2-Ingredient Biscuits (+Video)
These 2-Ingredient Biscuits are the easiest, fluffiest homemade biscuits ever! These biscuits turn out tender and flaky every time!
AN EASY HOMEMADE BISCUIT RECIPE
Who doesn’t love a good homemade biscuit? There’s nothing like them! Especially these 2-Ingredient Cream Biscuits. I am going to show you how to make easy homemade biscuits. All you need to know are some basic baking techniques and your biscuits will come out perfect every single time! Biscuits are intimidating to make for many folks, but they really shouldn’t be. Baking does not come naturally to me, so I will tell you this, if I can do it, anyone can do it!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S)
Cream biscuits are simply biscuits made using heavy cream and self-rising flour. Heavy cream provides a a rich flavor to the biscuits.
Self-Rising flour already has the leavening agent (baking powder) and salt added in the flour mixture.
I hear this one a lot! We all know biscuits shouldn’t be hard. So, what could possibly be the problem?
Did you forget your leavening agent (baking powder)? When using all-purpose flour to make biscuits, you have to add some sort of leavening agent to get your dough to rise when baking. But, when you use self-rising flour, it already has the leavening added so you don’t have to worry about adding in baking powder or salt. Also, make sure your baking powder isn’t expired.
You are probably twisting the biscuit cutter when cutting out the biscuits. This is definitely the biggest cause. You just want to push down and pull right back up. When you twist the biscuit cutter, you are sealing the edges and therefore making it impossible for them to rise.
1. You probably overworked the dough. We aren’t making bread here. Biscuit dough (unlike bread dough) does not like to be handled and kneaded a lot. A couple of folds and then cut them out. That’s it. You do not knead the dough until smooth and elastic, like you would bread.
2. You measured too much flour. Some folks pack measuring cups when measuring flour. It’s a common mistake. The best way to measure flour is to have the flour in a bowl or a flour canister where there is plenty of room to work. I give the flour a good stir first with a fork. This loosens it up a bit and helps stir a little bit of air in there. Then I dip my measuring cup in the flour and scoop off any excess flour. No packing. Just dip and scoop off excess. Either using your finger or a butter knife.
No. Not for this recipe. Biscuits are a science really. So be careful when you want to switch out the fats in a biscuit recipe. Especially if you are not an experienced baker. Changing out ingredients could mess up the recipe entirely. If a recipe calls specifically for butter – use real butter. Not margarine. Not oil. If a recipe calls for heavy cream, use heavy cream, not milk. If a baking recipe calls for milk, don’t use skim milk, 2% or higher milk fat is always best. If a recipe calls for buttermilk, use real buttermilk. When there are so few ingredients in a recipe, its very important you use quality ingredients and no substitutes.
The melted butter I add on top is optional so I don’t include it as part of the actual ingredients needed to make the biscuits.
Absolutely! Just make sure you wrap them very thoroughly to prevent freezer burn.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- White Lily Self-Rising flour
- heavy cream
- salted butter (for tops of biscuits)
HOW TO MAKE 2-INGREDIENT BISCUITS:
Preheat oven to 500F degrees (yes, that is the correct temperature). Spray a baking sheet with a little nonstick spray. Measure out flour (using technique above) into a large bowl.
Gradually stir in cream, adding enough to moisten flour to a sticky dough.
Mix gently (it will be sticky).
Then turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface (use the self-rising flour). If it is too sticky to handle, add just a sprinkling of self-rising flour to the top.
Fold the dough a couple of times to form a ball. Pat or roll dough gently to a 1/2 inch thickness. I just pressed it out gently with my hands, leaving the dough fairly thick.
Take the biscuit cutter and dip it in a bit of the self-rising flour (this will keep it from sticking to the dough as it cuts). Then begin to cut out biscuits as close together as possible. Do not twist the biscuit cutter when cutting them out. Just press down, and pull up.
I got about 4 biscuits from this first cutting. Then I rolled the dough back up and spread it out again. Then did a second cutting. Don’t cut the dough more than twice. The dough starts to get tough after that and it changes the texture. So two cuttings will be the maximum for these biscuits. I get about 7-8` biscuits from this recipe. Place biscuits on prepared cookie sheet.
