Perfect High Altitude Biscuit Recipe
Fluffy, flakey, savory biscuits that come out perfectly at high altitude every time. I know because I’ve tested these beauties 3 times this month just to make sure. Pass the butter and jam because it’s time to stuff my face with biscuits.
Calling these the Perfect High Altitude Biscuit Recipe is cocky, I know. But it’s not a claim I take lightly. I’ve made no less than a dozen other biscuit recipes over the last 5 years making as the recipe as written as well as adjusting them for high altitude. But alas all of them have left me feeling underwhelmed and most often feeding the leftovers to the dog. A win if you’re the dog but an utter fail if you’re my mouth or stomach. If you’re a fellow high altitude baker like myself then you know the biscuit struggle is real. But no longer! These are truly the perfect biscuit for me. In fact, I declare these as the only biscuit recipe I’ll ever make again. Sorry, dogs.
My dear friend and fellow food blogger, Becky from the Vintage Mixer, co-wrote a cookbook with her husband, Josh, highlighting Salt Lake City’s dining scene. All the recipes are from restaurants and food purveyors in and around Salt Lake. Salt Lake City Chefs Table is gorgeously photographed and each recipe has a quick story behind it. Whether it’s something about the owner or a little ditty about the actual restaurant, every recipe had Becky’s words alongside and I love the words as much as I do the recipes. It’s a true gem and one that has a home where I can easily reach it as I’ve already made a handful of recipes and enjoyed all of them!
This biscuit recipe comes from Becky’s book, generously offered up by the infamous Dottie’s Biscuit Barn, a food truck dishing up biscuits, gravies, homemade jams and jellies and seasonal pies. A food truck serving warm biscuits? Be still my heart. A staple at the Salt Lake Farmers Market, don’t pass these up if you get the opportunity. A lot of love and labor goes into these biscuits and I promise you can taste it. Lucky for me I don’t have to travel anywhere. I can have homemade buttermilk biscuits whenever I want them!! No doubt slathered in my favorite butter and homemade jam, thank you very much.
My dad is my partner in crime when it comes to biscuit consumption. He loves a warm biscuit slathered in butter just as much as I do. Maybe more! I made these for dinner one night when he and my mom came over and I even though the roast I made was also delicious, I’m not sure he even had any. He was all about biscuits and not so shamelessly took all the leftover biscuits home. I can hardly blame him. He was, again, the lucky recipient when I made these last week so I could photograph and blog them. I took them over warm from the oven and wrapped in a tea towel. He texted me before I was back home to tell me he’d already eaten two! Can you say daughter of the year right here?
Whether you’re going to share them with your dad or eat them all yourself (don’t worry, I won’t tell). Whether you’re going to slather them with butter and jam or use them for biscuits and gravy. It doesn’t matter. These ARE the Perfect High Altitude Biscuit Recipe.
PrintPerfect High Altitude Biscuit Recipe
Yield: 12-18 biscuits 1x
Yield:
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A biscuit recipe that comes out perfectly every time at high altitude!
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- Scant 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, cold
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
- Mix dry ingredients together in the base of a food processor.
- Add butter and pulse 10-15 times just until butter is in pea size pieces. Take care not to over process.
- Transfer flour/butter mixture to a large bowl. Pour in buttermilk and using a wooden spoon or hard spatula, incorporate the buttermilk into the butter-flour mixture just until it’s mixed through. Again, you don’t want to overwork the dough.
- Lightly flour a clean, hard surface and pour out dough- it should want to fall apart. Using a dough cutter, begin collecting the dough and shaping it into a rectangle. Roll the dough out, using a rolling pin, about 1/2 inch thick. Use the dough cutter, lift up one end of the dough and fold it back on itself. Roll the dough out again to 3/4 inch thick. Fold the dough bak on itself again and roll out to 1 inch thick. You can use a pizza cutter to cut dough into squares or use a biscuit cutter and make circles.
- Place biscuits about 1-inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake about 10-12 minutes until golden and puffy.
- I think these are best served warm slathered with butter and homemade jam!
Notes
Andy, the owner of Dottie’s Biscuit Barn, recommends cooking the biscuits at 375F degrees in a convection oven for 10 minutes. I find mine worked best at 400F degrees. Also, the original recipe calls for 2 full tablespoons of baking powder but again, I find mine work best if I do a scant 2 tablespoons. My kitchen is just below 7000 feet in altitude.
118 Comments
Many thanks from this Denver grandmother. People don’t realize how many fails we can have at a mile high! Right on to my Pinterest Board.
