Flaky buttery biscuits gravy (Printer-Friendly)

Buttery flaky biscuits with rich, peppery sausage gravy bring classic Southern comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Biscuits

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 tablespoon sugar
06 - 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
07 - 3/4 cup cold buttermilk

→ Sausage Gravy

08 - 1 pound breakfast sausage, mild or spicy, crumbled
09 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
10 - 3 cups whole milk
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
13 - Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
03 - Incorporate cold cubed butter with a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Pour in cold buttermilk and stir gently until combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; gently pat to a thickness of 1 inch. Fold dough over 2 to 3 times, then pat down again to 1-inch thickness.
06 - Use a 2.5-inch biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits, reshaping scraps as needed. Arrange biscuits close together on the prepared baking sheet.
07 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
08 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through.
09 - Sprinkle all-purpose flour over the sausage and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes until absorbed.
10 - Gradually stir in whole milk, maintaining constant stirring to prevent lumps. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
11 - Add black pepper, salt, and optional cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes until thickened. Adjust seasoning as desired.
12 - Split warm biscuits and spoon the hot sausage gravy generously over the top. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Homemade biscuits that actually taste buttery and tender, nothing like the canned version.
  • A savory sausage gravy that's deeply flavored without being heavy, somehow both comforting and crave-worthy.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, perfect for weekend mornings when you want to feel like you've done something special.
02 -
  • Keep all your ingredients cold until the last moment—warm butter means grainy, dense biscuits instead of flaky ones.
  • Don't overmix the biscuit dough or stir the gravy too aggressively; gentle handling and constant stirring are the difference between silky gravy and lumpy disappointment.
  • If your gravy breaks or looks separated, take it off the heat immediately and whisk in a splash of cold milk to bring it back.
03 -
  • Use a food processor to cut cold butter into flour if your hands are warm; it takes 10 seconds and keeps everything cold.
  • If you don't have buttermilk, whisk regular milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes—it won't be identical, but it works.
  • Sausage gravy freezes beautifully in containers for up to three months, so make a double batch and enjoy it again on a random Tuesday morning.
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