Note: Place biscuits close to each other (with sides touching) for soft biscuit sides. Separate biscuits if you want a biscuit with slightly crisper sides. Brush the tops of the biscuits with a bit of melted butter.
Then place biscuits (one sheet at a time, in the middle rack) in preheated oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
Brush tops of biscuits with a little more melted butter and serve while warm. And then put a little more butter on the insides if you’d like too along with some honey.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
2-Ingredient Biscuits (+Video)
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups White Lily Self-Rising flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup melted butter (for tops of biscuits)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 500F degrees (yes, that is the correct temperature)
- Spray a baking sheet with a little nonstick spray.
- Measure out flour into a large bowl.
- Gradually stir in cream, adding enough to moisten flour to a sticky dough.
- Mix gently then turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface (use the self-rising flour). If it is too sticky to handle, add just a sprinkling of self-rising flour to the top.
- Fold the dough a couple of times to form a ball.
- Pat or roll dough gently to a 1/2-inch thickness.
- Take a biscuit cutter and dip it in a bit of the self-rising flour (this will keep it from sticking to the dough as it cuts).
- Then begin to cut out biscuits as close together as possible. Do not twist your biscuit cutter when cutting them out.
- Place biscuits on prepared cookie sheet.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with a bit of melted butter.
- Then place biscuits (one sheet at a time, in the middle rack) in preheated oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
Video
Notes
- To Store: Cool biscuits completely. Wrap in plastic wrap or place in freezer storage containers. Biscuits can be frozen for up to one month.
- To reheat: Place biscuits on baking pan and bake 5 to 10 minutes at 400°F. Refrigeration is not recommended.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: July 2013
Updated and republished: October 2021
OMG It worked!!!! I Made Biscuits That Are Edible!!!!! Isnt it amazing what happens when you actually follow instructions??? Awesome!!
Yay!! I'm glad you gave it another go and they turned out great! Sometimes it's those small details that mean a whole lot to the finished product. Way to go!!
Thanks Brandie for taking the time to help. Im determined to make these work! Okay, I will try a different pan. I just cut them with a knife into squares, I didnt twist. Okay, I read the tutorial again, took a deep breath, and Im going to try again!
I just checked, it is indeed White Lilly Self Rising Flour. I used a foil lined pan, would that have caused such a black burned bottom on them? I may try one more time, as I have another cup of heavy cream, but Im really disappointed. I was all ready to enjoy these!
Don't use aluminum foil. Just go by the directions I have here. Aluminum foil works as a heat conductor and therefore is superheating your biscuits way too fast, which is why they are getting so dark on the bottom. Just spray with nonstick cooking spray. And make sure your rack is in the middle of the oven. Also, do not twist your biscuit cutter when cutting down on biscuits. If you see my tutorial above, I show you how to do it. Twisting down on the dough will seal off the edges and won't allow the biscuit to rise. Just push down and pull up. Hope that helps
I tried this recipe, and they are delicious. One problem and question: they rose up nicely but when I removed from the oven in a bit they had sunk down. Still tasted good though. Do yours rise and then fall some as they cool?
I tried making these, I dont know what Im doing wrong. They dont raise at all, and the bottoms are burned absolutely black. I can't believe you are baking these at 500 degrees. What could I be doing wrong? I bought White Lily flour just to make these, too.
Are you sure you purchased self-rising flour? Sounds like there isn't a leavening agent in your flour. You need to use self-rising only for this. Also, the temperature is correct. It might seem high but it is correct.
What do you do with the leftover dough after you've cut out the biscuits? I realize it would only be a little bit of dough but it would feel like a waste to throw it out…
Can you bake them at a lower temperature than 500? Our smoke detector goes off if the oven is over 375.
