Flaky Buttery Sausage Biscuits (Printable Version)

Flaky biscuits topped with a rich, peppery sausage gravy for a hearty Southern breakfast.

# What You'll Need:

→ Biscuits

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 tablespoon sugar
06 - 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
07 - 3/4 cup cold buttermilk

→ Sausage Gravy

08 - 1 pound breakfast sausage, crumbled (pork, mild or spicy)
09 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
10 - 3 cups whole milk
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus additional to taste
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt, adjusted to taste
13 - Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
03 - Cut in the cold, cubed butter using a pastry cutter or fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir gently just until combined; avoid overmixing.
05 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat to a 1-inch thickness. Fold over 2 to 3 times and pat again to 1 inch.
06 - Use a 2.5-inch biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits, reshaping scraps as necessary. Place biscuits close together on the baking sheet.
07 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let cool slightly.
08 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon until browned and fully cooked.
09 - Sprinkle flour over the cooked sausage and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until absorbed.
10 - Gradually add whole milk while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
11 - Add black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper if using. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
12 - Split the warm biscuits and spoon generous amounts of hot sausage gravy over them. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Flaky, buttery biscuits that practically melt on your tongue if you keep your hands off the dough.
  • Rich, peppery gravy that coats every surface in pure comfort without tasting heavy.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, so you can have restaurant-quality breakfast on a random Tuesday morning.
  • It's the kind of dish people ask for seconds and thirds of, even when they're already full.
02 -
  • Overworking the biscuit dough is the number one way to end up with hockey pucks instead of clouds—treat the dough like it's delicate, because it is.
  • The gravy will thicken more as it cools, so if it looks a little loose when you're simmering it, that's actually perfect.
  • Using truly cold butter and buttermilk makes the difference between okay biscuits and ones that people will ask you to make again.
03 -
  • Don't be afraid of the pepper—this dish should taste peppery and warm, not bland and timid, so season generously and taste as you go.
  • If your biscuits aren't rising as much as you'd like, your leavening agents might be old; baking powder and baking soda lose their power after about six months, so replace them if they've been sitting in your cabinet untouched.
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