My honey butter biscuits are soft, pillowy, and brushed with a warm honey butter glaze the moment they come out of the oven. The melted butter method means no cutting in cold butter, no fussy technique — just stir and go. I make these for holiday dinners and weekend breakfasts when I want homemade bread without the rise time.
The melted butter method makes these easy honey biscuits foolproof
Traditional biscuit recipes require cutting cold butter into flour, keeping everything chilled, and working quickly so the butter doesn’t melt. I skip all of that in my recipe! Instead, I stir melted butter directly into the dry ingredients to create a tender, cakey texture that’s more forgiving!
But hey, these aren’t traditional flaky Southern biscuits — they’re intentionally soft and pillowy. That tender crumb soaks up the honey butter glaze better than a flaky biscuit would. The honey goes in twice: once in the dough for subtle sweetness, and again in the glaze that gets brushed on while the biscuits are still hot.
The fold isn’t about creating layers — it’s about bringing the shaggy dough together without overworking it. One fold, pat it out, cut, and bake. The whole process takes 30 minutes, start to warm biscuits on the table. Try my cheddar buttermilk biscuits if you want a savory version that’s more flaky.
Don’t skip the salt in the honey butter! That sweet-salty balance is what makes these taste like something from a restaurant instead of just sweet bread.
Key ingredients and why they matter
To make this honey biscuits recipe, you’ll need all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, honey, buttermilk, unsalted butter, and salt.
Full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- All-purpose flour is the base. Don’t substitute whole wheat or bread flour — you want tender biscuits, not chewy ones. Have extra on hand for rolling.
- Buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to create lift and adds tangy flavor that balances the honey. No buttermilk? Add 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk and let it sit 5 minutes.
- Melted butter in the dough makes this recipe foolproof. Cool it slightly so it doesn’t cook the buttermilk when they combine, but it doesn’t need to be cold.
- Honey goes in the dough and the glaze. Use a mild variety — strong honeys like buckwheat will overpower everything else.
- The honey butter glaze is generous on purpose. You’ll have extra for dipping or a second coat. The salt in the glaze is essential — it’s what makes these taste special.
TIPS & TRICKS
Shruthi’s top tips
- Don’t overmix the dough. Stir just until it comes together — shaggy and slightly sticky is what you want. Overworked dough makes tough biscuits.
- Cut straight down with the biscuit cutter. Twisting seals the edges and prevents the biscuits from rising properly. Dip the cutter in flour between cuts.
- Brush the glaze while biscuits are hot. The warmth helps it soak in rather than just sitting on top.
- Re-roll scraps only once. More than that and the biscuits get tough. The second-roll biscuits won’t rise quite as high, but they’ll still taste good.
- If using salted butter, omit all salt. The recipe is calibrated for unsalted butter with salt added separately.
How to make honey butter biscuits
- Preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients, then create a well in the center.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl and gently stir until a soft dough forms. The dough will be slightly sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, sprinkle it with a little flour, and roll it out evenly. Cut out the biscuits using a biscuit cutter. Re-roll the dough as needed.
- Place the cut biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each one.
- Bake until the biscuits are lightly golden and set.
- While the biscuits cool, make the honey butter by stirring together all of the honey butter ingredients. Brush the honey butter over warm biscuits one to two times, and enjoy!
How to serve buttermilk honey biscuits
For holiday meals, serve alongside mushroom gravy or cranberry sauce. At breakfast, pair with scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, or vegetarian breakfast casserole. These are perfect with slow cooker lentil soup or any hearty stew on soup night. Set out extra honey butter and jam for the table.
Variations:
- Cinnamon honey butter: Add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the glaze.
- Savory version: Skip the honey in the glaze; add 2 minced garlic cloves and fresh thyme to the butter instead.
- Drop biscuits: Skip rolling and cutting — drop ¼-cup portions onto the baking sheet for a rustic shape. Same bake time.
- Smaller batch: Recipe halves well for 5-6 biscuits.
Storage and reheating suggestions
Store biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap each biscuit individually in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat refrigerated biscuits in a 300°F oven for 10–12 minutes, or bake from frozen at 325°F for 15–18 minutes until warmed through. The microwave works in a pinch, but it will soften the texture.
Store honey butter separately at room temperature for up to 1 week or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Rewarm gently until liquid before brushing onto biscuits.
To make ahead, cut the biscuits and refrigerate on the baking sheet overnight; add 1–2 minutes to the bake time when ready to bake.
More easy bread recipes
If you love these honey butter biscuits, explore my other easy bread recipes:
Flaky Buttermilk Cheddar Cheese Biscuits
Garlic Rolls
Sweet Potato Cornbread
Easy Six Ingredient Vegan Dinner Rolls
Honey Butter Biscuits
Equipment
- Bowl
- Spoon
- 3-inch biscuit cutter
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush optional
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons honey
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Honey Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425℉ and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Stir together all of the dry ingredients for the biscuits and make a well in the middle.
- Add the wet ingredients for the biscuits in with the dry and stir well to form a dough, it may be slightly sticky.
- Flour a clean surface, and your hands, lay the dough onto the floured surface, sprinkle some flour onto the dough, and then roll out to about ½ inch thick with your rolling pin.
- Using your biscuit cutter, cut out about 14 biscuits from the dough, re-rolling as needed, and place the raw biscuits on your baking sheet, 6-8 biscuits at a time and spaced 1-2 inches apart.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until they start to golden and are firm to the touch, repeat baking for the rest of the biscuits.
- While the biscuits cool, make the honey butter by stirring together all of the honey butter ingredients.
- Brush the honey butter over warm biscuits one to two times, and enjoy!
Notes
- If you only have salted butter, be sure to omit all of the salt in the recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
