She Strengthens

Classic Diner Breakfast at Home

Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

The secret to tender, flaky biscuits lies in keeping all the ingredients chilled to the bone. To achieve this, we’re going to give our ingredients a 10-minute timeout in the freezer before bringing them together.

Assemble and Bake

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of fine salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Add 8 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, and toss until they’re evenly coated. Place the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles pea-sized pieces. Drizzle in 1 cup of cold buttermilk and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Generously dust a work surface with flour, scrape out the dough, and pat it into a 1-inch-thick circle. Cut out biscuits using a 2-1/2-inch round cutter dipped in flour, and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-16 minutes, or until golden brown.

Creamy Sausage Gravy

While the biscuits are baking, heat 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add 12 ounces of uncooked breakfast sausage, casings removed, and cook, breaking it up into smaller pieces, until no longer pink and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium, sprinkle the sausage with 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of fine salt, 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the raw taste of the flour has cooked off, about 1 minute. Gradually stir in 3 1/2 cups of whole milk, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and continue until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 1 minute more.

Serve and Enjoy

Split the warm biscuits in half horizontally and top with the creamy sausage gravy. Add our Basic Scrambled Eggs for a hearty weekend breakfast or brunch.