The dish to eat in Athens, Georgia · United States

Buttermilk biscuits

Name: Big Southern buttermilk biscuits
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for the board; 1 tbsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1 tbsp sugar; 3/4 cup (170 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) cold buttermilk, plus a little more if needed; 2 tbsp melted butter, for brushing; To serve: butter and jam, or sausage gravy

Photo: jeffreyw, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · source

Tall, flaky biscuits made with cold butter and buttermilk, split for jam, gravy or fried chicken.

Athens eats its biscuits at brunch, and the line for them on Oak Street is part of the weekend. Split one for jam, cover one in gravy, or put fried chicken inside.

Where to eat it Cook it at home Have a chef cook it at home

Where to eat it: the best three in Athens, Georgia

Mama's Boy
Oak Street
Order: Biscuits with the house jam, or biscuits and gravy
Readers' best brunch year after year, with big square biscuits.
Open in Maps
The Farmcart
Baxter Street
Order: A biscuit sandwich
A former farmers market cart that builds its menu around buttermilk biscuits.
Open in Maps
Bread Basket
Boulevard
Order: A biscuit, early
A low-key local favorite for biscuits, inside a corner store in the Boulevard neighborhood.
Open in Maps

All three are on Chef Amazing’s list The best buttermilk biscuits in Athens, Georgia, which you can save and take with you.

Cook it at home: Big Southern buttermilk biscuits

Serves 8Time 40 min

Brunch biscuits, cut square so there is no waste and every side bakes tall. Keep the butter cold and handle the dough as little as you can.

Pans and tools

Large bowl
Pastry blender (optional)
Sheet pan and parchment
Sharp knife

You’ll need

3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for the board
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup (170 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) cold buttermilk, plus a little more if needed
2 tbsp melted butter, for brushing
To serve: butter and jam, or sausage gravy

Steps

Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the upper third. Line a sheet pan with parchment.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a large bowl.
Add the cold butter and rub it in with your fingertips, or cut it in with a pastry blender, until the largest pieces are the size of peas.
Pour in the buttermilk and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. If dry flour remains at the bottom, add buttermilk a tablespoon at a time.
Turn the dough onto a floured board and pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Fold it in thirds like a letter, turn it 90 degrees and pat it out again. Repeat once more.
Pat the dough to 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) thick and cut it into 8 squares with a sharp knife, pressing straight down without twisting.
Set the squares on the pan just touching each other so they rise up, not out. Chill 10 minutes if the butter feels soft.
Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until tall and deep golden on top. Brush with the melted butter and serve warm, split, with butter and jam or gravy.

Chef’s tips

Freeze the butter cubes for 10 minutes before you start.

Square biscuits mean no scraps and no tough second cut.

For a chicken biscuit, split one around a fried chicken breast with a little honey.

Contains: ['gluten', 'dairy'].

Save to my recipes Save on Pinterest

Follow Chef on Pinterest for the dish in every city.