Buttermilk Biscuits (The Bakewell Cream Upgrade)

There are a lot of buttermilk biscuits recipes out there, and over the years we’ve tried most of them — the “three‑ingredient” ones, the “never‑fail” ones, the ones that promise towering layers if you fold the dough exactly twelve times. Some were good, some were… fine, and some were the kind you eat politely because you made them and now you’re committed.

Everything changed when Brenda’s boss told her about Bakewell Cream. It’s a Maine thing — the kind of regional ingredient people swear by — and once we finally tracked it down at our local grocery store, it was like someone handed us the cheat code to biscuit success. Suddenly the dough behaved. The rise was consistent. The texture was tender instead of crumbly. It felt like we finally had a buttermilk biscuits we could rely on.

The original Bakewell Cream biscuit recipe calls for milk, but the very first thing I did was swap in buttermilk. It adds tang, tenderness, and a richer flavor that plays beautifully with the butter.

And speaking of butter — the real turning point came from a mistake.

One morning I decided to make a half‑batch — just enough for the two of us. I cut everything in half… except the butter. Total accident. I didn’t realize it until the biscuits came out of the oven, and they were beautiful: higher rise, richer flavor, better flake. That “oops” moment became the permanent recipe change. The original called for ½ cup of butter; ours now uses ¾ cup, and I wouldn’t go back.

These buttermilk biscuits are fast, dependable, and deeply buttery — the kind you can pull together on a weeknight or bake ahead and freeze. They’re the biscuits we serve with roast chicken, with eggs, or just warm with honey when the mood hits. They’re simple, but they feel like home.

Before we get into the details, here’s the biscuit split that made us fall in love with this recipe.

Why You’ll Love This buttermilk biscuits Recipe

• Tall, flaky layers thanks to Bakewell Cream + the butter “mistake”
• Tender crumb from buttermilk instead of milk
• Minimal handling so the dough stays soft, not tough
• Freezer‑friendly — bake one or bake a dozen
• Consistent rise even on humid days
• Beginner‑friendly but still impressive

Tools You’ll Need

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• Biscuit cutter set
• Pastry blender
• Silicone baking mat

Ingredient Notes

Bakewell Cream

This is the magic ingredient. It’s a leavening acid (not a cream) that gives biscuits a higher, more reliable rise than baking powder alone. If you can’t find it locally, it’s available online.

Closest substitutes:

• Double‑acting baking powder made with SAPP (closest match)
• Homemade baking powder (cream of tartar + baking soda)
• Self‑rising flour (works, but changes flavor/salt)

Butter

Use cold, salted butter. The ¾ cup is intentional — more butter = more steam = more lift.

Buttermilk

Swapping buttermilk for the milk in the original Bakewell recipe is one of the biggest improvements. It adds acidity (for lift), tenderness, and flavor.

A quick note on consistency: Buttermilk varies a lot by brand and batch. Some are thick and spoonable; others pour like skim milk.

• Start with the amount listed
• Add 1–3 tablespoons more only if the dough looks dry
• If your buttermilk is very thin, you may need a tablespoon less

Flour

All‑purpose flour works perfectly.

Step‑By‑Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Line a half‑sheet pan with a silicone baking mat.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the flour, Bakewell Cream, baking soda, and salt. Make sure the Bakewell Cream is evenly dispersed — it activates the moment it hits liquid.
3. Cut in the cold butter. Add the butter pieces and work them into the flour using a pastry blender or your fingertips until you have a mix of fine crumbs with a few pea‑sized bits. Those little pockets of butter are what create the flaky layers.
4. Add the buttermilk and bring the dough together. Pour in the buttermilk and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together. It should look shaggy — stop mixing the moment there’s no dry flour at the bottom.
5. Turn the dough out and fold. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle, fold it in half, and repeat 2–3 times. This creates layers without overworking the dough.
6. Shape and cut. Pat the dough to about 1‑inch thickness. Cut with a sharp biscuit cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Twisting seals the edges and prevents rise.
7. Bake. Place biscuits on the prepared sheet, touching for soft sides or spaced apart for crisp edges. Bake for 5 minutes at 475°F, then turn the oven off and let the biscuits finish baking in the residual heat for 8–10 minutes, until tall and golden.
8. Serve warm. These are best within the first hour — the Bakewell Cream gives them incredible height and tenderness.