OMG, Brandi!! These biscuits look so good, I am a biscuit addict!! I was on a mission to get White Lily flour as Ive been in Phoenix, Az. for 30+ yrs & people havent even heard of it here! I'm originally from Illinois and I recall my Grand-Mother using White lily flour years ago when I was a kid so I was thrilled to find this recipe…& for the fact that it only takes 2 Ing's! Let me add, someone else mentioned their biscuits turned out like 'Hockey Pucks'..-HA! That would have been a compliment to how mine turned out..lol! 😉
Now, Im going to be honest here…my MIL has the 'feel' for breads, biscuits, baking etc & Ive been determined to at least turn out a decent biscuit since the only help Ive ever gotten from her has been…"I guess you just dont have the feel for baking-..Gee Thanks for the encouragement!!?" (This is my 2nd MIL & Im finding out, she is not a huge fan of mine-her prob..not mine as Ive realized, theres NO pleasing this woman! :-/
My 1st MIL was a blessing from God & truly taught me everything she could about being a good wife, Mother baker, etc!) Anyway, I digress.
I went to Amazon looking for White Lily & knew(or hoped) I could probably beat Amazons price by going straight to the source- Smuckers.com! I just wanted to share with you guys that if you do go to their site & choose from the "Flour & Cornmeal 4 (5 lb) pack" for $16.00 you can then choose ALL flour, you dont have to choose any cornmeal at all! You can mix & match the 4 (5 lb) pack however you want, so I ended up getting 4 bags of Self-Rising flour for $4.00 per bag. Here was the downside-shipping was almost as much as all 4 bags of flour! That was a bit disheartening! Although..Im chomping at the bit to get baking these biscuits, so I ordered & it arrived very quickly! So, with that I have a few questions!
I ran into my local Safeway & all they had for heavy cream was a quart container for $5.39!! Where do you all buy your heavy cream for a more reasonable price? My goodness, that seemed expensive! And, rather than using non-stick baking sheets. Have any of you ever tried baking them in cast iron skillets, generously oiled? I recall my Grand-Mother making them that way & it produced a more crispy edge that was dee-lish!! Just a thought! Question #2, whats the best way to store flour to maintain its freshness? Ive seen some Chef's keep their flour/sugar in large, glass, wide-mouthed containers. How do some of you store (at least) 5 lbs of flour to maintain its freshness? Also, does anyone have anymore similar recipes like this one, including White Lily for pancakes, pie crusts etc? Please share if you do! 🙂
Lastly,I wanted to let you all know, if anyone does end up going to Smuckers.com…they enclose a coupon for free shipping for your next order…as long as its $75.00 or higher! But, at their prices..it would make sense to stock up! Especially if you saved on shipping!
Brandi, thank you so much for your recipes! Along with so many others..Ive not made one thats turned out wrong or bad-you give me the encouragement & confidence I need in the kitchen even if my MIL doesnt! Losing my Mom at an early age, Ive had to rely on hit & miss recipes and your recipes are definitely Big Time HITS in our home!! Thank you so much for what you do!!(sorry about the length of post-thank you for your patience!)
Happy Biscuit Making & Blessings!
Pardon the stupid question, but I wanted to know if whipping cream would do or is it imperative to use heavy whipping cream? My Tom Thumb was out of it and grabbed the regular just hopi' and a'prayin' it would work. Does anyone know?
holy smokes they look DEELISH and easy lol.thanks!! Love your blog!
I wonder if I can find White Lily flour here in CA though?:( I used to use it in SC and I remember REDBAND lol
Brandi – I finally found the White Lilly Flour at my local Kroger store. I live in central Arkansas and found a list of stores that carry this flour on the White Lilly Flour website. Also, I saw that some folks mentioned the cost of ordering the flour online, but the website also has a store, were you can order and their prices were very reasonable, in my opinion.
So, my question is, you mentioned that you also use this flour for pancakes. After searching your blog, I couldn't find the recipe and wondered if you would post this sometime. Thanks for all the great recipes. I will be making my biscuits today. I plan on making a double batch, because good biscuits don't last long at our house!
I'm a novice about flour, so does it matter if it's unbleached? Amazon currently has unbleached White Lily self rising flour for a really good price!!! Thanks.
I say if you have found it at a great price, go with it. Some bakers prefer the unbleached. The only difference, the unbleached is a more natural wheat color and some bakers feel this does enhance the taste. Either way, you can't go wrong with the White Lily. Once you open the bag, I recommend putting it in a lidded container. 🙂
What would the temperature be for a fan assisted oven? 180 degrees C ?
