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    Home » Bread

    Published Oct 3, 2022 (Updated Jul 12, 2023) by Heather Bilyeu

    Oven-Baked Cast Iron Skillet Buttermilk Biscuits

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    Homemade buttermilk biscuits baked in a cast iron skillet are a staple of Southern cooking. In just 35 minutes, you’ll have warm, tender, and perfectly flaky biscuits ready to serve with a generous dollop of honey butter. Visual guidance provided for assembling the biscuit dough before baking!

    My gosh. There are just some things in life that are the ultimate comfort. A warmed-buttered biscuit is high up on that list!

    Or maybe you're in the mood for a more Savoury breakfast recipe like Cheddar-chive biscuits or Jalapeño-cheddar drop biscuits. Or using this fluffy biscuit recipe for a breakfast sandwich or Ham and cheese biscuit sandwich. It doesn't matter what your taste or preference is, homemade Southern biscuits are EVERYTHING!

    This was one of the first things that my mom taught me to make - like any good Southern mother would. From using the bacon grease from the fridge stored in a mason jar (if you're from the south then you know what I am talking about), to how to gently bring the dough together to not form a tough and dense biscuit to baking them in a cast iron skillet that has been in our family for 100+ years.

    There is so much tender care that goes into these. They are simple, easy, made in 35 minutes and with 6 ingredients, and taste like home. Never buy canned biscuits again!

    A biscuit spilt in half with a butter pad n one side. Biscuit cutters, a knife, and a cast iron skillet of biscuits in the background.
    Jump to:
    • Equipment Needed
    • How to Make Buttermilk
    • Ingredients Needed
    • How to Make
    • Helpful Tips for Biscuit Making
    • Uses for Stale Biscuits
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Recipe

    Equipment Needed

    You will need a couple of tools that will make this recipe just a bit easier.

    • Pastry Cutter - this will help cut the fat into the dough making it ultra tender and flaky
    • Cast Iron Skillet - the key to cooking these biscuits
    • Biscuit Cutter or Cookie Cutter - the tool needed for cutting out the biscuits

    *all links are Amazon affiliate links*

    A pastry cutter in a bowl of flour and shortening.
    Use a pastry cutter to cut the cold butter into the flour mixture. Making sure it is a small pea size shape to ensure a tender fluffy biscuit.

    How to Make Buttermilk

    Fun fact...I never buy buttermilk. On the rare occasion, I need buttermilk for a recipe I usually only need a cup or so and they don't sell it in small enough containers that it would just go bad before I use it - because again I don't use it but for a couple of baking recipes.

    But we usually have whole milk on hand and we always have white vinegar - so there is no need to buy actual buttermilk from the store. 99% of the time I just make my own buttermilk at home in just 5 minutes (the recipe is in the link!).

    Ingredients Needed

    You just need 6 staple pantry ingredients for this cast iron skillet buttermilk biscuit recipe:

    • Flour - I always use King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour for all of my baking and household recipes.
    • Baking Powder - make sure your baking powder is fresh! I always write the date on the lid of my baking powder and throw it out at 6 months regardless if it is used all up or not. Baking powder will go bad and if you use old baking powder in recipes then your recipe, and in this case for quick homemade biscuits, they won't rise as tall and well as they should.
    • Salt - for flavor.
    • Baking Soda - also helps with the rise and tender texture.
    • Crisco, Lard, or Shortening - any of the following will work just fine.
    • Buttermilk - link for how to make your own at home.
    Clear bowls of flour, buttermilk, salt, baking soda and powder, and lard on a white table.
    rubbing a cast iron skillet with shortening on a paper towel.
    Using a paper towel, wipe a cast iron skillet with lard, shortening, or butter well all along the bottom and sides. This will grease the pan so that the biscuits do not stick to it during the cooking process.

