Angel Biscuits Recipe

Angel biscuits are the perfect breakfast, snack, or dinner side dish that you never realized you needed in your life. If you are a big fan of biscuits (and who isn't?), then we think that this recipe is perfect for achieving that buttery and flaky biscuit consistency that we all know and love. That's right — you don't need to go to a restaurant to try a world-class biscuit.

Recipe developer Kate Shungu of Gift of Hospitality is the brains behind this dish, and she explains her inspiration behind it. "Angel biscuits were invented in the South, and one of my Southern friends taught me how to make traditional biscuits with self-rising flour," Shungu shares. "These biscuits, however, have yeast, baking powder, and baking soda, which makes them extra flaky. They are a fun spin on a traditional biscuit, and they're light and airy (hence the name)."

Shungu also reveals her favorite part. "These biscuits are SO buttery and flaky. They're great for breakfast or a side for dinner," she says. "And, they keep well, so they're delicious for several days after baking." What's not to love?

This recipe requires just a few ingredients. Head to the store and grab active dry yeast, sugar, water (which you should have at home), unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk.

Head to the oven and preheat your range to 425 F. Then, prep a baking sheet with some cooking spray.

Onto the mixing! Grab a small bowl and add your yeast and sugar. Next, pour a cup of warm water in. Stir the ingredients together until foamy. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes, and voila — the yeast is activated.

This recipe calls for quite a bit of butter, including 12 tablespoons of frozen butter. Yes, you read that right...frozen butter! "You just need to put the butter in the freezer for 30 minutes. This helps the biscuits rise high and get extra flaky," Shungu explains. "When the cold fat from the butter hits the heat from the oven, it puffs up, and that's what creates the flaky layers." Also, you'll be grating these 12 tablespoons of butter, which is a much easier task when frozen!

Place the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl. Melt in the microwave and set to the side to cool.

To mix the bulk of the recipe, take out a large mixing bowl. First, add the dry ingredients, including the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Next, toss in the grated butter and gently toss to combine.

At this time, you can add some wet ingredients. Pour in the yeast mixture and buttermilk, and stir gently with a spatula until combined.

Use a little dusting of flour to make a work surface, just like you would for pizza dough. Dump the dough onto the counter and pat gently into a ¾ inch-high circle. Use either a biscuit cutter or drinking glass to form each biscuit into a 3-inch round. Place each round on the prepared baking sheet.

Grab your melted butter and brush the top of each biscuit with a little bit. Pop the biscuits in the oven and cook for 13 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown on the top. These are best served warm or at room temperature.

There's no doubt that these flaky biscuits are good on their own, but Shungu also has a few other serving suggestions for us. "I love serving these with butter and jam," she says. How good does that sound? These are also nice to make ahead of time. "Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days," Shungu notes.