I Tried Martha Stewart’s Savory Buttermilk Biscuits, and Her Method Completely Changed How I Make Biscuits

I’m of the opinion that there is never a wrong time to enjoy a biscuit. In fact, I love biscuits so much that I never settle on just one recipe as my go-to. Different occasions call for different biscuits, so I’m always on the lookout for a new and exciting biscuit recipe to add to my collection of flaky, buttery biscuit recipes.

So when I stumbled upon Martha Stewart’s savory buttermilk biscuits, I knew I had to give them a try. They are studded with a generous amount of mixed herbs and come together with an almost too-good-to-be-true, effortless method that yields layers of golden, flaky dough. Never meeting a biscuit recipe I wouldn’t try, I gathered the ingredients and baked a batch. 

You’ll start by whisking together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Then transfer half of the dry mixture to the bowl of a food processor and add butter. Pulse a few times until the mixture becomes coarse with a few larger pieces remaining. Return the butter mixture to the remaining dry ingredients and stir in your herbs of choice. (I used dill, thyme, rosemary, and chives.) Make a well in the center and add buttermilk. Mix until large clumps form and most of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Dump onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until dough is formed. Shape into an 8-by-8-inch square and cut 2-inch biscuits; you should get 16 to 18. Brush the tops with buttermilk and bake until golden-brown, about 12 minutes. 

Get the recipe: Martha Stewart’s Savory Buttermilk Biscuits

The method was so effortless that I approached this recipe with a slight skepticism that they would indeed turn out flaky and pillowy without any additional folding of the dough onto itself repeatedly. To my surprise, the biscuits turned out as promised with layers upon layers of buttery dough and flaky texture. Never again will I spend the additional time laminating biscuit dough to get perfect layers. The biscuits are packed with herbaceous notes and I love that Martha grants permission to use any herby combination you desire. These biscuits have made it onto my list of go-to biscuit recipes; a perfect accompaniment for any meal, day or night. 

1. Freeze the butter. The recipe calls for pulsing chilled butter in a food processor. Freezing the butter adds additional firmness to the butter, making it easier to break up without becoming too soft or oily from the friction of the food processor.
2. Get creative with herbs. Use any combination of fresh herbs you’d like; just keep the 4-tablespoon measurement the same that Martha uses for maximum herbaceous flavor. 
3. You can use dried herbs. Substituting dried herbs for fresh is an easy conversion. For 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs use 1 teaspoon of dried. For this recipe, use 4 teaspoons of dried herbs (any combination!). 
4. Don’t substitute the buttermilk with whole milk. The chemical reaction from the buttermilk’s acid with the baking soda and baking powder helps create the layers, giving it the oomph it needs to rise and have an airy texture.