Small batch biscuits for two! This recipe makes the lightest, fluffiest homemade all-butter biscuits, small batch style!

Today, I’m updating this recipe with new photos since I photographed it in 2011, but I have to say–I never left this recipe.

I’ve made it for years, and each time I pulled up the recipe on my own site, the overly yellow photos made me cringe. But, since I usually make this recipe in the early morning hours before my family wakes up, I never had enough natural light to re-photograph them. The stars aligned last week when I decided to make my white chicken chili with biscuits on the side.

Over time, I changed one small technique in the way that I make small batch biscuits. Instead of crowding the biscuits together in a small pan and purposefully having the edges touch, I space them out on a baking sheet. In my experience, they rise higher this way, and you get more crusty edges, which is the best part of a biscuit, in my opinion.

If you like those super soft biscuits for sopping up gravy, though, go ahead and place the biscuits close together on the sheet tray.

This small batch biscuit recipe makes 6 biscuits. You’ll get 4 biscuits on the first roll out, and then gather the scraps to re-roll to get 2 more biscuits. It’s important to do it this way rather than roll out the dough bigger and cut out all 6 at once so that you get the correct depth of dough.

The dough should be at least a 1/2″ thick when you cut out each biscuit.

Small batch biscuits, step-by-step:

The other non-negotiable here is real buttermilk. I know I typically advise that it’s okay to make a faux buttermilk with whole milk and lemon juice. There are times when it’s okay, like in my small vanilla cake for two, and times when it’s not, like in my rye bread and these small batch biscuits.

Sorry to be so nitpicky, but you can use the rest of the buttermilk to make my rye bread, small batch pancakes, my recipe for 4 red velvet cupcakes, or my super fun homemade ding dongs cupcakes!

Buttermilk has so many uses in my kitchen. I’ve even heard of people successfully freezing it in ice cube trays to use at a later date, so you always have that option, too.

I can’t think of any breakfast that wouldn’t be improved upon by some small batch biscuits, especially if sausage gravy is involved. If you have my second cookbook, Comfort & Joy: Cooking for Two, you’ll know that I have a recipe for biscuits and gravy in that book. That cookbook has 3 different recipes for biscuits, which is slightly ridiculous, but don’t forget: I’m a Texan.

I love serving these with my small batch strawberry jam in the spring and summer months, or slow cooker apple butter in the Fall.

There’s hardly a time when biscuits aren’t welcome!

Just look at that golden brown top and that mega-rise in the biscuits! They’re perfection!

I use all butter when making biscuits because the flavor is best, but you can use half butter and half shortening in this recipe.

Whatever you do, though, don’t forget to serve them with extra butter on the side. Salted butter is a revelation on biscuits instead of regular butter, even though this recipe is made with unsalted butter!

If you like these small batch biscuits, you might like my small batch dinner rolls.

Yield: 6 biscuits

Small Batch Buttermilk Biscuits

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Makes 6 3″ biscuits

Prep Time
25 minutes

Cook Time
10 minutes

Total Time
35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (plus extra if needed)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 and line a quarter sheet baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
3. Cut the butter into small pieces and add it to the flour mixture, cutting it in with a pastry cutter or two knives. When all of the pieces of fat are the size of rice and are coated in flour, pour in the buttermilk. Knead it slightly, and add additional buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time if the biscuit dough seems dry or crumbly.
4. Tip the dough out onto a floured counter, and knead it 3 or 4 times to bring it together.
5. Pat it out to 1″ thick. Dip your 3″ biscuit or cookie cutter in flour and cut out 4 biscuits. Gather up the scraps and gently pat them out in order to cut out 2 more biscuits.
6. Arrange the biscuits on the pan, evenly spaced. Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. If you want, brush with extra melted butter as they come out of the oven.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:

Calories: 177 Total Fat: 8g Saturated Fat: 5g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 21mg Sodium: 519mg Carbohydrates: 22g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 1g Protein: 4g

I call dibs on the top biscuit! Also, pass the butter, please!