by Jessica | January 24, 2026 3:07 pm
so, you know how sometimes you wake up on a Saturday morning craving something specific and won’t rest until you make it happen?
that was me last month when I randomly decided I needed homemade sausage biscuits like the ones my uncle used to make when we’d visit him in Tennessee. he’d get up at like 5am and have fresh biscuits ready by the time everyone else woke up. I have no idea how he did it because I can barely function before 8am.
anyway I found his old recipe card in my mom’s kitchen drawer when I was visiting. it was covered in grease stains and had notes scribbled all over it in his handwriting. first time I made them I forgot to chill the butter and they came out flat and greasy lol. second attempt I worked the dough too much and they were tough as rocks.
third try I finally got them right and my husband was like “where have these been our whole marriage” which honestly felt like a slight insult to all my other cooking but whatever. now I make them every Sunday morning and my kids actually get out of bed without me yelling which is basically a miracle.
Contents
uses cold ingredients which is the secret to flaky layers nobody tells you about
sausage is mixed right into the dough so every bite has meat in it
takes maybe 30 minutes total which is doable even when you’re half asleep
makes your house smell incredible and everyone thinks you’re a legit cook
way cheaper than buying those frozen ones from the store that taste like cardboard
here’s the stuff but honestly I eyeball most of it:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | about 2.5 cups | plus more for dusting |
| Baking powder | couple tablespoons | make sure it’s fresh |
| Salt | good pinch | like a teaspoon |
| Cold butter | half a stick | has to be COLD |
| Buttermilk | maybe a cup | regular milk works too |
| Breakfast sausage | half a pound | I use Jimmy Dean |
| Shredded cheese | optional | cheddar is good |
Cook your sausage in a pan breaking it into little crumbles. I do this first because it needs to cool down before you mix it in. drain most of the grease but not all of it.
Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a big bowl. I just use my hands for all of this because less dishes to wash.
Cut the cold butter into small cubes and work it into the flour mixture with your fingers. should look like coarse crumbs. this takes a few minutes and your hands get cold but don’t rush it.
Add the cooled sausage to the flour mixture and toss it around so it’s evenly distributed. this is the part where I always eat a few pieces of sausage because I have no self control.
Pour in most of the buttermilk and stir with a fork. don’t add it all at once because you might not need it all. dough should be shaggy and just barely coming together.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. it’ll be sticky and messy but that’s normal. don’t freak out.
Pat it into a rectangle about an inch thick. don’t use a rolling pin just use your hands. mine is never actually a rectangle more like a wonky oval but doesn’t matter.
Fold the dough in half and pat it out again. do this like 3-4 times. this creates layers which makes them flaky. I learned this from watching TikToks at midnight.
Cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass. I use a glass because I can’t find my actual biscuit cutter. push straight down don’t twist or they won’t rise right.
Place them on a baking sheet close together but not touching. I use parchment paper so they don’t stick.
Bake at 450 degrees for like 12-15 minutes until they’re golden brown on top. my oven is weird so I always check at 12 minutes.
Brush with melted butter as soon as they come out if you want them extra good. I do this every time because butter makes everything better.
these are best eaten fresh and warm but you can keep them in a container on the counter for a day or two.
reheat in the oven at 350 for like 5 minutes to crisp them back up. microwave makes them soggy which is sad.
freeze them after baking and reheat from frozen. I wrap them individually in foil and throw them in a freezer bag.
found a bag of mystery biscuits in my freezer last week that turned out to be from Thanksgiving. ate one anyway and it was totally fine. probably shouldn’t share that but I’m being honest here.
for about 10 biscuits:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | maybe 280 |
| Protein | 9g |
| Carbs | 24g |
| Fat | 16g |
| Fiber | 1g |
| Sugar | 2g |
got these from some website so who knows if they’re accurate. depends a lot on how much sausage and butter you use which for me is always more than I plan.
can I make these ahead
you can mix the dry ingredients and have them ready but I wouldn’t add the buttermilk until right before you bake. or you can cut them and freeze unbaked then bake from frozen adding like 5 extra minutes
what if I don’t have buttermilk
use regular milk with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice. let it sit for 5 minutes and it’ll curdle and work the same. I do this all the time because I never have buttermilk
mine didn’t rise what happened
either your baking powder is old or your butter wasn’t cold enough or you twisted the cutter when cutting. also make sure your oven is actually hot before you put them in
can I use turkey sausage
sure but they won’t taste as good. turkey sausage is drier and has less flavor. if you’re trying to be healthy I guess go for it but I’m not judging either way
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