Biscuits and Gravy
Biscuits and Gravy is a classic southern breakfast that’s so tasty, easy, ad comforting! Soft and fluffy homemade buttermilk biscuits smothered with creamy sausage gravy. So easy to make the whole dish from scratch in less than 30 minutes!
Be sure to get your biscuit fix with more recipes like Buttermilk Biscuits and Honey Butter Biscuits.
Table of Contents
Love for biscuits and gravy in the south runs deep and true! It’s not just popular in the south though, people everywhere fall in love with this breakfast classic once they try it. And you don’t have to go to a restaurant and wait on your food to be delivered. You can easily make biscuits and gravy at home, completely from scratch, in less time.
Homemade biscuits are very easy to make in about 20 minutes and they require, actually demand, minimal effort! It’s important not to overwork the dough for fluffier, softer biscuits. Sausage gravy is just as effortless and can be cooked while biscuits are in the oven.
Soft and fluffy biscuits slathered in creamy sausage gravy make great weekend breakfast. You can even double the recipe for a big holiday family gathering.
Ingredient Notes
For the biscuits:
Low Fat Buttermilk – low-fat works best and make sure that it is cold!
Flour – all purpose flour works in any occasion but if you can, see if you White Lily flour is available to you (it contains more protein). Note: if using White Lily flour, you will need to add an extra 4 tbsp. since it’s lighter.
Cold Butter – I prefer using unsalted butter, however you can use salted if you prefer. Make sure the butter is cold, don’t take it out of the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the biscuits.
Baking Powder – Make sure it’s not expired! Baking powder should be used within 6 months of opening the container.
For the gravy:
Whole Milk – This will help create the best thick and creamy gravy.
Breakfast Sausage – Any brand you like best will do the trick. You can use pork or turkey breakfast sausage, whatever you prefer. If you happen to have any left over, use it to make the best Sausage Breakfast Casserole!
Salt and Pepper – To taste! Measure with your heart, but keep in mind that you can always add more but you can’t take out what’s already mixed in.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Homemade Biscuits
Prepare. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make the dough. Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir the chopped cold butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour the cold buttermilk into the center of the mixture and mix on low until just combined and the dough is sticky.
Knead the dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with a little more flour. Knead it about 5-6 times, folding the dough on top of itself, and pat it into a half inch thick circle.
Cut the biscuits. Use a cookie cutter (one that’s 2-2 1/2 inches in diameter) to cut out the biscuits. Rework the dough scraps into a ball and try to knead it as little as possible. Shape it into a circle and cut out more biscuits.
Bake. Spread the biscuits onto a baking sheet and leave about an inch between them. Bake for 10-13 minutes. Once baked, top with melted butter.
How to Make Sausage Gravy
Cook the sausage. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat and add the breakfast sausage (1). Break up the sausage as much as possible while it’s cooking and let it cook until it’s no longer pink.
Add flour. Sprinkle flour all over the sausage and stir well (2).
Add milk. Keep stirring gently and slowly pour in milk (3).
Stir and season. Continue to stir slowly as the mixture thickens (4). Season with salt and pepper and cook for a couple more minutes.
PRO TIP: If you’re using sausage links, be sure to remove the casings.
Storing and Reheating
Ideally, you would store the biscuits and the gravy separately. Store biscuits in an airtight bag at room temperature for a couple of days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Store sausage gravy in an airtight food storage container, in the refrigerator, for 3-5 days.
To reheat, you can pop individual biscuits into a microwave for just a few seconds. As far as the sausage gravy, it’s best to reheat it in the saucepot over medium-low heat. Don’t let it boil. You may need to add a splash of milk when reheating this gravy.
Make It Gluten Free
For the Biscuits:
To make gluten free biscuits, use your favorite 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour blend, you can use it as an equal substitute for the regular all-purpose flour in this recipe. Remember that texture will be quite different with gluten free flour.
NOTE: Avoid substituting almond flour or coconut flour, as those require different liquid ratios than what our recipe calls for.
For the Sausage Gravy:
Simply use gluten free all purpose flour to prepare the sausage gravy. The breakfast sausage should already be gluten free but make sure to double check the nutrition label to make sure.
Recipe FAQs
Make sure to use breakfast sausage! Not to be confused with Italian sausage, brats, or any other type. The sausage will be labeled “breakfast sausage” or “country sausage.” Some popular labels that are easy to find include Jimmy Dean and Johnsonville, but there are usually store brands available.
Yes! Let the biscuits (by themselves with no gravy) cool to room temperature. Then, transfer them to an airtight freezer safe container or a zip-top bag. Date, label, and freeze for up to 1 month.
This is a hearty and filling breakfast or brunch on it’s own, but you can always add more options! Eggs make a good addition and so as hashbrowns and home fries. You can double up on meat and serve a side of crispy bacon with it. You can serve the sausage gravy on top of quiches, breakfast casseroles, and frittatas.
More Comforting Breakfast Recipes
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Biscuits and Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
Biscuits:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 5 tbsp cold unsalted butter
- 1 cup cold low-fat buttermilk
Sausage Gravy:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 12 oz raw breakfast sausage
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- salt
Instructions
Biscuits:
- Preheat the oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and give it a quick stir to combine.
- Chop cold butter into small pieces and add it into the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Pour cold buttermilk into the center of the mixture and mix, still on low, until just combined and dough is sticky.
- Take the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and sprinkle with a little more flour on top. Knead dough 5-6 times, folding it on top of itself, and pat into a ½ inch-think circle.
- Use a cookie cutter (about 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter) to cut out the biscuits.
- Rework dough scraps into a ball (kneading it as little as possible) and shape it into a circle again. Cut out more biscuits.
- Place biscuits on the baking sheet leaving about an inch in between and bake until golden brown on top, for about 10-13 minutes.
- As soon as biscuits are out of the oven, brush them with melted butter.
Sausage Gravy:
- You can prepare sausage gravy while biscuits are baking.
- Note: If using sausage links, make sure to take the casing off.
- Melt butter in a large cooking pan over medium heat and add breakfast sausage. Break up the sausage as much as possible while it’s cooking and let it cook until it’s no longer pink.
- Sprinkle flour all over the sausage and stir well.
- Keep stirring gently and slowly pour in milk.
- Continue to stir slowly as the mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper and cook for a couple more minutes.
Video
Notes
- Cold ingredients: remember to keep the buttermilk and the butter cold when making biscuits! Don’t take them out of the refrigerator until ready to make the biscuits dough.
- Sausage for gravy: Make sure to use breakfast sausage! Not to be confused with Italian sausage, brats, or any other type. The sausage will be labeled “breakfast sausage” or “country sausage.” Some popular labels that are easy to find include Jimmy Dean and Johnsonville, but there are usually store brands available.
- Gluten Free Notes: For the biscuits, use your favorite 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour blend, you can use it as an equal substitute for the all-purpose flour in this recipe. (Avoid substituting almond flour or coconut flour, as those require different liquid ratios than what our recipe calls for.) In the sausage gravy: use gluten free all purpose flour instead of regular one as well.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on October 30, 2019.
All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
I added fresh sage needed more flavor
That sounds good!
Can you use 2% milk instead?
Thanks for including our turkey sausage hash brown casserole with your very delicious looking biscuits and gravy. A true Southern charm!!
Thanks, Tara! I love a good hasbrown Casserole! Yum!