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This hearty Southern sausage biscuit recipe brings authentic comfort food right to your kitchen. The combination of flaky, buttery homemade biscuits paired with seasoned sausage patties creates a classic breakfast sandwich that's deeply satisfying and full of Southern charm.
I first learned to make these biscuits from my grandmother in Tennessee, and they've become my signature breakfast dish for weekend family gatherings. Nothing brings everyone to the table faster than the smell of fresh biscuits baking and sausage sizzling.
Ingredients
- For the Buttermilk Biscuits All purpose flour forms the foundation for these tender biscuits
- Baking powder and baking soda work together to create the perfect rise
- Salt enhances all the flavors and balances the richness
- Cold butter is essential for creating those flaky layers look for unsalted for best control of flavor
- Buttermilk adds tanginess and reacts with the leaveners choose full fat for best results
- For the Sausage and Assembly Breakfast sausage choose a high quality brand or make your own by seasoning ground pork
- Cheddar or American cheese optional but adds wonderful creamy richness
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the dry ingredients
- Whisk together the flour baking powder baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined. This even distribution ensures your biscuits rise properly and have consistent flavor throughout.
- Cut in the butter
- Working quickly so the butter stays cold add the cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or fork to work the butter into the flour until you have coarse crumbs with small pea sized pieces of butter visible. These butter pieces will create steam pockets during baking resulting in those signature flaky layers.
- Add the buttermilk
- Pour the cold buttermilk into the mixture and stir gently just until the dough comes together. The key here is minimal handling overmixing develops gluten which makes tough biscuits. The dough should look somewhat shaggy not smooth and perfect.
- Form the biscuits
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold it gently 4 to 5 times. This creates layers without overworking the dough. Roll to a 1 inch thickness and use a sharp biscuit cutter pressing straight down without twisting to cut rounds.
- Bake to golden perfection
- Arrange biscuits on a baking sheet with sides touching for softer sides or spaced apart for crispier edges. Bake at 425°F for 12 to 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits have risen beautifully.
- Cook the sausage
- While biscuits bake form the breakfast sausage into patties slightly larger than your biscuit cutter. Cook in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned and cooked through. The sausage should reach 160°F internally.
- Assemble and serve
- Split the warm biscuits horizontally place a sausage patty inside add cheese if desired and top with the other biscuit half. The residual heat will gently melt the cheese creating the perfect bite.
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My favorite part of this recipe is watching people take their first bite the contrast between the crispy golden exterior of the biscuit and the tender flaky interior paired with savory sausage simply cant be beat. My husband still remembers the first time I made these for him on our third date I like to think these biscuits sealed the deal.
The Perfect Biscuit Technique
The secret to truly outstanding Southern biscuits lies in handling the dough with a light touch. Southern bakers often say biscuits can sense fear so approach with confidence but minimal handling. The buttermilk is particularly important here not just for flavor but because its acidity tenderizes the dough and reacts with the leavening agents to create the perfect rise. If you dont have buttermilk on hand you can make a quick substitute by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
Make Ahead Options
These sausage biscuits work wonderfully for meal prep. You can make the biscuit dough ahead of time and freeze the cut raw biscuits on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag. When ready to bake just add a couple extra minutes to the baking time no thawing needed. Similarly sausage patties can be formed ahead refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Fully assembled sandwiches can be wrapped individually and frozen reheated in a 325°F oven or toaster oven for about 15 minutes.
Variations To Try
While the classic version is perfect as is there are many ways to customize these biscuits. Try adding a tablespoon of honey to the biscuit dough for a subtle sweetness that complements the savory sausage beautifully. For heat lovers mix a pinch of cayenne or some freshly ground black pepper into the biscuit dough or choose a spicy breakfast sausage. Some Southerners swear by adding a fried egg and a drizzle of maple syrup for the ultimate breakfast sandwich experience. You can also substitute half the all purpose flour with whole wheat for a nuttier flavor and added nutrition.
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Recipe FAQs
- → How do I make the flakiest biscuits?
For the flakiest biscuits, keep your butter and buttermilk very cold until use, handle the dough minimally to prevent gluten development, and ensure your butter pieces remain visible (about pea-sized) in the dough. Folding the dough a few times rather than kneading creates layers, and cutting straight down with your biscuit cutter without twisting helps maintain those layers during baking.
- → Can I make the biscuit dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the biscuit dough up to a day ahead. Cut the biscuits, place them on a baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. You can bake them straight from the refrigerator, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time. For longer storage, freeze unbaked biscuits and bake from frozen, adding about 5 minutes to the baking time.
- → What can I substitute for buttermilk?
If you don't have buttermilk, make a quick substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup, then filling to the ¾ cup line with regular milk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until slightly thickened. While not identical to real buttermilk, this acid-milk mixture will react properly with the baking powder and soda to create rise.
- → Can I use store-bought biscuits instead of making them from scratch?
Yes, while homemade biscuits offer superior flavor and texture, you can substitute refrigerated or frozen biscuit dough in a time crunch. Follow the package instructions for baking. The sandwich will still be delicious, though the texture and flavor won't be quite the same as with homemade biscuits.
- → What seasonings work well in the sausage mixture?
If using plain ground pork instead of breakfast sausage, create your own blend with 1 teaspoon sage, ½ teaspoon each of thyme and black pepper, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, a pinch of cloves, and ¾ teaspoon salt per pound of meat. For heat, add crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne to taste. Mix thoroughly before forming patties for that authentic Southern breakfast sausage flavor.
- → How do I store and reheat leftover sausage biscuits?
Store assembled sandwiches wrapped individually in foil or parchment in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results when reheating, disassemble the sandwiches, warm the biscuits in a 325°F oven for 5-7 minutes until heated through, and reheat the sausage separately in a skillet or microwave before reassembling. This prevents the biscuits from becoming soggy.