Church-Style Honey Butter Biscuits are my kind of biscuit: tall and flaky, just a little tender in the middle, and brushed with sweet honey butter while they’re still warm. They’re the ones I want when dinner needs “something extra,” but I don’t want a complicated bread situation.
I like this version because it gives you those layered edges without tasting bready or dry. The honey butter is simple, but it makes the whole thing feel finished, especially with a tiny pinch of salt in it.
These are especially good with Sunday supper, holiday meals, or any breakfast where you’d normally reach for toast. I’ll serve them with eggs and sausage, or right next to a bowl of soup or chili.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Big biscuit energy: They bake up tall with lots of flaky layers, especially when you keep everything cold.
That honey-butter finish: Brushing the tops makes them glossy, a little sweet, and very “church supper” in the best way.
No mixer needed: It’s a simple bowl-and-cutter recipe, and it comes together fast.
Cast iron friendly: Baking them in a hot skillet gives you great lift and nicely browned bottoms.
Great with savory meals: They’re sweet enough to be special, but still work next to fried chicken, beans, soups, or eggs.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Biscuits
- All-purpose flour: I use regular AP flour here. No need for bread flour, and I don’t bother sifting.
- Baking powder: This is most of the lift, so make sure yours is fresh. If it’s been open forever, it’s worth replacing.
- Granulated sugar: Just enough to round out the flavor and help with browning. It won’t make the biscuits taste like dessert.
- Fine salt: Don’t skip it. It keeps the biscuits from tasting flat, especially with the honey butter on top.
- Baking soda: Works with the buttermilk to give you that classic tender crumb. It also helps the color.
- Unsalted butter (cold): Cold butter is what makes the flaky layers. I cube it and keep it in the fridge right up until I’m ready.
- Buttermilk (cold): Real buttermilk gives the best flavor and texture. If you need a quick swap, the milk + lemon juice trick works fine.
- Melted butter (optional): This is an easy brush-on if you want a more classic buttered top before serving (or if you’re saving the honey butter mostly for the table).
Honey Butter
- Unsalted butter (softened): Soft butter mixes quickly and stays spreadable. If it’s too cold, it’ll look lumpy.
- Honey: Use the honey you like the taste of, because you’ll notice it. A basic clover honey is totally fine.
- Powdered sugar (optional): I add it when I want the honey butter a little thicker and more “whipped” feeling. You can skip it.
- Fine salt: A tiny bit keeps it from tasting overly sweet. I wouldn’t leave it out.
- Vanilla extract (optional): This makes it taste a little more like the honey butter you get at restaurants. Not required, but nice.
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 450°F. Place a cast iron skillet or baking sheet in the oven to preheat while you mix the dough.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl until it looks uniform.
- Cut in the butter: Add the cold cubed butter, then cut it in until you have pea-size crumbs. A few slightly bigger pieces are fine.
- Add the buttermilk: Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir just until you get a shaggy dough. If it looks very dry, add a splash more buttermilk.
- Fold the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle. Fold it in thirds, rotate, and repeat 2 more times to build layers.
- Cut the biscuits: Pat the dough to about 3/4 to 1 inch thick, then cut 12 biscuits with a 2 1/2-inch cutter. Press straight down without twisting, and reroll scraps gently if needed.
- Bake: Carefully remove the hot pan and arrange the biscuits close together. Bake 10 to 14 minutes, until tall and deeply golden.
- Make the honey butter: Beat the softened butter, honey, powdered sugar (if using), salt, and vanilla (if using) until smooth and spreadable.
- Finish and serve: Brush the hot biscuits with honey butter (or melted butter), then serve warm with extra honey butter on the side.
Some of my tips!
This is the part that really makes a difference. If you only read one section, make it this one because this is where I share the little trick that helps the recipe turn out so well.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Keep the butter and buttermilk cold. Warm butter disappears into the flour and you lose those flaky layers. If your kitchen is warm, pop the cubed butter in the freezer for a few minutes.
Stop mixing when the dough looks shaggy. If you keep stirring until it looks smooth, the biscuits come out tougher. A messy dough is fine.
