Classic Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

6 tsp butter, cold (plus extra to brush tops)

1 cup buttermilk, cold

Mix first 5 ingredients(dry ingredients) in a bowl. Cut up butter into cubes and lay on top of the flour mixture. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

 

Once the flour and butter is chilled, take a pastry cutter and cut the butter into the flour, until the butter is the size of small peas. Be careful not to over work, as you still want pieces of butter in there. Pour in the buttermilk and combine. It is important to move quickly through these steps. You will likely need a few extra splashes of buttermilk to soak up all the flour. Put the dough on a flour surface and fold the dough over itself 3-4 times maximum(no more). Pat the dough out about 1/2-3/4 inch thick roughly into a rectangle(see picture). Cut in half long-ways with a floured knife, then divide each strip into 3, creating a total of 6 biscuits. (You can split in half once each way to make extra large biscuits.) Place on a foiled baking sheet, close together(helps create steam and makes the biscuits rise), and brush the tops with butter. Bake 10-12 minutes(I usually do second rack down to help the tops brown).

 

Note: If you want another little sweet touch, sprinkle sugar on them after you brush the tops with butter.