Thank you for putting this recipe on the Internet. I moved from South Carolina and have made biscuits for over 60 years, but when I tried out here in Utah, I was shocked that they did not rise at all. I have never measured my ingredients, but guess I will have to start. Again, thank you.
Smudge made these two weeks ago and is obsessed. Hers however, didn’t have quite the lift. Adjustments to be made!
Now, you’re making me want to go make these!! I don’t think I can wait until the market reopens. I’m glad you’re enjoying them and the book! xoxo
I’ve been meaning to try that recipe – love those biscuits!
Could I make these as is for lower altitudes or is there an adjustment that needs to be made? I am always looking for new biscuit recipes.
I am at 4200’ so will be making these with the original instructions: full 2 T
baking powder as well as 375* convection temp. Thanks to mountain mama for referencing that! All I had to do was google SLC altitude! Will report back when they’re out of the oven!
Wonderful!!! Best biscuit I have ever made. Live at approx 5600′ elevation. Will use tomorrow for Biscuits, Sausage and Gravy. Should still have some left for shortcake.
Would love to only make half. Thanks for your testing and tasting. This will be our only biscuit. And what if these were to be made at a lower elevation?
I don’t know how they’d turn out at lower elevation….I’ve never tried. As far as making half the recipe, I’ve done it before and halving the recipe works wonderfully!
kelly at my age i have never never made biscuits that came out omg you have saved the day i made this recipe and it was great yah thanks a million
great recipe, absolutely delicious and easy to make. Oh, I like how your version looks! All those extra steps are actually in the original recipe .
I live at high altitude and have never had good success with biscuits either. Can’t wait to try your recipe! Pinning this.
THANK YOU for this recipe! I have struggled to make fluffy biscuits at altitude for years, but these turned out perfectly at 9,000ft. I will be using this recipe exclusively from now on!
Isn’t it a great recipe? So glad they worked out for you and thanks for the comment!!
We are flatlanders but come to Colorado to ski. Two nights ago I made chicken and dumplings and adjusted my usual biscuit recipe for the dumpling part. Despite following recommendations for altitude they were only so-so. I hate so-so! Tonight I decided to try your recipe and they were PERFECT! There were lots of yummy noises at the table. It’s a keeper! We’re at 9000 feet. They were not ready for almost 20 minutes. Thank you for posting.
4 cups of flour??? that’s twice as much as any other recipe I’ve seen. please confirm 4 cups!
4 cups 🙂
Can I just dump the dough in a pan and cook it in one big square/circle instead of cutting it into squares or circles?
I wouldn’t recommend it.
Since moving to Albuquerque a few years ago, I have had difficulty converting my own “tried and true” recipes to a high altitude approved, version! These biscuits were fantastic- and as promised, came out of the oven soft, moist and tall! I don’t suppose you have any recommendations for banana bread, would you?
Thank you so much for taking the time to research recipes- I look forward to reading more!
I’m in Santa Fe at 7,200 feet, so I really appreciate your recipes!
Picked up this trick from Cook’s Illustrated, and it really works:
Measure buttermilk and place cup in the freezer while prepping other ingredients (you want it to be in the freezer about 10 minutes.
Place butter in a microwave safe bowl, cover with a paper towel and heat on high for 30 seconds. If not completely melted, return to microwave for 10 second intervals till melted. Set aside to cool a bit.
After buttermilk has been chilled in freezer for 10 minutes, combine it with the melted butter. Stir with a fork until butter forms small clumps or globules. Then mix with flour. . .
Love it, thanks!
Great idea! I’ll have to try it next time around!
Kelley,
Tried your recipe everything looked great until I put them in the oven. They took forever to brown – like 20 minutes – and by then, well. . . .
Some facts – I’m using the convection cycle on my oven. I’m pretty sure the temp is correct – gonna check that tonight, though. We’re at 7,200 feet, so not that far from you. Flour came out of the freezer, but by the time it hit the oven, it felt OK temperature wise.
I think these would have been great biscuits except for the baking part. Any ideas?
I don’t use a convection oven so I’m sorry that I can’t be more help on that front. I make these biscuits often and don’t ever have a problem with them browning. Perhaps you need to turn the heat up a touch? I also don’t freeze my flour though i’m not sure if that effects the outcome.
I have noticed several people comment on not browning well. Try adding a tablespoon of sugar. I got this from an Alaskan sourdough cookbook and it seems to work well for biscuits and pancakes.
