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
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Yummy
Hi, I have to admit that I am not able to afford the expense of buttermilk AND I absolutely hate the flavor. Most if the time, i mix sour cream into whole milk to recreate buttermilk. Will that work with this recipe? Thank you.
I made my buttermilk with sour cream too, and these biscuits came out perfect
OMG these are so easy and so good with honey or jam!!
These looked pretty but batter was more like cake batter so they couldn’t be cut until after baking. I used a scale and measured In grams so I think i was pretty accurate. They were inedible, even my son couldn’t eat them. They had an awful bitter taste. I think it could be way too much baking powder and that was the cause of the bad taste.
Butter Swim biscuits have been around for 100+ years. If you made them and they were “inedible” that would mean that an error was made or maybe your baking powder was expired? A “bad” taste is hard to achieve in this recipe, as the basic ingredients are straightforward and deliver a delicious final product. (as you can see by the images, video, and other reviews) Sorry your experience seemed to be different than everyone else’s.
I wonder if the person complaining about the taste used baking soda instead of baking powder. That would have probably been inedible says the guy that accidentally did that once in another recipe.
Are there any adjustments for cooking at High Altitude (above 5k feet)?
Thank you, can’t wait to try them.
Here’s some information: https://iambaker.net/high-altitude-baking-tips/
Thanks for the info Amanda, it’s great educational material, but didn’t really help me out with this particular recipe. I guess I’ll do the trial and error as suggested and just see if it works out for me. Thanks again!
These were delicious! I added Italian seasoning and garlic powder to the melted butter and served with a pasta bake. Will definitely make these again!!
These are the most moist and fluffiest biscuits ever and dead easy to make. Great with strawberry jam and clotted cream.
I just made these tonight! I have never really made a great biscuit and this made a fluffy delicious biscuit! I love the crunchy bottom and top! I did have to cover with foil before cooking time was up as they were browning quickly.
We loved how moist and had lots of flavor. This recipe’s is a keeper.
How did they come out? I made two doughs and both were runny/thinner than a normal biscuit dough. I am trying one of them in the oven now.
I found these biscuits to be tasteless and the “dough” to be watery. Could only pour the batter over the melted butter which forced some butter over the top of the batter. Greasy not fluffy.