Julie Clark
Updated:
Amish Biscuits with Buttermilk
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This Amish Biscuit recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes. I have three secrets for fluffy biscuits with flaky layers: buttermilk, lots of cold butter, and the “folding technique”. This recipe really does make the best biscuits with delicious buttery flavor.
About Amish Biscuits:
I love a good homemade yeast bread. Mom’s country white bread, twisted egg bread or the best dinner rolls are just a few. But when I don’t have time to work with yeast, I turn to my Amish biscuits recipe.
This is another favorite Amish recipe from the Amish Cooking, just like that delicious Amish Shortcake you’ve been loving. I’ve been making these Amish Biscuits for over 25 years, perfecting our technique as we go.
These amish buttermilk biscuits can be eaten for breakfast as a biscuits and sausage gravy. Or for dinner, alongside corn casserole and soup with ham and potatoes or beef stew. If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, heat one up in the morning and spread on butter and jam or cinnamon butter.
Enjoy! – Julie
Amish Biscuits
This Amish Biscuit recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes. I'll teach you how to make flaky layers in biscuits. I have three secrets for fluffy biscuits with flaky layers: buttermilk, lots of cold butter, and the "folding technique". This recipe really does make the best biscuits!
Servings 14
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter (very cold)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for dusting the pastry mat & dusting while rolling)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475º Fahrenheit.
- Stir together the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. If you feel the flour with your hands, you should feel the butter chunks in it. That's the texture you want so don't over mix it at this point. 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 ¼ cups cake flour, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 cup unsalted butter
- Add the buttermilk and mix just until combined. The dough will be slightly sticky. 2 cups buttermilk
- Turn the dough out onto a floured pastry mat and pat it into a horizontal rectangle that is about 1 ½ inches thick. Fold the left side of the rectangle over the right side and pat it out into a vertical rectangle. Fold the bottom half up to the top and press it out into a horizontal rectangle again. Repeat the steps above 3 times for a total of 6 folds. Be careful not to overwork the dough while you are doing this. The folding is what creates the pretty layers. Sprinkle a little flour on the layers if the dough starts getting sticky, but just pat gently and handle the dough lightly. ½ cup all-purpose flour
- After 6 folds, gently pat the dough into a rectangle that is about 1 inch thick. Use a sharp circle biscuit cutter and press down through the dough, then lift up. Alternatively, you can cut squares with a sharp knife. Do not twist the cookie cutter (or knife) or shuffle it around. Just push down, then pull straight up.
- Place biscuits on a silicone baking mat. Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 425º Fahrenheit (without opening the oven) and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.
- Allow the biscuits to sit for 2-3 minutes before serving. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- I recommend store-bought buttermilk for best results. In a pinch, make your own: mix 1 tablespoon vinegar with enough milk to make 1 cup. Let sit for 5 minutes. Using half & half or whole milk makes a thick, rich homemade buttermilk—closer to store-bought.
- Store biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature. Biscuits will last for 1-2 days at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 367mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 512IU | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 1mg
Why two kinds of flour?
Using both cake flour and all-purpose flour gives these Amish biscuits the best texture—soft and tender from the cake flour, with enough structure from the all-purpose flour to hold their shape. If you use only one type, the texture may be either too crumbly or too dense. The mix gives a perfect balance for tall, fluffy tender biscuits.
It will work with just all-purpose flour, though.
How to Make Amish Biscuits
- It’s important to mix ingredients the least amount possible. Whisk the dry ingredients together first.
- Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter. This allows the butter to get distributed throughout. Make sure the butter is COLD which helps the biscuits stay light and fluffy. The colder the ingredients are when they go in the oven, the better your biscuits will turn out. The cold butter will melt and leave pockets of flakiness.
- Mix the buttermilk in just until the ingredients are combined. Be sure not to knead the dough or over mix it.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured pastry mat and pat it into a horizontal rectangle that is about 1 ½ inches thick. Fold the left side of the rectangle over the right side and pat it out into a vertical rectangle. Fold the bottom half up to the top and press it out into a horizontal rectangle again. Repeat the steps above 3 times for a total of 6 folds. Be careful not to overwork the dough while you are doing this. The folding is what creates the pretty layers. Sprinkle a little flour on the layers if the dough starts getting sticky, but just pat gently and handle the dough lightly.
- After 6 folds, gently pat the dough into a rectangle that is about 1 inch thick. Use a sharp circle biscuit cutter and press down through the dough, then lift up. Alternatively, you can cut squares with a sharp knife. Do not twist the cookie cutter (or knife) or shuffle it around. Just push down, then pull straight up.