Freezer Instructions

• To freeze unbaked: Cut biscuits, freeze on a sheet pan, then store in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen — add 2–3 minutes.
• To freeze baked: Cool completely, wrap tightly, and reheat at 350°F for 8–10 minutes.

Troubleshooting

• Flat biscuits? Check that your Bakewell Cream or baking soda is fresh.
• Dry biscuits? Add 1–2 tablespoons extra buttermilk.
• Tough biscuits? Handle the dough less — stop mixing as soon as it comes together.
• Uneven rise? Make sure you’re cutting straight down, not twisting.

Variations

• Cheddar + chive — fold in ½ cup shredded cheddar and 2 tbsp chopped chives
• Honey butter biscuits — brush with melted honey butter after baking
• Pepper biscuits — add 1 tsp cracked black pepper to the dry mix
• Herb biscuits — fold in 1 tbsp fresh thyme or rosemary

FAQ

Can I make these without Bakewell Cream? Yes — use double‑acting baking powder made with SAPP for the closest match.

Can I use milk instead of buttermilk? You can, but the biscuits won’t be as tender or flavorful. Buttermilk is worth it.

Can I make them ahead? Yes — freeze unbaked biscuits and bake straight from frozen.

Print Recipe

Buttermilk Biscuits (Tall, Flaky & Foolproof with Bakewell Cream)

Tall, flaky buttermilk biscuits made with Bakewell Cream for incredible lift and a happy butter accident that became the secret to their rise. Tender, reliable, and freezer‑friendly — the biscuits we make every week.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Breads, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bakewell cream biscuits, biscuit technique, buttermilk baking, buttermilk biscuits, easy biscuit recipe, flaky biscuits, freezer biscuits, homemade biscuits

Servings: 12 biscuits

Calories: 215kcal

Author: Scott – Recipe Remodeler

Equipment

• Biscuit cutter set
• Pastry blender
• Silicone baking mat
• Half‑sheet pan

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbs plus 1 teaspoon Bakewell Cream
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup cold butter cut into small pieces
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 475°F.
• Line a half‑sheet pan with a silicone baking mat.

Whisk the dry ingredients.

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, Bakewell Cream, baking soda, and salt.
  

Cut in the cold butter.

• Use a pastry blender to work the butter into the flour until you have a mix of fine crumbs and pea‑sized pieces.
• Visible butter = flaky layers.

Add the buttermilk.

• Pour in the buttermilk and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together.
• Stop mixing the moment no dry flour remains.

Fold for layers.

• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat into a rectangle, fold in half, and repeat 2–3 times.
  
• This creates layers without overworking.
  

Shape and cut.

• Pat the dough to about 1‑inch thickness. Cut with a sharp biscuit cutter, pressing straight down without twisting.
  

Bake.

• Arrange biscuits on the sheet pan. Bake for 5 minutes, then turn the oven off and let them finish in the residual heat for 8–10 minutes until tall and golden.
  

Serve warm.

• Brush with melted butter if desired.
  

Notes

Bakewell Cream

This is the key to the tall rise. If you can’t find it locally, it’s available online. Closest substitutes:

• Double‑acting baking powder made with SAPP
• Homemade baking powder (cream of tartar + baking soda)
• Self‑rising flour (works, but changes flavor/salt)

Buttermilk Consistency

Buttermilk varies by brand and batch — some are thick and spoonable, others pour like skim milk.

• Start with 1 cup
• Add 1–3 tablespoons more only if the dough looks dry
• If your buttermilk is very thin, you may need 1 tablespoon less

Freezer Instructions

• Freeze unbaked: Cut biscuits, freeze on a sheet pan, then store in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen; add 2–3 minutes.
• Freeze baked: Cool completely, wrap tightly, reheat at 350°F for 8–10 minutes.

There’s something deeply comforting about a biscuit that always turns out the way you want it to — tall, golden, and full of buttery layers. These Bakewell Cream biscuits have become one of those recipes we come back to again and again, whether it’s a slow Sunday morning or a weeknight dinner that needs something warm on the side. If you make them, I’d love to hear how they turned out for you — or what you served them with. Drop a comment below and let’s keep the biscuit conversation going.

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