Slathered with some butter, these super flaky biscuits are the perfect pairing for any meal. Follow the instructions for grating the butter and refrigerating the dough before baking for maximum layers!
Place the butter in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden.
Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Once the butter is hard, grate it using a grater or a food processor. Add the grated butter to the flour mixture and toss gently with your hands to combine, gently breaking up any clumps of butter with your fingers.
Pour in the buttermilk and stir until a soft dough forms. It should be somewhat shaggy.
Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat into a rectangle that is about 2 inches high. Fold the dough in half, and use a rolling pin to gently roll the dough into another 2-inch high rectangle. Repeat two or three more times, and roll the final rectangle until it is approximately 1-inch high. You should end up with a rectangle that is approximately 8 inches wide by 6 inches long (it doesn’t need to be perfect).
Cut the dough into 12 square biscuits with a sharp knife. Place the biscuits on a sheet pan and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake the chilled biscuits for 10–14 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on the bottom. Serve warm with butter.
Notes
Make-ahead instructions (raw): You can make these biscuits up to 12 hours in advance of baking. Place the uncooked biscuits on a baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until you're ready to bake them. Make-ahead instructions (cooked): Place cooked and cooled biscuits on top of aluminum foil. Wrap tightly in foil, and place in a large zip-top freezer bag for up to one month. When ready to serve, place biscuits on a sheet pan. Bake in a 350°F preheated oven for 10–12 minutes for thawed biscuits or 18–20 minutes for frozen biscuits. Serve warm. To substitute self-rising flour, omit the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Use 2½ cups self-rising flour in place of those three ingredients.Make your own buttermilk using a scant 1 cup of milk mixed with 1 tablespoon of acid, such as lemon juice, white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.Want round biscuits? Cut the dough with a biscuit cutter or the rim of a drinking glass. When stamping out the biscuits, do not twist the glass—just pull straight up.