Ultimate Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits (Restaurant-Style at Home)

Flaky, buttery biscuits that taste like they came straight from a high-end restaurant kitchen — but easy enough to make at home. With grated frozen butter, a simple folding technique, and a quick chill before baking, you’ll get tall layers, tender centers, and golden tops that feel gourmet without the fuss.

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Recipe

Servings: 8 biscuits

Calories per serving: ~214 kcal

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes chill + freeze time)

Ultimate Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits (Restaurant-Style at Home)

Ingredients

• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• 1 heaping tsp sugar (balances flavor)

• ½ cup (1 stick, 115g) unsalted butter, very cold (almost frozen for grating)

• ¾ cup (180ml) cold buttermilk* (plus 1–2 tbsp extra if dough feels dry)

*Homemade buttermilk: mix 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar into whole milk, let sit 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

Instructions

1. Mix dry: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.

2. Grate butter: Grate almost-frozen butter on a box grater. Toss quickly into flour until evenly coated, leaving visible chunks of butter.

3. Add buttermilk: Pour in cold buttermilk, stir gently with a fork until shaggy. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour to rest and hydrate.

4. Fold dough: Turn chilled dough onto a floured surface. Flatten into a rectangle, fold in half, press gently, then fold again. Repeat 3–4 times, working quickly so the butter stays cold and chunky.

5. Shape and cut: Pat dough to about 1-inch thick. Use a sharp knife or cutters to cut straight down (no twisting). Gently reshape scraps for extra biscuits.

6. Freeze: Place biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 25 minutes until firm — this locks in flaky layers.

7. Bake: Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Bake biscuits directly from freezer for 14–16 minutes, until tall, golden, and crisp on top.

8. Finish: Brush hot biscuits with melted butter before serving.

Nutritional Value (per biscuit, based on 8 servings)

• Calories: ~214 kcal

• Protein: 4 g

• Fat: 12 g (7 g saturated)

• Carbohydrates: 23 g

• Fiber: 1 g

• Sugar: 2 g

• Sodium: ~420 mg

Storage Instructions

• Room Temp (1–2 days): Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat wrapped in foil at 350°F for 8–10 minutes.

• Refrigerator (up to 1 week): Wrap individually, store airtight. Reheat in the oven for best texture.

• Freezer (2–3 months): Freeze baked biscuits once cooled, or freeze unbaked cut biscuits after the 25-min chill. Bake unbaked ones straight from frozen at 450°F, adding 2–3 extra minutes.

Mix dry ingredients

Grate butter

Grate butter

Mix to shaggy dough, do not overmix

Add buttermilk

Mix slightly, move to fridge

Shape and fold (quick!)

Shape and fold (quick!)

Shape and fold (quick!)

Shape and fold (quick!)

Shape and fold (quick!)

Shape and fold (quick!)

Shape and fold (quick!)

Shape and fold (quick!)

Shape and fold (quick!)

Cut shapes

Freeze for 20 mins

Arrange on parchment paper covered tray

Bake

Let cool slightly

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Prompt

Here's how I prompted the "Ultimate Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits (Restaurant-Style at Home)" recipe!

I recently treated my husband to a Michelin star restaurant in Austin for his birthday, and the biscuit there drove me nuts. It was so flaky and delicious, I just couldn't stop thinking about it. I know biscuit is some sort of a comfort food so I was surprised it tasted that fancy. I had to give it a try! I asked ChatGPT for help:

I want to make biscuits. I don't know how. But I want them to be flaky like on a Michelin star restaurant I've been to

ChatGPT explained the recipe and process:

Good call—you’re aiming high. A truly flaky biscuit is all about technique as much as ingredients. Michelin-level biscuits rely on layering butter, cold handling, and minimal mixing so you don’t crush the dough’s delicate structure. I’ll walk you through it in a way that sets you up for success, even as a first-timer:

The Secret to Flaky Biscuits

• Cold fat is king: Use very cold butter (even freeze it for 10 minutes). When it hits the hot oven, it steams and creates pockets = flakes.

• Layering technique: Similar to croissants, you’ll fold the dough a few times—this creates visible layers.

• Gentle handling: Overmixing = tough biscuits. You want just enough mixing to bring the dough together.

• High heat bake: 425–450°F (220–230°C) gives you that dramatic rise.

Michelin-Style Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

Makes: 8–10 tall biscuitsTime: 30–35 min (including shaping)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• 1 tsp sugar (optional, but chefs often add it for balance)

• ½ cup (1 stick, 115g) unsalted butter, very cold

• ¾ cup (180ml) cold buttermilk (plus 1–2 tbsp extra if needed)

Instructions:

1. Prep oven: Heat to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. Mix dry: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar.

