There's nothing like the smell of freshly baked biscuits filling your home. Whether enjoyed on their own, slathered with butter, or paired with jam, biscuits are a versatile, comforting addition to any meal.

This simple biscuit recipe will give you buttery, soft, and flaky biscuits perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 tablespoon baking powder

- 1 teaspoon sugar

- ½ teaspoon salt

- ½ cup unsalted butter (cold)

- ¾ cup whole milk or buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until evenly combined.

Cut in Butter: Cut the cold butter into small cubes. Using a pastry cutter or your hands, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger chunks. These chunks are key to a flaky biscuit.

Add Milk: Slowly pour in the milk or buttermilk, stirring until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the biscuits tough. The dough should be slightly sticky but still manageable.

Form the Biscuits: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat or roll it into a rectangle about ¾ inch thick. Fold the dough in half and then in half again to create layers, then roll it back out to the same thickness. Use a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass to cut out dough circles. Gently press the scraps together to make more biscuits, being careful not to overwork the dough.

Bake: Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring the edges are slightly touching. This helps them rise higher. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Serve: Remove the biscuits from the oven and cool slightly on a wire rack before serving. Enjoy warm with butter, jam, or honey.

Tips for Perfect Biscuits:

Cold Butter is Key: The secret to flaky biscuits is keeping the butter as cold as possible. When the cold butter hits the hot oven, it creates steam, leading to those desirable layers. You can even pop the butter in the freezer for a few minutes before cutting it into the flour mixture to ensure it stays cold throughout the process.

Handle the Dough with Care: One of the biggest mistakes in biscuit-making is overmixing the dough. Stirring too much can cause the gluten in the flour to develop, resulting in dense, tough biscuits. Mix the dough just until the ingredients come together, and stop once it's slightly sticky but manageable. Gentle handling will keep your biscuits light and fluffy.

Cutting the Biscuits Properly: When cutting your biscuits, make sure to press the biscuit cutter straight down into the dough and lift it straight up. Twisting the cutter as you press down can seal the edges of the dough, preventing the biscuits from rising fully. Keep the cuts clean and sharp to get that signature tall, flaky rise.

Spacing on the Baking Sheet: For higher biscuits, place them close together on the baking sheet so they touch slightly. This forces them to rise up rather than spread out. If you prefer crispier edges, space them a bit apart.

Avoid Overworking Leftover Dough: After cutting out the first round of biscuits, you'll have scraps left. When gathering and reshaping the dough for another batch, try to handle it as little as possible. The more the dough is worked, the tougher the biscuits become.

So, Lykkers, with these tips in mind, you'll master the art of biscuit-making, creating fluffy, golden-brown biscuits that are perfect for any meal of the day!