These easy Baking Powder Biscuits are an old-fashioned recipe that originated in the 1920’s!
In the history of biscuits, the introduction of baking powder in the 19th century instantly made the biscuit easier to make and more delicious too. Baking powder changed baking forever, allowing biscuits and other breads to rise quickly and achieve a fluffy texture without the need for yeast.
You might just like them as much as my billion dollar buttery biscuits!!
This recipe comes from Alpenglow: Outdoor Celebrations for Every Season by Hillary Munro. This is a beautiful book of celebrating mountain life in all seasons. It includes crafts, recipes and treats, as well as suggestions for activities to do in each season. There are a lot of gorgeous photos in the book too. Recipes include lovely things like Classic Swiss Fondue, Cowboy Coffee, Tomato Jam, Strawberry Lemonade, Honey Panko Shrimp, Nut and Seed Granola, Fire Cider Tonic and Blackberry Hand Pies.
Ingredients Needed:
- all purpose flour
- granulated white sugar
- baking powder
- salt
- milk
How to make Baking Powder Biscuits:
The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ and move a rack to the upper third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Work the butter into the flour mixture using a stand mixer (or your hands); your goal is an evenly crumbled mixture.
- Drizzle a small amount of milk evenly over the flour mixture. Mix quickly and gently for about 15 seconds, until you have a cohesive dough. If the mixture seems dry and won’t come together, add more milk a little at a time.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Shape it into a rough rectangle about ¾-inch thick. Fold it into thirds like a letter and roll gently with a floured rolling pin until the dough is ¾-inch thick again. Cut the dough into 2-inch squares with a sharp knife. Place the biscuits bottom-side-up on your prepared baking sheet. Brush the biscuits with milk to enhance the browning.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove them from the oven and serve warm.
Recipe Tip:
Substitute buttermilk for the milk to create a bit of a different flavor in your biscuits.
How to serve biscuits:
Baking powder biscuits are going to be best when served warm. Slather them with real butter and your favorite jam.
What I Love About This Recipe:
- These are delicious biscuits, and they’re so easy to make.
- The ingredients needed to make the biscuits are likely already in the kitchen (no shopping needed!)
- It’s a great recipe to have on hand when you need to make biscuits at the last minute.
Favorite Biscuit Recipes:
Baking Powder Biscuits
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 1 to 1⅛ cups cold milk or buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ and move a rack to the upper third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Work the butter into the flour mixture using a stand mixer (or your hands); your goal is an evenly crumbled mixture.
- Drizzle a small amount of milk evenly over the flour mixture. Mix quickly and gently for about 15 seconds, until you have a cohesive dough. If the mixture seems dry and won't come together, add more milk a little at a time.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Shape it into a rough rectangle about ¾-inch thick. Fold it into thirds like a letter and roll gently with a floured rolling pin until the dough is ¾-inch thick again. Cut the dough into 2-inch squares with a sharp knife. Place the biscuits bottom-side-up on your prepared baking sheet. Brush the biscuits with milk to enhance the browning.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove them from the oven and serve warm.