3. Cut in butter: Grate the cold butter on a box grater (or cube and cut in with fingertips or pastry cutter). Work quickly—pea-sized bits are good.

4. Add buttermilk: Pour in buttermilk and stir gently with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. If it looks dry, add a splash more buttermilk.

5. Laminate: Turn dough onto a floured surface. Pat into a rectangle, fold into thirds like a letter. Rotate 90°, pat out, fold again. Do this 3–4 times—this builds layers. Don’t knead!

6. Cut: Pat to 1-inch thick. Use a sharp round cutter (don’t twist—press straight down). Re-shape scraps gently for more biscuits.

7. Bake: Place biscuits close together on tray (they help each other rise). Bake 12–15 minutes, until golden and tall.

8. Finish: Brush tops with melted butter out of the oven for a glossy, rich finish.

👉 Michelin touch: Many chefs freeze the cut biscuits for 10 minutes before baking. This ensures maximum lift.

Would you like me to also give you a savory version (like with herbs and cheese) or should we keep it pure classic so you can master the base first?

I decided to not trust ChatGPT blindly for a change and watched some videos on YouTube:

I hear you need to freeze for 20 mins before baking? Also, how can I make buttermilk at home? I have standard whole milk

ChatGPT did tell me I was right:

Exactly right—you’re picking up the pro tricks. Freezing 20 minutes before baking is one of the best hacks to push your biscuits from “good” to “Michelin-level.” Here’s why:

• It re-solidifies the butter after handling (your warm hands soften it more than you think).

• When the butter goes from frozen → oven heat, it explodes into steam, giving you taller, flakier biscuits.

• Even a short freeze (10–20 min) makes a noticeable difference.

So yes—cut the biscuits, stick the tray in the freezer for 20 minutes, then straight into your hot oven.

Homemade Buttermilk (Chef’s Trick)

You don’t need to buy it. All you need is acid + whole milk:

• Option 1 (classic): Add 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to just under 1 cup whole milk. Stir and let sit 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened and curdled.

• Option 2 (creamier): Stir 2 tbsp full-fat plain yogurt into 1 cup whole milk. This gives a richer “buttermilk” with better body—chefs often prefer this.

• Option 3 (sour cream version): Mix 2 tbsp sour cream into 1 cup whole milk—silky and tangy.

All three will mimic buttermilk’s acidity, which is important for reacting with baking soda and for tenderness.

Do you want me to rewrite the recipe with the freeze step and homemade buttermilk option built right in, so you have a “ready-to-bake Michelin biscuit” formula in one place?

It seemed like a small amount to me (it wasn't):

Let's double the amount 

ChatGPT did as I asked:

Perfect. Doubling is smart—you’ll want extras, and they freeze beautifully after baking too. I’ll build in the 20-minute freeze step and the DIY buttermilk option so you have the ultimate version.

Michelin-Style Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits (Double Batch)

Makes: 16–20 tall biscuitsTime: 45 minutes (includes chilling + baking)

Ingredients

• 4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour

• 2 tbsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 2 tsp fine sea salt

• 2 tsp sugar (optional, but rounds out the flavor)

• 1 cup (2 sticks, 230g) unsalted butter, very cold (freeze 10 min before grating)

• 1½ cups (360ml) cold buttermilk* (plus 2–4 tbsp extra if dough looks too dry)

*If you don’t have buttermilk: add 2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar to 1½ cups whole milk and let sit 10 minutes. Or stir in 4 tbsp full-fat yogurt/sour cream into 1½ cups milk for a creamier version.

Instructions

1. Prep oven: Heat to 450°F (230°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

2. Mix dry: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar.

3. Cut in butter: Grate the frozen butter on a box grater (or cube and cut in with pastry cutter/fingertips). Work fast—mixture should look like coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter.

4. Add buttermilk: Pour in buttermilk, stir gently with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. If dry patches remain, drizzle in extra buttermilk.

5. Laminate: Turn dough onto a floured surface. Pat into a rectangle, fold into thirds like a letter. Rotate 90°, pat out, fold again. Repeat 3–4 times. (This builds flaky layers—don’t knead smooth.)

6. Cut biscuits: Pat to 1-inch thick. Cut with a sharp round cutter, pressing straight down (no twisting). Gather scraps, gently re-shape, cut again.

