These angel biscuits are soft and pillowy with crisp bottom edges and plenty of flavor from yeast and buttermilk. Though slightly more complicated than a yeast-free biscuit, they are lighter and more flavorful.

You are going to love these delicious, light, and airy biscuits. They are like a little blessing from heaven, just like an angel. Serve them with soup, stew, or any main entree with gravy, such as crockpot chicken and gravy, slow cooker beef tips and gravy, or smothered chicken.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Dry yeast: I use active dry yeast. For this recipe and what I have read about instant yeast, I would stick with active dry yeast.
- Butter: unsalted or salted butter. If using salted butter, cut the amount of added salt down to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Buttermilk: You can save money and make your buttermilk at home by adding 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to a scant 2 cups of milk, stirring, and letting it rest for about 5 minutes.
How To Make Angel Biscuits
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Mix the active dry yeast with the warm water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it bloom for 5-10 minutes.
- Using a box grater, shred the butter into the flour mixture, stirring several times to keep the butter from clumping.
- Combine the buttermilk and yeast mixture. Slowly stir it into the flour mixture until combined. The dough will be shaggy and sticky.
- Gently pat the dough out to 1 inch on a lightly floured surface or a dough mat. Fold into thirds like a book. Pat it back out and fold it again.
- Gently pat it back out to 1 inch and cut the biscuits. Place the cut biscuits in a couple of greased cast-iron skillets with the sides of the biscuits touching.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for an hour.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.


Preparation Tips
- When yeast blooms, it creates a creamy foam as it releases carbon dioxide. You can also smell the yeast. If it does not foam up, the yeast is not good, and you need a fresh packet. Throw the mixture away and start again.
- The correct temperature of the water is critical for blooming yeast. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. If the water is too cold, the yeast will not bloom properly, and the rise and flavor will be affected. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure accuracy.
- I like to pat out the dough, although you can gently roll it. The key to great biscuits is not to overwork the dough.
- When cutting the biscuits, don’t twist the biscuit cutter, as this could inhibit the rise in the biscuit. It helps to dip the biscuit cutter in a small bowl of flour between each cut.
- For the best rise, the biscuits should touch each other. Kind of like support for each other as they rise.
- You can brush rolls with butter before or after baking. Or both if you love butter like me.

Serving Suggestions For Angel Biscuits
- Soup: beef and barley soup, chicken pot pie soup, and loaded potato soup
- Stew: cowboy stew, pork stew, and hamburger stew
- Chili: slow cooker ground beef chili, white chicken chili, and turkey chili

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Angel Biscuits
Ingredients
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 packages active dry yeast (approximately 4½ teaspoons)
- 3 tablespoons warm water (110-115 degrees)
- 1 cup frozen butter
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1-2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.
- Mix the active dry yeast with the warm water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it bloom for 5-10 minutes. If it does not bubble and bloom, discard the mixture and try with fresh packets of yeast.
- Using a box grater, shred the butter into the flour mixture, stirring several times to keep the butter from clumping. Add the yeast mixture to the buttermilk. Slowly stir it into the flour mixture until combined. The dough will be shaggy and sticky.
- Gently pat the dough out to 1 inch on a lightly floured surface or a dough mat. Fold the dough into thirds like a book. Pat it back out and fold it again. Gently pat it back out to 1 inch. Cut the biscuits with a 2¼-inch biscuit cutter. Do not twist the biscuit cutter. Place them in a couple of greased cast-iron skillets with the sides of the biscuits touching. I use a 12-inch and an 8-inch cast-iron skillet.
- Cover the skillet with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.















Gust
I baked these for breakfast and they were so fluffy and light. Perfect with butter and jam!
Beth Pierce
I am glad that you enjoyed them, Gust!
Lisa
WOW Beth! These angel biscuits look so fluffy, and I bet they taste so good. I’ve never made angel biscuits before so, now I have to try these. I might make some homemade sausage and gravy to go with them.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lisa! Enjoy!
Stephanie
We are big-time bread people in my house, so these went over amazingly with my family. I love cooking in my cast-iron, too, so win-win!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Stephanie! I am so glad that you liked the angel biscuits.
Maureen
These look so fluffy! I want some!!! I can’t wait to make this for later for afternoon pick me up.
Angela Campos
These were amazing! I can’t wait to make them again!! The entire family, loved them!!
Rosey
I can see how they got their name. This kind of comfort food was a great way to start my weekend! We enjoyed a great breakfast and these biscuits were the highlight.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Rosey! We love them too!
Catalina
I made these for breakfast and they were so fluffy and light. Perfect with a little butter and honey!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Catalina! I am so glad that you liked them!
Amy
These angel biscuits look so soft and pillowy. These are just the kind of biscuits that make any meal feel made at home. We loved them!
Kristin
I made these last night to go with my chili, and they were the perfect pairing. They’re so soft!
Maria
These are some of the best biscuits I’ve ever made. I loved how light and fluffy they were.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Maria! So happy that you liked them!