Self-rising flour, butter, and milk. That's all you need to make this delicious, flaky, 3-ingredient homemade biscuits recipe. Baked until golden, then generously coated in melted butter. Make a dozen with our easy recipe!
These biscuits are perfect paired with our slow cooker chicken pot pie soup or 30-minute clam chowder! If you like Red Lobster's garlic biscuits, you'll LOVE our garlic cheddar drop biscuits.
I've always LOVED biscuits, but was absolutely terrible at making them on my own. They were always flat, dense, and hard. That is, until I switched to using self-rising flour instead of all-purpose flour and butter instead of shortening. Now my biscuits turn out perfect every time and are a family favorite.
Why I Like This Recipe
- Lots of flaky layers. These biscuits give you those coveted flaky layers with minimal effort.
- 3-ingredients. I love recipes that are simple and basic but yield excellent results. These are just that.
- Buttery biscuits. What makes my biscuits SO buttery? Butter. Not only is there butter in the dough, but as soon as I pull the biscuits out of the oven, I brush butter generously over the HOT biscuits. The sizzling and crackling of the butter against the hot biscuits and pan is precisely what you want. It creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture and crust. If you want to lighten them up, you can skip the melted butter at the end. When making biscuits and sausage gravy, I skip the melted butter since the biscuits will be covered with gravy anyway.
- Versatile recipe. When strawberry season comes, these biscuits are perfect for making strawberry shortcake! If you'd like a savory biscuit, you can add a small amount of cheese, bacon, and chives to the dough before rolling the biscuits out.
What Others Are Saying
Easiest, flakiest, yummiest biscuits! My family loves them so now it’s biscuits & sausage gravy every weekend!---Michelle
These biscuits were so easy to make and they turned out fantastic!---Amy
Love the ease of this recipe. My kids loved them! Thank you.---Sheila
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Tips and Tricks
- Use self-rising flour. Self rising flour is a blend of flour, baking powder and salt. The perfect ratio, blended together, that takes the guess work out of perfectly flaky biscuits. You can make your own self-rising flour, but I prefer to buy a bag. It's inexpensive and already sifted together with the leavening agents. 3 cups will make 12 buttery biscuits when mixed with milk and butter.
- Use cold butter. Why cold butter? Can I use room temperature? NO! Cold butter is essential for flaky biscuits, just as it is for flaky pie crust. We want the butter to melt during the baking process, not before. That's what makes the biscuits flaky and layered.
- Don't twist the biscuit cutter when cutting into shapes. Cut biscuits using a 3" biscuit cutter. Press the biscuit cutter directly down and then up. No need to twist---this makes for a clean cut biscuit with level tops.
- Place biscuits close together in the pan. Don't space the biscuits out on a baking sheet. Bake them in a baking dish with taller sides, like a 9x13 glass or metal baking dish. Place the biscuits close together, and as they bake, they'll puff up nice and tall.
Ingredients
- Self-rising flour: you must use self-rising flour, all purpose flour will not work in this recipe.
- Butter: cold, salted butter is best. If you use unsalted butter, add a bit of salt (about ½ teaspoon) to the recipe.
- Milk: Buttermilk is an excellent choice as it adds great flavor and texture, but you can use whole milk, 2% or even fat-free. My go-to milk for homemade biscuits is whole milk.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make 3-Ingredient Homemade Biscuits
Step 1: Place flour and ½ cup of COLD butter (cut into small pieces) in a large mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter (pastry blender) to blend flour and butter in the large bowl until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Step 2: Add milk.
Step 3: Mix the dough using a Danish dough whisk or spoon. Dough will be thick and dense.
Step 4: Knead dough on a floured surface just until everything comes together and soft dough forms. Roll dough out ½"-¾" thick.
Step 5: Cut biscuits using a 3" biscuit cutter. Press biscuit cutter directly down and then up. No need to twist---this makes for a clean cut biscuit with level tops.
Press leftover dough together and continue to cut out biscuits. I usually get 12 (3") biscuits from one recipe when rolled out ¾" thick.
Step 6: Place biscuits in a greased 9x13" baking pan or on a greased cookie sheet. Place biscuits close together so that they are touching. This will help them rise nice and tall. Bake for 18 minutes. Tops should be golden.
Step 7: Pour ¼ cup (½ stick) of melted butter over the HOT biscuits. Let them sit in the pan for a few minutes, then remove to a rack.
Homemade Biscuit FAQs
Buttermilk is an excellent choice as it adds great flavor and texture, but you can use whole milk, 2% or even fat-free. My go-to milk for homemade biscuits is whole milk.
For 3-ingredient biscuits, you must use self-rising flour. If you don't have any on hand, you can make your own using 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
This recipe makes 12 biscuits. They reheat beautifully in the microwave for a few seconds. Serve with butter, honey, or jam!
More Pastry Recipes To Make
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Buttery 3 Ingredient Biscuits
Ingredients
- 3 cup self rising flour
- ¾ cup butter divided (1 stick COLD, ½ stick melted)
- 1 ½ cups milk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 450 degrees.
- Place flour and ½ cup (1 stick) of COLD butter (cut into small pieces) in a large mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter(pastry blender) to blend flour and butter in the large bowl until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in milk using a danish dough whisk or spoon.
- Knead dough on a floured surface just until everything comes together and soft dough forms.
- Roll dough out ½"-¾" thick using a rolling pin.
- Cut biscuits using a 3" biscuit cutter. Press round cutter directly down and then up. No need to twist---this makes for a clean cut biscuit with level tops.
- Press leftover dough together and continue to cut out biscuits. I usually get 12 (3") biscuits from one recipe when rolled out ¾" thick.
- Place biscuits in a greased (or sprayed with non stick cooking spray) 9x13" baking pan or on a greased baking sheet.
- Place biscuits close together so that they are touching. This will help them rise nice and tall.
- Bake for 18 minutes. Tops should be golden brown.
- Brush ½ stick of melted butter over the HOT biscuits. Let them sit in pan for a few minutes, then remove to a rack.
Brandy says
My daughter has memorized this recipe and enjoys making them for the family. Easy, and they turn out great every time!
Michelle Van Riel says
Easiest, flakiest, yummiest biscuits! My family loves them so now it’s biscuits & sausage gravy every weekend!
Brandy says
Love hearing this!
Amy Delcambre says
These biscuits were so easy to make and they turned out fantastic!
Brandy says
Amy, I’m so glad to hear this!
Barbara says
i make my biscuits .
self risen flour 2 cups
may-o 2 tablespoons
and 7up or sprite i just poor tell its thick a nuf for biscuits
put some exstra flour down to lay douh on .
welcome to use it.
Sheila says
Love the ease of this recipe. My kids loved them! Thank you.
Brandy says
I’m so glad!!
Tammy says
Your biscuit recipe was delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Brandy says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
cindi fairchild says
Sounds good and I would make sausage gravy to go with.
Brandy says
That would be delicious!