Truly Great Buttermilk Biscuits

Prep Steps

• 1/2 cup very cold butter into thin slices {do:slice}
• 1 tbsp butter {do:melt}

Mix the Dry Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Sift together into a large bowl...

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt{tip:We test with Morton kosher salt. Using table salt? Use about 3/4 as much. Diamond Crystal? Use about 1 1/2 times as much.}

Note: The key to great biscuits is keeping the dough as cold as possible. Work quickly and handle it as little as you can.

Cut in the Butter

Add and cut in with a pastry blender or fork until small clumps form...

• 1/2 cup very cold butter, thinly sliced

Add the Buttermilk

Make a well in the center, then pour in and stir until just barely combined...

• 1 cup ice-cold buttermilk

Cut & Bake

Turn the dough onto a floured counter and knead as little as possible, just until it holds together. Roll it into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Cut into 12 biscuits with a 3 1/2-inch hexagon cutter and set them on a baking sheet touching each other, so they rise up instead of out.

Note: A hexagon cutter leaves almost no scraps, so you don't have to re-roll and overwork the dough. If the oven is still heating, chill the pan in the fridge or freezer to keep the biscuits cold.

Bake until golden brown, 15–17 minutes. Brush the tops with...

• 1 tbsp butter, melted

Serve warm.