- Place biscuits on a silicone baking mat or parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter.
- Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 425º Fahrenheit (without opening the oven) and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.
Can you make biscuit dough ahead of time?
Because you are using baking powder and baking soda, biscuits are best if they are baked right after you mix them.
If you want to save time, mix up the dry ingredients and set aside until you’re ready to mix the Amish biscuits the rest of the way.
Why are my biscuits dry?
There are several reasons why Amish biscuits could end up dry.
- Not measuring the flour correctly. Use a scale to weigh ingredients for Amish biscuits. Or if you don’t have a scale, spoon the flour into a measuring cup, then level it with a knife. You don’t want to pack the flour into the measuring cup.
- Overworking the dough. Don’t knead this dough. Mix it just until barely blended (and still floury) then fold it as I show in the recipe video. Overworking the dough can cause tough biscuits.
- Overbaking. Baking the biscuits too long can always cause them to be dry instead of soft and tender. Biscuits are done when they reach 190–200ºF with an internal probe thermometer.
Love biscuits? Try our sourdough discard biscuits, cheddar biscuits and spinach cheese stuffed biscuits. And use some peanut butter spread on leftover biscuits!
Made these today. I didn’t have a biscuit cutter so I just used a knife and cut them into squares. They fluffed up so much, some looked like toppling towers. Kinda fun and super delicious!
I’m confused- the written recipe calls for 1&1/2 Tbsp baking powder and 1 tsp baking soda. Your video shows 1 tsp baking powder and 1&1/2 tsp baking soda. Which is correct?
A-mazing! Totally worth the 30 min! Tall, fluffy, and delicious!
White Lily flour. You’re welcome.
Wow, these biscuits turned out perfectly; they were crisp with lots of tender layers. We loved them. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe Lizzy. It was easy to follow with wonderful results. I will be making these tasty treats often. Served with clam chowder for a memorable dinner. Made for What’s on the Menu tag game. (BK)
Oooh! I think I saw a small bag of glluten-free cake flour at the grocery store. I will have to buy a bag and test out your recipe and technique! Unfortunately, my food has to be gluten free and mostly dairy free, but since I started buying organic butter (about $6 to $9 Canadian per half a pound depending on brand), I seem to have less issues with butter, except for the fact that my taste buds no longer like the taste of butter like they did 50 plus years ago. Will also have to substitute the cream … hmm… Read more »
These look great! Is cake flour necessary?
Wow. Just Wow. Tall layers of buttery deliciousness. So worth the effort over opening a “can” of refrigerated biscuits.
A friend and I make dinner for about 40-45 hungry kids at a local community center 4 notes month. We thought we’d try breakfast for supper – biscuits and gravy; sausage & bacon; scrambled eggs and fruit. We cook offsite only have an afternoon to prepare. Could we make 80-90 of these by increasing the ingredients. Or should we try to make separate batches?
Best biscuits I’ve ever made!!!!! Thank you!!!
Hi. Can you please explain what shortening is. I know my mom and grandmother used Crisco, but I haven’t used that in about 40 years. Is there an alternative? Thanks.
Buttermilk makes the best biscuits! These look so light and fluffy.
When I was little45 year+ ago my mom and dad would take us to Lancadter all the time. It was a 4 hour ride but worth to get amazing quality and freshness in there homemade foods, breadsjams and jellies and all different relishes. I have NEVER been back and wish I could go back . They had a cornrelish I’d give anything to have!! God bless each and everyone of you who are preparing all the flavors God had given to be used for strength for our bodies.
I used margarine instead of shortening and rather than cutting in using a pastry blender or two knives, blended the margarine in using “old fashioned” fingers, creating ribbons and varied sized lumps. Baked in a convection oven at 425 Degrees F for 14 ½ minutes and they are perfect. When sifting also added 1 tsp of sugar – I’ve discovered sifting will create a good rise despite my ‘heavy hand’ in handling the raw dough…..Best recipe I’ve found so far….Thanks!
As the name suggests that these are “Biscuits” and not “scones” that’s a reason why they don’t rise to the extent that scones do even though they have baking powder and baking soda with the buttermilk, but then the instructions say to roll out to 1/2 inch (1cm). If you only pat down to 1 inch (2.5cm) they’d start off being higher, therefore bake a littler higher and be more like what is known as a “scone”. My suggestion would be to make a double batch and end up with the same amount (12) of beautiful “scones” served with butter… Read more »