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. If these biscuits sound amazing (which they are), be sure to also try my Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits!
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
Did you make this recipe?
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If my butter is salted, do I omit the salt
Hi! The recipe itself was super easy and they came out beautiful and crispy on top, however they seemed to have a sour flavor from the buttermilk that almost overpowered the flavor of the biscuit. Maybe it’s just because I’m used to a traditional biscuit that uses a lot less liquid, but is this normal for this? Or is there a way to offset that flavor? Thanks!
Hi there! I’m so glad you found the recipe easy and that the biscuits baked up beautifully—thank you for giving them a try!
As for the sour flavor, that’s definitely not typical for these biscuits. They’re meant to be rich, buttery, and lightly savory, without any strong tang. If you’re getting a sour note, it’s possible that the buttermilk may have been a little past its prime—even if it wasn’t fully expired, it can sometimes develop an overpowering flavor if it’s been open for a while.
You might try giving the recipe another go with a freshly opened container, just to compare! I hope the next batch turns out perfectly for you.
Hmmm… this was brand new buttermilk, purchased and opened specifically for this recipe! Will have to try with a buttermilk alternative
OMG, these biscuits were fantastic! The only change I made is to add a second tablespoon of sugar to the mix and baked it all. They are going to be my go to biscuit recipe from now on.
Can these be made a few days before serving?
Very tasty!! I made these on a whim and they turned out great! A little salty, but that was my own fault. I used salted butter and didn’t have baking powder so I had to make my own with baking soda and vinegar… but they still turned out good. I had mine with home made grape jelly 🙂
I have made these and they are delicious. I am curious if I double the recipe and use a 9×13 pan if they will cook properly in the middle?
I made the recipe, which was easy. I didn’t have buttermilk so I substituted with heavy cream, which my wife said would be safe to do. The only issue i had was the top browning, but the inside was still gummy. I also only had salted butter, so I countered with a honey glaze. To help with the gummy, I just took the cuts out of pan and added to cookie sheet. I then let rest in oven as it cooled down. I think I may try a lower temp next time. Im still trying to get used to my convection oven.