    How to Make

    1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
    2. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
    3. Using a pastry cutter, cut in Crisco or shortening until the dough has pea-sized clumps in it and is crumbly.
    4. Add in the buttermilk and gently mix with a spatula until the dough has just come together. Do not over-mix!
    5. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together in a round disk.
    6. With a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough until it is about ½-3/4" inches tall.
    7. Using a round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut straight down into the dough and lift up. Repeat until all the dough has been used.
    8. Rub either bacon grease or butter on a cast iron skillet using a paper towel. Place the cut biscuits into a greased cast iron skillet (the biscuits can be close together and touch).
    9. With the remaining dough, gently bring it together and pat it out into a disk again. Cut out more biscuits and place them in the skillet. Repeat this process until all the dough has been used - being careful not to overwork the dough during this process.
    10. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
    11. Remove from the oven and enjoy immediately hot and fresh with butter, honey, your favorite jams, or honey butter.
    Biscuit dough in a clear bowl.
    Gently mix the flour & butter mixture with the buttermilk. The dough will still be crumbly but will come together in the next step.
    Biscuit dough that has been patted out into a round disk on a floured countertop.
    Carefully pat the dough together in a round disk. Do not roll to hard or knead the dough as this will result in a tough biscuit.
    A biscuit cutter cutting out biscuits on a lightly floured counter top.
    Cut straight down into the dough and lift right up, making sure not to twist the cutter as you press down.
    Buttermilk biscuit dough inside a cast iron pie plate before going into the oven.
    Place the biscuits into the greased skillet - it is ok if they touch.

    Helpful Tips for Biscuit Making

    It can be easy to mess up this easy biscuit recipe. Here are a couple of tips that will help you in your baking process.

    • ONE - do not overwork! This is the most important tip! To keep homemade buttermilk biscuits tender and soft you CANNOT overwork. The dough will turn tough and your biscuits will be flat and hard if you do overwork the dough. Mix the buttermilk in the dough until just combined. Use to hands to bring the dough together on the countertop. Gently roll out with a rolling pin. And when using the last little bit of dough, gently bring it together with your hands and flatten it out and work as little as you can. This is so so important in getting the soft and tender result we all love in a biscuit!
    • TWO - use cold fats. Using cold shortening or lard will help the biscuits be tender with a flaky texture. I usually keep my container of lard in the fridge so that it is always cold when I need it.
    • THREE - cutting the fats into small pieces. You want to make sure the biscuit dough resembles a crumbly texture with pea-sized lard cut into the dough before adding the buttermilk. By having small pieces of fat in the dough, you are ensuring a tender and flaky biscuit recipe every time. Use a pastry cutter to make this easy to do.
    • FOUR - do not twist the biscuit cutter. When cutting out the biscuits, press the cutter straight down into the dough and lift it straight back up. Do not twist. This will help the dough rise tall and not close/pinch off the sides when cutting (hindering the ability to rise tall).
    Freshly baked buttermilk biscuits in a cast iron pie plate on top of a tea towel. A bowl of flour and biscuit cutter next to them.

    Uses for Stale Biscuits

    Leftover biscuits will keep stored in an airtight bag for 3 days. But when they are on their last legs and getting a bit hard and stale, don't throw them out! Instead, save them for the following uses:

    1. Make homemade breadcrumbs: let the biscuits sit out on a baking sheet for 24 hours to harden and stale. Place in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbles with salt, pepper, and whatever herb of choice. Place on a baking sheet and toast at 300 for 10ish minutes until lightly golden brown - stirring halfway through. Store in an airtight container for a month or in the freezer for up to a year and use in any recipe calling for breadcrumbs.
    2. Use for a Southern-style side dish or Baked Southern-Style Cornbread and Biscuit Dressing for year around or the holidays: let the biscuits sit out on a baking sheet for 24 hours to harden and stale. If not the holiday season yet, then place stale biscuits in an airtight ziptop bag in the freezer until the holidays or until needed. Remove and use in a southern cornbread and biscuit dressing recipe that requires stale biscuits and cornbread!

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How Long Do Leftovers Last and How to Store

    Keep leftovers stored in an airtight ziptop bag for 3 days. Use for breakfast sandwiches or pop in the microwave for 10 seconds to gently warm back up.

    How to Freeze Cast Iron Buttermilk Biscuits?

    You can freeze it either unbaked or baked.
    Unbaked Biscuits: make and cut out the biscuits. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put in the freezer for 30 minutes to flash freeze. Store in a freezer-safe airtight bag or container and freeze for 6 months. To bake, place frozen biscuits in a greased cast iron skillet and bake at 450 for 17-20 minutes.
    Baked Biscuits: Bake and cool biscuits. Place on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to flash freeze. Put the frozen baked biscuits in a freezer-safe ziptop bag sealed airtight for 6 months. To thaw - move to fridge for 24 hours before use. You can freeze stale biscuits as well to use in Cornbread Stuffing during the holidays.

    What is the Best Pan to Bake Biscuits In?

    Using a cast iron skillet to bake biscuits is what has been done in my family for generations. It gives it the perfectly baked bottom and just overall better flavor - while I have no way to prove that, it's just what has been done for generations in my family and I continue to do the same.

    Does Buttermilk Make Better Biscuits?

