1. Prep your oven and pan
First, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. This step spreads the leavening evenly so your Biscuits and Honey Butter bake up tall and even.
3. Cut in the butter
Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Then use a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until you have pea-sized bits. You want some small pieces and some slightly bigger ones—that’s what makes flaky layers.
4. Add the buttermilk
Pour in 3/4 cup cold buttermilk and gently stir until the dough just comes together. If it still looks dry and shaggy, add a little more buttermilk, a tablespoon at a time. The dough should be soft and a little sticky but not soupy.
5. Pat and cut the biscuits
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle about 3/4–1 inch thick. Fold it in half once or twice (this creates more layers), then pat it out again to about 3/4 inch thick.
Use a biscuit cutter or floured glass to cut out biscuits, pressing straight down (don’t twist). Gather the scraps, gently pat again, and cut more until you’ve used the dough. Arrange biscuits on the baking sheet, close together for softer sides or spaced apart for crisper edges.
6. Bake until golden
Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the biscuits are puffed and golden on top. If you’d like extra shine, you can brush the tops with a little melted butter right when they come out of the oven.
7. Make the honey butter
While the biscuits bake, add the softened butter, honey, vanilla, and a pinch of salt to a small bowl. Then beat with a spoon or hand mixer until fluffy and smooth. Taste and add more honey if you like it sweeter.
8. Serve warm
Serve the biscuits warm with a big spoonful of honey butter on each one. The butter will melt into all the flaky layers, and suddenly Biscuits and Honey Butter become everyone’s favorite part of the meal.
