Lighter Buttermilk Biscuits

These Lighter Buttermilk Biscuits are tender and have layers of flaky buttery goodness. Only 5 ingredients and ready in about 30 minutes!

We do love biscuits around here and I’m so excited to share these Lighter Buttermilk Biscuits with you. Traditionally, biscuits have a lot of butter and full-fat buttermilk. This Lighter version has nearly half the amount of fat with just a couple tweaks, yet they are still flaky, tender, and completely delicious. They are honestly the best buttermilk biscuits!

What makes these biscuits Lighter?

This recipe only calls for 5 tablespoons of butter, which is less than half the amount of traditional biscuit recipes. While butter is definitely an important factor in creating a flaky biscuit, these are still every bit as flavorful and buttery. I also use non-fat buttermilk which still creates a tender dough and a nice tang without the extra fat and calories.

How to create a flaky biscuit with lots of layers.

A biscuit must be flaky and those layers are everything, am I right?! Here are four important steps for achieving the best biscuit.

1. Cold butter: When the cold pieces of butter hit the hot oven it creates steam, which gives the dough it’s light, flaky texture. It’s equally important to make sure the buttermilk is also cold. This will keep all the ingredients at the right temperature before going in the oven.
2. Don’t overwork the dough: You’ll want to mix the ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overmix. It’s okay if it’s still a bit crumbly. As you turn the dough out onto the surface, you’ll knead it only 3-4 times gently. Over-handling the dough will result in a tough, flat biscuit.
3. Folding layers and repeat: This method is the most important for achieving tons of layers. After you roll the dough into a rectangle, you’ll fold into thirds like you’re folding a piece of paper to fit in an envelope. You’ll repeat this process 3 or 4 times for the ultimate layered biscuit.
4. Don’t twist the biscuit cutter: When cutting the biscuits, make sure to press down into the dough without twisting the cutter. If you twist while you press into the dough, it will seal around the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising properly.

Check out my quick 1-minute video for easy steps!

I hope you enjoy!

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Let’s eat!🤍

Lighter Buttermilk Biscuits

These Lighter Buttermilk Biscuits are tender and have layers of flaky buttery goodness. Only 5 ingredients and ready in about 30 minutes!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Resting time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 32 minutes mins

Course Baking, Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 9 biscuits

Calories 180 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 tbsp chilled butter cut into small pieces keep in fridge until ready to add to flour mixture
• 3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk see recipe notes for buttermilk substitute
• 3 tbsp honey

Instructions

 

Keep butter and buttermilk in fridge until ready to mix with dry ingredients.

• Preheat oven to 400°F
• Spoon flour into measuring cup and level with a knife. Add to a large mixing bowl along with the baking powder and salt.
• Remove butter from the fridge and add cut pieces to the flour mixture. Break up butter with a pastry cutter until it resembles pea size crumbs. Chill for 10 minutes in freezer.
• Combine buttermilk and honey with a whisk until blended. Add to flour mixture once chilled and stir just until moist. It may still be a little crumbly, that's okay! Be careful not to overmix the dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead dough 3-4 times. Roll dough into a (1/2-inch-thick) 9×5 inch rectangle. sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough. Fold the dough into thirds like you're folding a piece of paper for an envelope. Re-roll the dough into the same 1/2-inch thickness and 9×5 inch rectangle. sprinkle a little flour on top. Repeat steps one more time. Cut into 2 1/2 -3 inch circles with biscuit cutter. Re-roll scrapes until all the dough is used. You should have about 9-10 biscuits.
• Place biscuits onto a silicone lined sheet pan. It's okay if the biscuits are close together. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Mine takes 10 minutes exactly.
• Remove from oven and let cool slightly before enjoying. Best served warm.

Notes

Buttermilk substitute: Buttermilk is best but if you don’t have that on hand you can mix 3/4 cup milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Let set for 5 minutes.

Calories are per biscuit.

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be understood as an estimate rather than a guarantee. The Menu Maid makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Keyword All-purpose flour, Baking powder, Biscuits, Butter, Buttermilk, Honey

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