    Yes, buttermilk is better for making biscuits and makes them taste better. The acidity and tang of the buttermilk help the flavor and tenderness of the biscuits in a way regular milk or cream cannot. How to make your own buttermilk at home.

    3 biscuits stacked on a white plate. a cast iron skillet with biscuits in it, rolling pin, and biscuit cutters in the background.
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    3 biscuits stacked together on a white plate with a cast iron skillet and cookie cutter in the background.

    Oven-Baked Cast Iron Skillet Buttermilk Biscuits


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    • Author: Heather Bilyeu
    • Total Time: 35 minutes
    • Yield: 10 1x
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    Description

    Homemade buttermilk biscuits baked in a cast iron skillet are a staple of Southern cooking. In just 35 minutes, you’ll have warm, tender, and perfectly flaky biscuits ready to serve with a generous dollop of honey butter. Visual guidance provided for assembling the biscuit dough before baking!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 Cups Flour
    • 1 Tablespoons Baking Powder
    • ¾ Teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
    • ¼ Cup Crisco, Lard, or Shortening
    • 1 Cup Buttermilk

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
    2. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
    3. Using a pastry cutter, cut in Crisco or shortening until the dough has pea-sized clumps in it and is crumbly.
    4. Add in the buttermilk and gently mix until the dough has just come together. Do not over-mix!
    5. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together in a ball or round disk.
    6. With a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough until it is about ½-3/4" inches tall. With a round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut straight down into the dough and lift up. Repeat until all the dough has been used.
    7. Rub either bacon grease or butter in a cast iron skillet using a paper towel.Place the cut biscuits into a greased cast iron skillet (the biscuits can be close together and touch).
    8. With the remaining dough, gently bring it together and pat it out into a disk again. Cut out more biscuits and place them in the skillet. Repeat this process until all the dough has been used - being careful not to overwork the dough during this process.
    9. Place the cast iron skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
    10. Remove from the oven and enjoy immediately hot and fresh with butter, honey, your favorite jams, or honey butter.

    Notes

    • To grease the cast iron skillet, put a little bit of shortening, lard, or butter on a paper towel and spread around the skillet until the bottom and sides are lightly covered.
    • Leftovers can be stored in a zip-top bag for 3 days. These make excellent breakfast sandwiches too. Pop in the microwave for 10 seconds to gently warm again.
    • Use stale biscuits to make homemade breadcrumbs or Baked Southern-Style Cornbread and Biscuit Dressing.

    How to Freeze

    1. Unbaked Biscuits: make and cut out the biscuits. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put in the freezer for 30 minutes to flash freeze. Store in a freezer-safe airtight bag or container and freeze for 6 months. To bake, place frozen biscuits in a greased cast iron skillet and bake at 450 for 17-20 minutes.
      Baked Biscuits: Bake and cool biscuits. Place on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to flash freeze. Put the frozen baked biscuits in a freezer-safe ziptop bag sealed airtight for 6 months. To thaw - move to fridge for 24 hours before use. You can freeze stale biscuits as well to use in Cornbread Stuffing during the holidays.
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Category: Bread
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: American

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 biscuit
    • Calories: 153
    • Sugar: 1.3 g
    • Sodium: 233.6 mg
    • Fat: 6.2 g
    • Carbohydrates: 20.9 g
    • Fiber: 0.7 g
    • Protein: 3.4 g
    • Cholesterol: 2.7 mg

    Keywords: Oven-Baked Cast Iron Skillet Buttermilk Biscuits, Cast iron biscuits, Cast iron buttermilk biscuits, Easy biscuit recipe, Quick homemade biscuits, Flaky biscuit recipe, Fluffy biscuit recipe

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    DISCLOSURE. SOME OF THE LINKS BELOW ARE AFFILIATE LINKS, WHICH MEANS THAT IF YOU CLICK ON A PRODUCT LINK, I MAY RECEIVE COMPENSATION. THIS COMPENSATION COMES AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU, AND AS ALWAYS I ONLY RECOMMEND PRODUCTS I TRUST!  HEATHER BILYEU IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM.

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    Filed Under: Bread, Christmas, Fall, Recipe Video, Savory Breakfast, Southern, Thanksgiving Tagged With: Buttermilk

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    Hi, I'm Heather! Grab a glass of wine, a blanket, and a cozy seat on your back porch. I am so glad you are here! Born and raised in Kentucky and with proper southern roots, my love for entertaining and hospitality runs deep within my soul. There is nothing that I love more than having people around my table and loving them through food and drink!

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