Butter Swim Biscuits are buttermilk biscuits that are baked drenched in butter for a biscuit that has a crispy crust with a soft and fluffy inside. I also have Butter Swim Bread if you prefer a loaf. If these biscuits sound amazing (which they are), be sure to also try my Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits!
Looking for a bigger batch? I tested a double recipe and created these Butter Swim Biscuits for a Crowd that bake perfectly in a 9×13 pan.

Butter Swim Biscuits
This recipe is from Simply Texas Butter Swim Biscuits. She mentions it is from her Grandma. I can only imagine how long it has been around!
It is so easy to make using ingredients you probably have on hand. The only ingredient you may need is buttermilk, but you can easily make your own homemade buttermilk. These buttery biscuits are delicious on their own or smothered in your favorite jam. But, don’t stop there! I also used them in my Butter Swim Biscuit Blueberry Cobbler, Butter Swim Biscuits and Gravy, and Butter Swim Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie, just to name a few!

Butter Swim Biscuits Ingredients
As mentioned, the ingredients in these buttery biscuits are ones you most likely have in your kitchen.
Flour: All-purpose flour is what I used. We have not tested flour substitutions, so I can’t speak for their effectiveness.
Sugar: Just a tablespoon of granulated sugar is all that is needed to give the biscuits a touch of sweetness and help give the biscuits a crispy top.
Buttermilk: If you don’t have any on hand, make your own buttermilk. I would not recommend using milk in the recipe; you will not get the tanginess you get from the buttermilk.

How to Store Biscuits
Biscuits are best eaten fresh, usually on the same day of baking. If you want to make them a day ahead of time:
- Bake biscuits.
- Allow biscuits to cool to room temperature.
- Wrap tightly with foil (Only use plastic wrap if the biscuits are completely cooled; trapping in hot air could make the biscuits soggy.)
- Place in refrigerator until ready to use. (You can also leave at room temperature if you prefer.)
- Warm in the oven at the lowest temperature for up to 10 minutes when ready to serve.

How to Freeze Biscuits
Wrap cooled biscuits tightly with foil or plastic wrap and then in a freezer-safe storage bag. If they are wrapped tight and air can’t get to them, they should remain fresh for a couple of months.

Butter Swim Biscuits
Equipment
- Mixing bowl I like using glass mixing bowls like these
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (312.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups (490 g) buttermilk
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Add flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt to a medium bowl. Use a whisk to sift ingredients.
- Pour in the buttermilk and stir until mostly combined, being careful not to overwork the batter.
- Pour the melted butter into an 8×8-inch baking dish*. Place the dough on top of the butter and use a spatula (or your hands) to evenly spread the dough out to the edges of the pan.
- Cut the unbaked dough into 9 squares (3×3 pattern). Bake for 28 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
- Allow the butter to be absorbed into the biscuits before cutting and serving.
Video
Notes
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Thanks to Cherbourg Bakery in Ohio, I now know what these are. Every bite of the sample from the bakery was so delectable, I sought out a recipe immediately upon coming home. I am thrilled at how few ingredients this recipe contains, and moreso how simple it was to prepare. My oven has never been on at 450 degrees, 😬 but here goes! Thank you!
The only biscuit recipe I use!
I did some cheddar cheese in them too lol
My husband was over the moon! The best he had ever had ! I added parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. I also made cinnamon biscuits! This is such a versatile recipe! Use your imagination!
Good recipe but a bit to salty for me and my family’s taste. Will make again with half the salt
Hi Kenalee! Any chance you used table salt? If so, that can effectively double the saltiness. If using table salt, use about 1 teaspoon instead of 2. Hope you enjoy!
That would have been nice to know from the get go because everyone is mostly going to use table salt , cus this recipe is nasty and you suck a writing recipes how do you put an ingredient no one will ever use you miserable idiot
Hi Chris! It is literally listed as KOSHER SALT in the recipe. So yes, you did know “from the get go”. Sorry that was hard!
I used table salt – 2 teaspoons – and I liked it the recipe. It’s all I make now. Chris is awful i am sorry you are dealing with this abuse.
If I don’t have Kosher salt can pink salt be use and if so should I cut the measure in half like I would with table salt
Hi Pamela! Yes, you can use pink salt. If it’s finely ground like table salt, use 1 teaspoon in these biscuits. If yours is coarse, grind it finely first, then measure out 1 teaspoon.
Wow, the keyboard trolls have now moved on from social media to recipe reviews. Chris, your mental illness is showing….
Just made this recipe for my kids and they are amazing!
Did I miss something? These are definitely light and tasty, however, after I mixed them, I had a most runny batter. Could not cut into 9 squares before baking….
Hi Josie! This is a very wet dough, so the cuts before baking won’t look like neat, separate squares. You’re making a 3×3 pattern through the dough, then cutting again after baking. If yours was thin enough to pour freely, rather than spread with a spatula, that sounds looser than intended. I’m glad they were light and tasty!
Always made the regular kind by folding the dough several times,I’ve never made swim biscuits, but like to try now bc it looks easier to do than the other style. Glad to try this recipe soon n see if it’s a success for me. That “Chris” comment is uber nasty he has problem w the world in my assessment. Don’t take it to heart ❤️
Have only made these a couple of times-they’re really good.My question is about flour.Can you use self rising flour & leave out the baking powder?
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed them! I’d stick with all-purpose flour for these biscuits. Self-rising flour already contains both baking powder and salt, and I haven’t tested it in this recipe. Leaving out the baking powder alone would still leave you with extra salt from the flour, and the biscuits may rise differently.
Can I use whole milk instead of buttermilk?
Hi Julie! If you have whole milk, I’d use it to make a quick buttermilk substitute. For the 2 cups this recipe calls for, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup, then pour in enough whole milk to reach the 2-cup line. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then use it in the recipe. Plain whole milk will give you a milder flavor and may change the texture.