do biscuits sometimes come out flat?
The most common reason is warm butter. Grate the butter cold, right out of the fridge, onto parchment paper so you can move it quickly. Also avoid twisting the cutter when you stamp out the rounds, because a straight push down keeps the layers intact so they rise tall.