Can you make these without a food processor?
Sure! You could make them by hand easily. Simply use a pastry tool or two forks to mix.
Finally!
This is exactly what I have been looking for! I live at about 5400 ft and these turned out perfectly! I did have to bake them for 5 minutes longer in order for the tops to brown but I made no other changes.
I love this recipe for at home in Denver! My contribution: I made these this week while on a trip to Albany, NY, and they still turned out great! I estimate I had to leave them in 4-5 minutes longer, but no other changes. So those who asked about other altitudes, go for it! Just watch for them to start to brown on top and take them out.
Thanks! How would I adjust the recipe for drop biscuits? Add a bit more milk? We’re visiting friends in Cody, and I’m getting ready to make biscuits and gravy.
I’ve never made drop biscuits. I think you could make this as is and simply slice them in half to use for biscuits and gravy!
Hello! Thank you so much for this recipe! I have made it many times now, and it has quickly become a family favorite. Until a month ago, I was using it at high altitude, and it came out perfect every time. Since then, we have moved to sea level, and the recipe still turns out perfect! No adjustments were needed, and they came out just as lovely as they did at high altitude. Before this recipe, I had tried so many other biscuit recipes, but they never turned out all that great. Now, I am so glad that I have found a quick and tasty recipe that works every time 🙂 Thanks again!
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Brilliant! Best roll I have ever constructed. Should in any case have some left for shortcake.
I will definitely put this in bucket list the things to try out over the weekends
Made these this morning. Best biscuits I have ever eaten! Thank you for this great recipe!!
Amazingly good. Every time!
Can you freeze the dough or baked biscuits for later consumption? Recommendations? I’m hoping to make these for when a party of 30 give or take come for Thanksgiving and basically looking for any way to prep in advance. I just LOVE a homemade biscuit. The ones from cans just can’t compare, y’know?
I haven’t every made them ahead so not sure how they’d freeze. I think it would work though!
EnI prided myself on the biscuits I made as a flat lander. Moved to Santa Fe at 6700 feet, and my biscuits fell flat. I found this recipe which uses the same ingredients, but different proportions of everything. Less leavening, less buttermilk, less baking time. These were perfect. I baked for 14 minutes then turned on broiler for a minute to brown the tops a bit. I and my family, are so very grateful.
Oh, I forgot to rate this wonderful recipe. I’d give it 10 stars, but alas, the site doesn’t let me.
Made these today at 5300’ and they’re pretty dang good for a first attempt! I need to work on my handling and rolling technique 🙂 Thanks for the recipe! What happens if you use salted butter?
Only thing that changes is the flavor. They’ll be a little saltier. I use salted butter all the time and cut back on the kosher salt just a pinch.
Thank you so much just made the biscuits they turned out wonderful. no more hockey pucks for me.
I’m so glad! I love these biscuits!
I will be moving to 10,000 elevation do you think any adjustments will be needed?
I’d make them once as written and then adjust from there. You might need to decrease the leavening a bit and/or add a little more liquid. You could also play with the temperature. A lower heat for longer time.
I am at 8700′ in the Andes of Ecuador, and have tried numerous recipes. Some good, some not so good, but this one is a gem.
Nice and flaky, moist, tasty. Brings me back to my Tennessee roots, and North Carolina biscuits which were always flaky. A great recipe for South America.
Yay! Love hearing that. Enjoy!!
I used herbed instead of unsalted butter, and gently folded blanched asparagus, goat’s milk cheddar and cooked pancetta into the dry mix before adding buttermilk. I also brushed them with buttermilk before putting them into the over. Cook time ended up being 20 minutes, and they came out *perfectly*. Slight crisp on the outside, beautifully moist and flaky on the inside. Thank you!
That sounds absolutely amazing!!!!!
Just made these here in Tanzania East Africa. Thank full to have found a recipe that turned out so well. I did use a tip from another on here that said to melt the butter and mix with the buttermilk that had been in the fridge for ten minutes. I only made 1/3 of the original recipe because I was nervous it wouldn’t turn out.
Thanks for posting it!
I was wondering if this recipe will work for really high altitudes. I live above 9100 feet. Should I do anything different?
Hi! It should work….but might need a little tinkering. I would start by decreasing the leavening by @ 1/8th of a teaspoon and you might need to add a tablespoon more of liquid. You also might need to bake a minute or two longer. Let me know how they turn out if you do try!
