Quick 5-Ingredient Honey Butter Biscuits

These honey butter biscuits get you warm, flaky bread on the table in under half an hour. A little honey in the dough and a buttery glaze on top turn them into something you will crave with chili, soup, or just a pat of extra butter.

They come together from the same handful of pantry staples you keep around for a weeknight side. No stand mixer, no rise time, just cold butter and a light hand.

What Makes Them So Good

The edges get crisp and golden while the crumb stays tender and soft. Cold butter pockets flash into steam in the oven, lifting the dough into distinct flaky layers you can pull apart.

Three tablespoons of honey in the dough bring a gentle sweetness that balances the savory butter. Brush on the warm glaze right when they come out, and you get a shiny, sticky top that soaks in just enough.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped
• 1 tbsp baking powder: gives them their lift
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter: cut into small cubes
• 3 tbsp honey: plus 1 tbsp more for the glaze
• 3/4 cup cold buttermilk: plus a splash more for brushing, if you like

Variations / Substitutions

• No buttermilk?: whisk 2 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar into 3/4 cup milk and let it sit 5 minutes
• Make them savory: drop the honey from the dough and add a teaspoon of garlic powder or chopped fresh rosemary
• Whole wheat option: swap up to half the flour for whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier, heartier biscuit

If you want a classic all-butter base, try our buttermilk biscuits recipe.

How to Make Honey Butter Biscuits

Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients

Start by heating your oven to 425°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt until the baking powder is evenly distributed.

Whisking now means you will not have to over-mix the dough later chasing pockets of leavener.

Step 2: Cut in the Cold Butter

Toss the 6 tbsp of cold cubed butter into the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to work it in quickly, pressing the butter into flat pieces until the whole thing looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized lumps left.

Those larger bits are what create the flaky layers when they melt in the oven. Work fast so the butter stays firm.

Step 3: Stir in the Honey and Buttermilk

Drizzle the 3 tbsp honey and pour the 3/4 cup cold buttermilk over the dry mix. Stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough comes together and no dry flour runs loose, maybe 30 seconds.

It will look messy and a little sticky. Stop as soon as it pulls together; overworking it at this stage builds tough biscuits.

Step 4: Fold and Shape the Dough

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat it into a rough rectangle about 1 inch thick, then fold it in thirds like a business letter. Pat it out again and repeat the fold two more times, ending with a 1-inch-thick slab. Dip a 2 1/2-inch round cutter in flour, press straight down into the dough, and lift without twisting.

Twisting the cutter seals the edges and keeps the biscuits from rising as high. Gather the scraps, pat them together gently, and cut one or two more.

Step 5: Bake the Biscuits

Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. If you want softer sides, nestle them so they touch; crisp all around, leave an inch between them. Brush the tops with a little extra buttermilk if you have it. Slide the pan into the oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden and the bottoms are deeply browned.

Rotate the pan halfway through. At the 12-minute mark, peek at the bottom of one biscuit to be sure it is cooked through.

Step 6: Finish with a Honey Butter Glaze

While the biscuits bake, melt 2 tbsp butter and stir in the remaining 1 tbsp honey. The moment they come out of the oven, brush that warm glaze over every top so it sinks in while they are hot.

The biscuits will be glossy and sticky. Serve them right away while the honey butter is still melted.

Tips for Flaky Biscuits

• Keep the butter and buttermilk as cold as you can. I stick the bowl and pastry blender in the fridge for a few minutes if the kitchen is warm.
• Do not skip the folds. That quick lamination builds the flaky layers without any extra resting time.
• For the tallest biscuits, pat the final dough a full inch thick instead of pressing it thin.
• If you run out of buttermilk to brush on top, a little milk or cream works just as well for a golden crust.

Bake times by biscuit placement:

Storing Leftovers

• Refrigerate: keep baked biscuits in an airtight container for up to 2 days. They will soften, so a quick reheat helps.
• Reheating: wrap them loosely in foil and warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes.

What to Serve with Honey Butter Biscuits

Pair them with a bowl of smoky chili or a pot of hearty beef stew. The sweet butter crust is just right for sopping up a rich broth. They also hold up as a breakfast sandwich; split one warm and stuff it with a fried egg and a slice of sharp cheddar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use salted butter?

Yes. Reduce the added salt to a generous pinch, about 1/4 tsp.

Why didn’t my biscuits rise much?

Warm butter, overmixing, or twisting the cutter are the most common culprits. Any of those will keep the layers from lifting.

How do I make these ahead of time?

Place the cut, unbaked biscuits on a parchment-lined sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer them to a bag and bake straight from frozen, adding 3 to 5 minutes to the bake time.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes. Double every ingredient and divide the dough in half to shape. Bake on two sheets, rotating them between racks once during baking.

Honey Butter Biscuits Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 225

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3 tbsp honey
• 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
• 2 tbsp melted butter, for the glaze
• 1 tbsp honey, for the glaze

Method

 

1. Heat oven to 425°F (200°C). Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces.
3. Stir in 3 tbsp honey and the buttermilk with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms.
4. Turn dough onto a floured surface, pat to 1 inch thick, fold in thirds, and repeat twice. Cut with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, pressing straight down.
5. Place biscuits on a parchment-lined sheet, brush with extra buttermilk, and bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden.
6. Mix melted butter and 1 tbsp honey; brush over hot biscuits and serve immediately.

Notes

The butter and buttermilk need to be cold when you start. If the dough feels sticky while shaping, dust your hands and the surface lightly with flour rather than adding more to the bowl.