Flaky Buttery Biscuits with Gravy (Print version)

Flaky biscuits paired with rich, peppery sausage gravy delivering Southern comfort and flavor.

# 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 (pork, mild or spicy, crumbled)
09 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
10 - 3 cups whole milk
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
13 - Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
03 - Cut cold butter into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter or fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Pour in cold buttermilk and stir just until combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; gently pat to 1-inch thickness. Fold dough over itself 2 to 3 times, then pat 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 until golden brown. Remove and let cool slightly.
08 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook crumbled sausage until browned and cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon.
09 - Sprinkle flour over cooked sausage and cook while stirring for 1 to 2 minutes until flour is absorbed.
10 - Gradually pour in milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Bring 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 to taste.
12 - Split warm biscuits and spoon hot sausage gravy generously over the top. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Flaky, tender biscuits that are easier to master than you'd think, and they're ready in under 20 minutes.
  • The sausage gravy is pure comfort—creamy, peppery, and rich enough to make even plain toast taste special.
  • The whole meal comes together in 45 minutes, perfect for weekend breakfasts or when you want to impress without stress.
02 -
  • The single biggest biscuit mistake is overmixing or warming up the butter—both destroy flakiness, so work fast and keep everything cold.
  • When making the gravy, if lumps form, pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean skillet and simmer gently until smooth.
  • Taste the gravy before serving and adjust salt and pepper aggressively; it should taste bold enough to excite you, not bland.
03 -
  • If your biscuits turn out flat instead of tall, your butter probably warmed up or you overmixed the dough; next time, work faster and touch the dough as little as possible.
  • Leftover biscuits reheat beautifully in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes, and cold biscuits make incredible sandwiches for lunch the next day.
  • Make the gravy in a heavy-bottomed skillet to prevent scorching on the bottom, and keep the heat at a gentle medium rather than high.
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