Mother’s Day biscuits became my fallback after one brunch where everything else went wrong. I needed something reliable, fast, and forgiving. Honestly, I just wanted a win before noon, and these showed up exactly when I needed them.
These buttermilk biscuits sit right between homemade biscuits and an easy biscuit recipe you don’t have to babysit. They’re tender, flaky, and work perfectly as Mother’s Day brunch biscuits. No drama, no stress, just solid results.
I make them as Mother’s Day breakfast biscuits, biscuits for brunch, and even cast-iron biscuits when I want crisp edges. They’re classic quick bread recipes with honey butter biscuit energy. They feel special without trying too hard.
Mother’s Day Biscuits
EQUIPMENT (PAID LINKS)
- Pastry cutter or food processor
- Baking sheet or cast iron skillet
- Biscuit cutter
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup very cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 tablespoons cold buttermilk reserved for brushing
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 425°F so it’s fully hot before baking. High heat helps the biscuits rise tall and bake evenly.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Cut in the Butter: Add the cold butter cubes straight from the fridge or freezer. Cut them into the flour using a pastry cutter or pulse in a food processor until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with visible butter pieces.
- Add Buttermilk and Honey: Pour in 1 cup of cold buttermilk and drizzle in the honey. Gently mix just until a shaggy, crumbly dough forms. Do not overmix—the dough should look rough.
- Shape the Dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together with your hands. Pat it into a rectangle about ¾ inch thick.
- Fold for Flaky Layers: Fold the dough in thirds like a letter, rotate it 90 degrees, and flatten again. Repeat this folding process two more times, then flatten the dough one last time to about ¾ inch thick.
- Cut the Biscuits: Press straight down with a biscuit cutter without twisting. Gather and re-roll scraps as needed. You should end up with about 8 to 11 biscuits, depending on cutter size.
- Arrange and Brush: Place the biscuits close together on a baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet so they help each other rise. Lightly brush the tops with the reserved buttermilk.
- Bake Until Golden: Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits have risen tall.
- Finish with Honey Butter: Stir the melted butter and honey together, then brush over the hot biscuits for a glossy, lightly sweet finish. Serve warm.
Mother’s Day Biscuits: The No-Stress Secrets That Make Them Steal the Show
You can absolutely wing these, but if you want them to turn out unfairly good every time, keep reading. This is the stuff you only learn after making them way too often.
Keep the Butter Colder Than Your Mood Before Coffee
Cold butter is not a suggestion—it’s the whole point. I cube it, then stick it in the freezer while I grab everything else. If the butter softens before the oven is hot, the biscuits already lost.
Buttermilk Shortcuts That Actually Work
Real buttermilk is great, but milk with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice does the job just fine. Let it sit a few minutes and move on. No one eating these is auditing your fridge.
Stop Mixing Before It Looks “Right”
The dough should look shaggy and a little messy. That’s how you know you’re doing it right. Smooth dough is the fast lane to tough biscuits.
Folding Is Where the Layers Happen
A few simple folds give you those flaky layers everyone thinks are complicated. Press, fold, rotate, repeat—then stop. This is not a workout.
No Biscuit Cutter? Still Fine
A glass, jar, or whatever’s clean in the cabinet works. Just press straight down and don’t twist. Twisting seals the edges and kills the rise.
Cast Iron Is a Power Move, Not a Requirement
Cast iron gives you golden, crispy bottoms, but a baking sheet still delivers great biscuits. Use what you have and save the flex for later.
Honey Butter Is Where Compliments Come From
Brushing warm biscuits with honey butter makes them shiny, rich, and suddenly “special.” You can skip it—but you’ll notice. This is the part people remember.
Make-Ahead Without Morning Panic
Freeze the cut biscuits and bake them straight from frozen with a couple of extra minutes. Perfect for early mornings or hosting without chaos. Future you will be very grateful.
