Buttery Stovetop Biscuits (2024)

Published: May 13, 2021 · Modified: Jan 16, 2024 by Heather · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 1441 words. · About 8 minutes to read this article.

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No oven needed for these buttery stovetop biscuits. They're cooked in a skillet right on the stovetop. These flaky, tender & buttery homemade biscuits can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner - they go with everything!

Homemade biscuits cooked on the stovetop? Yep! You're going to love this recipe for skillet biscuits. They're made from scratch with a handful of ingredients and you don't even have to turn on the oven.

Maybe your oven is full with holiday casseroles or you only have access to a stovetop or single burner hot plate. No matter the case, these buttery stovetop biscuits are the perfect solution!

Serve them with bacon and eggs for breakfast, with soup for lunch, or with fried chicken for dinner. You really can't go wrong with stovetop biscuits!

Ingredients and substitutions

All-purpose flour - Do not substitute with other types of flour (self-rising flour, cake flour, etc), because it will change the acidity and/or texture of your biscuits.
Unsalted butter - Your butter needs to be cold - straight from the refrigerator or freezer. I like to shred mine with the large side of a cheese grater because it helps incorporate the butter seamlessly into the dough.
Buttermilk - It cannot be substituted with other types of milk. Buttermilk adds the perfect amount of acidity paired with the leavening agents in this recipe.
Leavening agents - You'll need baking soda and baking powder for this recipe. One cannot be substituted with the other - you'll need both to get the perfect rise in your biscuits.
Salt - Enhances the flavor of your biscuits.

Dough tips and tricks

Cold butter - Make sure your butter is very cold, straight from the refrigerator or freezer. Cold butter is important because you want it to stay solid throughout the dough, instead of melting and incorporating into the flour. Those cold butter pockets produce steam while baking, which creates those flaky layers in the oven.

Grating butter -I recommend grating your butter on the large side of a box grater. The butter shreds incorporate easily into your flour mixture with very little effort.

Handle dough as little as possible- After the buttermilk has been mixed into your dough, it will look shaggy. This is normal. The goal is to handle the dough as little as possible. Warm hands melt the butter in the dough, which we don't want (see above). Plus overworking the gluten in the dough makes your biscuits turn out tough.

Folding the dough - Once your dough is mostly mixed, but shaggy and sticky, turn it out onto a floured surface. Gently form your dough into a rectangle and pat it down with your hands. Fold the rectangle in half, then turn it and gently pat it down into a wide rectangle again. You'll do this five times total before cutting out your biscuits. If you're a visual person, here's a great YouTube video showing how exactly to fold biscuit dough:Biscuits and Shortcakes: Folding and Turning

Cutting your biscuits - Do not twist your biscuit cutter. Twisting the cutter while stamping out your biscuits seals the edges, which means they'll rise less while cooking. Use a straight up and down motion while cutting.

Cooking tips and tricks

Cook over medium-low to low heat - Biscuits need a solid 6 minutes on each side to cook through on the stovetop. That means you'll need to use low or medium-low heat. A higher heat will cause them to burn on the outside before they're done on the inside.

Be patient - Cooking your biscuits on the stovetop can't be rushed. Don't turn the heat up - they won't cook faster. This will only cause them to burn on the outside before they're cooked through in the middle.

Biscuits burning? - Turn the heat down. The heat needs to be low enough to cook them through in the center before the outsides burn.

Frequently asked questions

What spreads go best with biscuits?

Biscuits can be served plain, with butter, or with a sweet or savory topping like gravy or jam. Here are a few of my favorite toppings:
- Gravy
- Compound butter
- Peach jam
- Strawberry jam

What mains can I serve with biscuits?

Serve biscuits for breakfast, lunch or dinner - they go with just about anything! A few main dish ideas:
Baked chicken drumsticks

Marmalade glazed ham
Bacon and eggs (make a breakfast sandwich)
Slow cooker chicken broccoli cheese soup
Creamy turkey noodle soup

My biscuits were burnt before they were done on the inside! What happened?

Stovetop biscuits need to be cooked low and slow for best results. If the heat is too high, the biscuits will burn on the outside before they're cooked through in the middle. Turn your heat down to low if your biscuits are burning.

How long do stovetop biscuits last?

Once completely cooled, transfer cooked biscuits to a tightly sealed container. Biscuits will keep for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to a week in the refrigerator.

Can biscuits be frozen?

Yes, biscuits can be frozen in a tightly sealed, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To thaw frozen biscuits, transfer to the countertop and allow to thaw for 1-2 hours.

Can I make this recipe in the oven?

Yes, this recipe also works in the oven. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for about 16-20 minutes, or until golden brown across the tops. Check out my full post for detailed instructions: cast iron buttermilk biscuits

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