Internet-tested baking
Flaky Kefir Biscuits
Cold butter, kefir, and a simple fold-and-stack method create tall biscuits with crisp tops and soft layers. They work beside soup, eggs, fried chicken, jam, or honey.
Time35 minutes, plus 20 minutes freezing and 20 to 25 minutes baking
Makes8 to 10 biscuits
Make it
Method
- Heat the oven to 220°C and line a large tray.
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Rub in the cold butter until pea-sized pieces remain.
- Pour in the kefir and fold only until a rough dough comes together.
- Pat to 2.5 cm thick, cut in half, stack, and flatten. Repeat the cut-and-stack twice more.
- Pat to about 2 cm thick, cut 8 to 10 biscuits, and freeze on the tray for 20 minutes.
- Brush with kefir and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until tall and golden. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
Stack the dough to build layers
Kefir replaces buttermilk and reacts with the baking soda. Repeated stacking builds visible layers without kneading the dough.
Store it
Best warm on the day of baking. Freeze cooled biscuits and reheat in the oven.
Want a cheese version?
Use the cheddar and chive scone recipe for a measured cheese dough. For this batch, leave the biscuit dough plain and add cheese or a spread at the table.
If the biscuits stay flat
Flat biscuits usually came from warm butter or twisting the cutter. Keep everything cold and press straight down.