By The recipe Saturday was a homemade buttermilk biscuit mix — four cups of flour, two tablespoons of baking powder, a teaspoon of salt, a stick of cold butter cut in, plus a tablespoon of dried buttermilk powder for shelf stability. Stored in a jar, makes four batches of biscuits as needed. Mrs. Tilford had asked for the recipe; I gave her a printed copy with the cost-per-batch math at the bottom ($0.30 per batch).
The recipe is below.
Buttermilk Biscuit Mix
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 22 min | Servings: 12 biscuits
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 1/2 cups cold buttermilk (plus more as needed)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing
Instructions
- Make the dry mix. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl until evenly combined. This dry mix can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 6 weeks — make a double or triple batch so you’re always ready.
- Cut in the butter. When you’re ready to bake, work the cold butter cubes into the dry mix using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter throughout. Cold butter is the secret to flaky layers — don’t rush this step.
- Add the buttermilk. Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir gently with a fork just until the dough comes together. It should be shaggy and slightly sticky — do not overwork it or the biscuits will be tough.
- Shape the biscuits. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat (don’t roll) to about 3/4-inch thickness. Fold the dough over itself once or twice for extra layers, then pat back to 3/4 inch. Cut with a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter, pressing straight down without twisting.
- Arrange and bake. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet with sides just touching for soft edges, or spaced apart for crispier sides. Brush tops with melted butter. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden on top and cooked through.
- Brush and serve. Brush biscuits with another pass of melted butter straight out of the oven. Serve warm — in a Tupperware if you’re driving them to the hospital, or straight off the pan if you’re lucky enough to be home.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 230 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 29g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 310mg