7. Freeze: Arrange biscuits close together on trays. Freeze 20 minutes—this locks in butter layers.

8. Bake: Transfer trays straight from freezer to oven. Bake 14–16 minutes, until golden and tall.

9. Finish: Brush hot biscuits with melted butter before serving.

🔥 Chef’s notes:

• Keep everything as cold as possible—use a chilled bowl if your kitchen is warm.

• Freezing before baking is a Michelin-style trick that creates dramatic lift.

• For an extra layer of flavor, you can swap half the butter for European-style butter (higher fat, cultured).

Want me to also give you the best way to store/reheat these (so you can bake ahead and still have that just-out-of-the-oven magic)?

Then I had some questions about the fridge time:

After mixing in the buttermilk, I put in the refrigerator because I need to go pickup my kid. Is that ok? For 1 hour or so?

ChatGPT told me that it's actually better that way:

Yep — totally fine, and actually a good move. Here’s what happens if the dough rests in the fridge for an hour:

• Butter stays cold → which is exactly what you want.

• Gluten relaxes → so the biscuits won’t turn tough.

• Acid in the buttermilk hydrates the flour → giving you slightly more tender dough.

The only trade-off: the baking powder will already have released a little gas once it hit the buttermilk. That first rise isn’t permanent, so your biscuits might be a hair less lofty than if you cut/froze/baked immediately — but the cold rest still works in your favor overall. Michelin kitchens often chill dough between steps for control anyway.

👉 When you get back:

• Take it out, quickly do your laminate folds, cut into biscuits, then freeze 20 min before baking.

You’ll still get tall, flaky results.

Do you want me to walk you through a “best workflow” for when life interrupts — like what steps are safe to pause at vs. what steps you really shouldn’t?

They turned out a little big so I asked for adjustments with baking:

I made 13 biscuits out of this batter. I guess they will be xl.. should baking instructions remain the same? They are now in the refrigerator 

ChatGPT updated the times and temps:

Nice — 13 biscuits out of a double batch definitely means extra-large ones! Michelin-style tall biscuits, basically.

Because they’re bigger/thicker, here’s what to adjust:

• Oven temp: Keep it high at 450°F (230°C) — that initial blast is what gives the dramatic rise.

• Bake time: Expect closer to 17–20 minutes instead of 14–16. Start checking at 16, but don’t be surprised if they need a few more. You want a deep golden top and the sides looking set, not doughy.

• Center check: If in doubt, gently break one open — the interior should be fully cooked and steamy, not gummy.

Since you put them in the refrigerator instead of the freezer:

• That’s fine — they’ll still bake beautifully.

• If you have time before baking, you could still transfer them to the freezer for 15–20 minutes — even straight from the fridge. It’ll lock in the butter layers for maximum flake.

👉 So: fridge = safe, freezer = ideal.

Want me to give you a quick visual cue checklist (color, texture, sound) so you know exactly when these XL biscuits are perfectly baked instead of underdone?

Being calorie conscious that I am, I asked for the calories:

Ok so for 13 biscuits, how many calories per biscuit?

ChatGPT explained:

Your batch (13 XL biscuits) comes to about 2787 calories total, which works out to ~214 calories per biscuit.

That’s without the melted butter you brush on top — if you add that, figure about +35–50 calories each (depending how generous you are).

Do you want me to also break down the protein/fat/carb estimate per biscuit, or just keep it to calories?

I also wanted to make sure I store properly:

Storage instructions?

ChatGPT provided detailed instructions:

Here’s how to handle those XL beauties so they keep their Michelin-level flake:

Short-Term (1–2 days)

• Let biscuits cool completely at room temp.

• Store in an airtight container or zip bag at room temp (not fridge — refrigeration makes them stale faster).

• To reheat: wrap in foil, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, or split and toast lightly.

Medium-Term (up to 1 week)

• Once cooled, wrap each biscuit in plastic wrap, then place in an airtight container.

• Refrigeration is fine only if you know you’ll reheat them (otherwise, they’ll dry).

• Reheat same as above — foil + oven is best for restoring fluff.

Long-Term Freezer (2–3 months)

• Cool biscuits completely.

• Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, then place all in a freezer bag.

• Reheat from frozen: 350°F (175°C) for 15–18 minutes wrapped in foil, then uncover the last 2 minutes for a crisp top.

🔥 Chef’s tip: If you want fresh-baked magic anytime, freeze the unbaked cut biscuits (after the 20-min chill). Once rock solid, transfer to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from frozen at 450°F (230°C), adding just 2–3 extra minutes. This is what high-end restaurants do so every table gets biscuits “just baked.”

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