Don’t twist the cutter. Twisting seals the edges and the biscuits won’t rise as well. Press straight down, then lift straight up.
Freeze the cut biscuits for extra height. Ten minutes is enough to firm the butter back up so they bake taller and more defined.
Bake them close together if you like softer sides. In a skillet with the biscuits touching, the sides stay tender. If you spread them out more, you’ll get crispier edges.
Make some touches!
There are plenty of easy ways to serve this depending on the occasion. Keep it simple, or add a few small touches to make it feel a little more special.
Serving Suggestions
- Breakfast: I like these with scrambled eggs and sausage or bacon. A little extra honey butter on the plate doesn’t hurt.
- Soup or chili: Serve them next to chili, chicken soup, or white beans. They’re great for swiping through the bowl.
- Southern dinner: These fit right in with fried chicken, collard greens, or baked ham. Add a simple salad or green beans and call it dinner.
- Jam on the side: If you want to lean sweet, set out strawberry jam or peach preserves with the honey butter. People usually go for both.
Save it for later
This section covers how to store leftovers and what parts of the recipe you can prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store baked biscuits covered at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. For longer than that, I move them to the fridge so they don’t get stale-smelling.
To rewarm, I usually use a 325°F oven until they’re heated through, or a quick microwave for one biscuit. If you microwave, a small damp paper towel helps keep them from drying out.
You can make the honey butter ahead and keep it in the fridge. Let it sit out a bit so it’s spreadable, or give it a quick stir.
If you want to plan ahead, you can freeze the cut, unbaked biscuits and bake from frozen. Just add a couple of extra minutes to the bake time and keep an eye on the color.
A few quick answers
This section covers a few extra details that may help before you head to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
What can I use if I don’t have buttermilk?
Mix regular milk with lemon juice and let it sit for about 5 minutes before using. For this batch, it’s 3/4 cup milk mixed with 2 teaspoons lemon juice.
Why do my biscuits not rise very high?
The usual reasons are warm butter, twisting the cutter, or overworking the dough. I also check that the baking powder is still fresh, because old leavening can really flatten biscuits.
Do I have to bake these in a cast iron skillet?
No. A preheated baking sheet works fine too. I like cast iron because it holds heat well and gives you a nice browned bottom, but both ways work.
Can I make the honey butter less sweet?
Yes. Cut back the honey a bit and skip the powdered sugar. I’d keep the pinch of salt, though, because it helps the flavor taste more balanced.
How do I know when the biscuits are done?
I look for deep golden tops and set sides, and they should feel light when you pick one up with tongs. If they’re getting dark too fast, check your oven temp—450°F is hot, and some ovens run a little high.
You might also like
Before you go, take a look at a few other recipes below the recipe card. They use similar ingredients in a different way and are worth saving too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES TO TRY
Church-Style Honey Butter Biscuits
INGREDIENTS
Biscuits
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 2 cup unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 3 4 cup cold buttermilk plus more as needed
- 2 tbsp melted butter for brushing optional.
Honey Butter
- 1 2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 4 cup honey
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar optional
- 1 4 tsp fine salt
- 1 2 tsp vanilla extract optional.
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep and Mix
- heat oven to 450 F and place a cast iron skillet or baking sheet inside to preheat
- whisk flour baking powder sugar salt and baking soda until uniform
- cut in cold butter until pea size crumbs form then stir in cold buttermilk just until a shaggy dough forms.
Shape and Bake
- turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat into a 3 4 inch thick rectangle then fold in thirds and repeat 2 more times to build layers
- pat to 3 4 to 1 inch thick and cut 12 biscuits with a 2 1 2 inch cutter pressing straight down without twisting
- carefully remove hot pan and arrange biscuits close together then bake until tall and deeply golden 10 to 14 minutes.
Honey Butter and Finish
- beat softened butter honey optional powdered sugar salt and optional vanilla until smooth and spreadable
- brush hot biscuits with honey butter or melted butter then serve warm with extra honey butter on the side.
