Butter Swim Biscuits

Name: Butter Swim Biscuits
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1¾ cups cold buttermilk; ¾ cup salted sweet cream butter, (melted); 2 tablespoons salted sweet cream butter, (melted)

Swimming in buttery goodness, these butter swim biscuits are a scrumptious addition to a meal or your breakfast table.

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Table of Contents

Butter Swim Biscuits Ingredients
How To Make This Butter Swim Biscuits Recipe
How To Serve Butter Swim Biscuits
Storage
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Truly unforgettable, butter swim biscuits are the combination of a classic sweet biscuit with a crunchy, salty, buttery topping. Literally floating in butter while they bake, if you’ve ever wanted a melt-in-your-mouth biscuit, this is it.

close up shot of Butter Swim Biscuits in a baking dish

Butter Swim Biscuits Ingredients

Butter Swim Biscuits raw ingredients that are labeled

A version of classic, fluffy buttermilk biscuits, these butter swim biscuits only have a handful of simple ingredients.

For this recipe, you’ll need:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1¾ cups buttermilk, cold
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons salted sweet cream butter, melted, divided

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

BUTTERMILK: If you don’t have buttermilk, simply stir in 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to 1¾ cups of regular milk.

FLOUR: You can substitute self-rising flour for all-purpose flour. If you do this, omit the baking powder and reduce the salt to 1 teaspoon.

How To Make This Butter Swim Biscuits Recipe

If you’re looking for comfort food that takes minimal time and effort to prepare, then look no further than butter swim biscuits. These fluffy biscuits come together quickly.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 450°F.

STEP TWO: Using a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar and kosher salt.

Butter Swim Biscuits process shot of ingredients being whisked together in a bowl

STEP THREE: Add the buttermilk to the dry ingredients, and mix the biscuit mixture just until incorporated. Do not over-mix.

Butter Swim Biscuits process shot of ingredients being folded together in a bowl

STEP FOUR: Pour ¾ cup butter into an 8×8-inch glass baking dish.

PRO TIP:

You can also use a small oven-safe cast-iron skillet to bake the biscuits in.

Butter Swim Biscuits process shot of melted butter being poured into a baking dish

STEP FIVE: Evenly spread the biscuit dough on top of the melted butter.

PRO TIP:

Use a spatula (or your hands) to spread out the dough as evenly as possible, getting it right to the sides of the pan.

Butter Swim Biscuits process shot of biscuit dough being spread on top of butter in the baking dish

STEP SIX: Using a sharp knife, cut 3×3 squares into the raw dough.

PRO TIP:

Place the baking pan on a baking sheet so that you don’t have any butter spill over when you are moving the biscuits in and out of the hot oven.

Butter Swim Biscuits process shot of squares being cut into dough with a knife in the baking dish

STEP SEVEN: Bake in the preheated oven for 24 minutes or until golden brown.

Butter Swim Biscuits process shot after biscuits are baked in a baking dish

PRO TIP:

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your biscuits as the suggested baking time approaches.

STEP EIGHT: Remove from the oven and immediately brush the 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the top of the biscuits.

Butter Swim Biscuits process shot of melted butter being brushed on top of biscuits in the baking dish

PRO TIP:

Once they come out of the oven, the butter will still be sizzling. After brushing with the butter on the top, let them sit for a couple of minutes to absorb all the butter before serving.

How To Serve Butter Swim Biscuits

Whether you’re serving them up for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or as part of a decadent dessert spread, butter swim biscuits are a classic Southern favorite.

These amazing biscuits are delicious as a savory side dish to pasta dishes such as our carbonara pasta or ones with chicken entrees such as our chicken Marsala.

With a little jam, such as our raspberry jam or strawberry jam, they’re also the perfect companion to a cup of tea.

MORE BREAD RECIPES

Breakfast Breads

Dutch Oven Bread

Breakfast Breads

Cloud Bread

Homemade biscuits are a great accompaniment to plenty of different meals. You also should check out our 7UP biscuits and fluffy dinner rolls for tasty options.

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers of these buttery buttermilk biscuits in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the baked biscuits for up to 1 month. Allow the biscuits to cool completely, then tightly wrap them in foil or plastic wrap. Allow the biscuits to thaw completely before eating.

close up shot of butter swim biscuits piled on a plate

These buttery biscuits are rich and moist inside with a flaky crust on the outside. After their butter bath, they come out amazing – it’s like they’re infused with melted butter.

I think I could eat these delicious biscuits every single day, they are so yummy.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is there a substitute for buttermilk?

While this great recipe comes out the best using real buttermilk, you can make your own simply by stirring in 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to 1¾ cups of regular milk.

Can I freeze these biscuits?

This simple homemade recipe can be frozen, well-wrapped, for up to one month.

Why are these biscuits called butter swim biscuits?

These biscuits are baked literally swimming in butter, hence the name. They are also sometimes called butter float biscuits or butter dip biscuits.

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Butter Swim Biscuits

5 from 1 vote

Swimming in buttery goodness, these butter swim biscuits are a scrumptious addition to a meal or your breakfast table.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings

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Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1¾ cups cold buttermilk
¾ cup salted sweet cream butter, melted
2 tablespoons salted sweet cream butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Using a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar and kosher salt.
Add in the buttermilk, mix just until incorporated. Do not over mix.
Pour ¾ cup melted butter into an 8×8 glass baking dish.
Evenly spread the biscuit dough on top of the butter.
Using a sharp knife, cut 3×3 squares into the dough.
Bake for 24 minutes, or until golden.
Remove from the oven and immediately brush the 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the top of the biscuits.

Notes

You can also use a small oven-safe cast-iron skillet to bake the biscuits in.
Use a spatula (or your hands) to spread out the dough as evenly as possible, getting it right to the sides of the pan.
Place the baking pan on a baking sheet so that you don’t have any butter spill over when you are moving the biscuits in and out of the hot oven.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your biscuits as the suggested baking time approaches.
Once they come out of the oven, the butter will still be sizzling. After brushing with the butter on the top, let them sit for a couple of minutes to absorb all the butter before serving.