Step 1: Prep Your Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it. Cut your butter into small cubes and return it to the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it—keeping it cold is crucial! Make sure your buttermilk is also cold. Having everything ice-cold is the secret to flaky biscuits.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. This ensures the leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which means even rise and consistent texture in your biscuits.

Step 3: Cut in the Butter

Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, a fork, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. This is THE most important step! Those visible butter pieces will create steam pockets during baking that make your biscuits flaky. Don’t overwork it—you want to see butter pieces, not a uniform sandy texture. Work quickly so your hands don’t warm the butter. If the butter starts getting soft, pop the whole bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Add the Buttermilk

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the cold buttermilk all at once. Using a fork or wooden spoon, stir gently just until the dough comes together. The dough will look shaggy and slightly sticky—that’s perfect! Do not overmix. Overmixing develops gluten and creates tough biscuits. A few flour streaks are fine. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky but manageable.

Step 5: Knead Gently

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, gently pat or fold the dough over itself 3-4 times. This creates layers without overworking the dough. Don’t knead it like bread dough—you’re just bringing it together and creating a few layers. The dough should hold together but still look a bit rough and rustic.

Step 6: Roll and Cut

Pat or gently roll the dough into a rectangle or circle about ¾ to 1 inch thick. Don’t roll it thinner or your biscuits will be flat! For the tallest biscuits, make it a full inch thick. Using a 2½ to 3-inch biscuit cutter (or drinking glass dipped in flour), cut straight down without twisting—twisting seals the edges and prevents rise. Cut biscuits as close together as possible to minimize scraps. Gather scraps gently, pat together (don’t re-roll with a rolling pin), and cut remaining biscuits. Note that second-cut biscuits won’t be quite as fluffy as first cuts.

Step 7: Arrange and Brush

Place biscuits on your prepared baking sheet. For soft-sided biscuits, place them touching each other. For crispy-sided biscuits, space them about 1 inch apart. Brush the tops generously with melted butter—this creates that gorgeous golden color and adds flavor.

Step 8: Bake

Bake in the preheated 450°F oven for 10-12 minutes until the tops are golden brown. The high temperature creates steam quickly, which helps the biscuits rise dramatically. Don’t open the oven door during baking—you’ll release heat and steam. The biscuits are done when tops are golden and they’ve risen tall. Remove from oven and brush with additional melted butter if desired. Serve immediately while warm!