Oh, I wish I could answer your question. I'm so sorry but I don't have a fan assisted oven so I'm really not sure. Perhaps another reader on here has one and can make a recommended baking temperature!
A fan assisted oven is best when you set it 20°C less than a normal oven heat. So uou would set your fan oven at 230°C.
These biscuits are the bees knees. I'll not use any other recipe from now on. I just used generic self rising flour from Wally World, and baked them on a sheet pan covered with a re-usable parchment. Unbelievably easy, and melt in your mouth tender. They went perfectly with our sausage gravy. There hasn't been one thing I've made from your site that hasn't been delicious and a huge hit with my family. It's the first place I stop when I'm planning my meals. Thank you Brandie <3
Angie, what an amazingly sweet comment. Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me that. It just makes all the work worth it to know someone is loving what I'm sharing. I hope you continue to love all the recipes you might try!
Hey Brandi, any tips or warnings for a non stick pan? I want the kind of pans you show in the pic but don't own any right now I know a spray won't work on them it will just bake on.
Hi Amanda, if you are using nonstick baking pans then just skip the nonstick baking spray step. It'll still come out fine. Or, if you are still concerned they might stick, just put down a layer of parchment paper on your baking sheet. Hope that helps!
The picture of the biscuits look great. Did you cook the biscuits in the picture touching or separated?
I baked them separate. If you like soft edges, bake them together.
I love your recipes, and these biscuits look delicious! One thing… every time I click on your website, I always get a bunch of pop up ads. I have antiviral protection and pop up blockers, but these still come thru. Do any other of your readers have this problem?
Hi Susie! Thank you for letting me know. That problem should be fixed now! 🙂
You can buy White Lily at Save-A-Lot food stores if you live in the south, for around $3. I live in Tennessee.
I so agree about the White Lily flour! And not just for baking biscuits either,any baking such as homemade cakes and cookies.I have tried other flours and there is no comparison.
Until I found this recipe, the last time I made biscuits was probably about 25 years ago and they turned out like little white hockey pucks so I gave up. I've now made this recipe twice and the flavor is great. First time they tasted good, but crumbly (probably too much flour, and yes I'm using White Lilly). Second time was much better and I think I'm getting the hang of it now. Second time I even dared to make breakfast for MIL (and she makes good biscuits), hubby, son, grand-daughter, and friend, and they all seemed to like them. Mine weren't pretty like yours, but I think with practice they will look better. With just two ingredients they were simple to make and they are really tasty.
Debbie
I make biscuits fairly often … anxious to give this recipe a try – and I have the PERFECT tomato to slice to go with them…and maybe some country ham and cooked summer apples!
I have been making biscuits for going on 52 years now…Don't make as often as use too..I always used self rising flour, and buttermilk…..I"m not sure we can get White lily flour here now, but will sure try, I want to make these…And I have never rolled out my dough and cut it with cutter…I have just always made my little well in flour bowl made from their and pinch then off…This is way I learned to make them…I have made a lot of pans for our bunch at dear camp, they thought they had a gold nugget…These sound so good…Thanks.I will be putting this on my Gloria"s Recipes page…Hope you visit page….
Wow I have never been able to make these always to dry.I just made them I;m amazed that it was easy that i to could make good biscuits so good wow
This is my kind of cooking/baking. Quick, easy and DELICIOUS! Would have never thought they could be this good, light and fluff. This recipe is definitely a KEEPER! I will be making them often. Thanks for sharing.
I've made quite a few biscuits in my days…but I can say now…that I've never had a better biscuit that these are. My sister and I made them for dinner tonight with some sausage gravy….they were delicious!! This will be my go-to recipe for biscuits from now on! TFS!
I will definitely take the time to make these for our special Sunday breakfast. I am from West Virginia, and I learned to cook before I learned to play the piano for Sunday School!!! When I read your blog I feel as if I am sitting down to have a cozy chat with my sister, or a dear friend. Your positive attitude and loving heart are reflected in your writing. Keep Smiling…