Made a half recipe at 5000′. Best ever. I got into the rolling and folding thing and it clearly helped the biscuits to rise. I followed the advice of Dotties Biscuit Barn because it is so hot I didn’t want to heat the kitchen up. At 375 using the convection oven for 10 minutes worked beautifully. Thanks for posting.
You’re so welcome! It’s a beloved recipe at our house for sure!
When I rolled batter out on the counter on the flour there was no way I could double the batter over on itself twice. Just had to roll once. Didn t raise much.
Great post.
I’m so thankful I came across your post! It took me weeks to search for the info you have mentioned above and it’s
a genuine blessing to find someone as enthusiastic about this
subject as myself. What I’m trying to convey is the importance of this issue can’t be
hesitated. People who raise it are all worth appreciation regardless of the fact
that I, personally, do not fully share your own views.
Anyhow, thank you for sharing your own experience!
Best ever. I got this show on the road and collapsing thing and it unmistakably helped the bread rolls to rise. I pursued the guidance of Dotties Biscuit Barn since it is so hot I would not like to warm the kitchen up. At 375 utilizing the convection stove for 10 minutes worked wonderfully. A debt of gratitude is in order for posting.
By far my favorite biscuit recipe. I use this all the time and works well at 9000 feet. Thanks so much!
Thanks!!!
I live in Colorado Springs CO, and these came out fantastic!!! Thank you so much for sharing such a delicious and workable recipe!
Hi. I live in Az.,at an altitude of 6,910 ft., & haven’t had much suc-
sess w/biscuits so I have been on the hunt for a good recipe again.
I’ve made your recipe twice; first time, I forgot the baking soda , so
they were flat, tho tasty. Today, made them again, w/b.soda, & they
were flaky, & tasted great. They rose more than before, but not as
tall as yours’. Followed recipe, except I don’t have a food processor.
Tried to avoid working dough too much ; It was very crumbly. Any other ideas? Thanks.
Perhaps add a lit bit more liquid. And make sure you’re measuring your flour properly.
I love the recipe but found it had a slightly bitter after taste – possibly too much baking soda? Or vinegar since I had to add it to the milk to make butter milk.
Not sure. Im well over 8,000 ft. Find your recipes wonderfullly helpful here. Not sure what went awry with the after taste. Something I did. I reduced soda and vinegar for future use. My husband couldnt taste it so not too bad. And honey took care of it for me.
BTW when Im feeling lazy they make a reasonable drop biscuit too.
I need to try the as a drop biscuit. Good idea!
Try lemon juice instead of vinegar to sour your milk
Kelley, I wanted to thank you for this and all of your recipes. I especially love the baking ones. I live at 7400 and your recipes have not failed me.
I grew up in New Orleans and have lived in Golden, Colorado for twenty years. Your recipe finally helped me make great biscuits, brownies and cookies again!
Truly appreciate your work.
Lisa
New Orleans is my favorite city to visit!! Glad you’re here. Happy baking!!
Thanks to everyone for your input. I have been mortally wounded by how bad my biscuits have been since moving from Indiana to New Mexico. Looking forward to giving this a try.
Just made these tonight and HOLY COW, I was in heaven. Pour chicken pot pie filling over the top, or your favorite homemade preserves. I did both, so extra uphill for me tomorrow!
Yes! I love the idea of chicken pot pie filling over biscuits- I’m so stealing that idea! Enjoy the extra workout today; sounds like it was worth it! 🙂
I live in Denver and these came out wonderfully! Will certainly be my go-to for buttermilk biscuits. I don’t have a food processor, so I used my hands to combine the dry ingredients with the butter.
I’m using White Lily self rising flour and I’m at 6900 ft. alt. Most self rising flour has 1 1/2 tsp. to 2 tsp. of baking powder. If I use your recipe and self rising flour should I add additional baking powder? What about the baking soda?
Would appreciate a speedy reply.
I don’t recommend using self rising flour because of the already added baking powder. It’s not reliable for me!
Could this recipe be adjusted to a slightly sweeter version for strawberry shortcake?
Of course! Add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to the biscuit recipe and bake as directed!
I’ve made these twice now. They rise beautifully and come out fluffy and moist. But I had to leave them in the oven about 15 minutes and they never got brown on top. Suggestions? (7000ft)
I love the comment from the person who used herbed butter, goat cheese, and cooked pancetta. Definitely want to play around with that idea. And chicken and dumplings? Yum!
Try brushing the tops with an egg mixture and turning the heat up for the last few minutes. For what it’s worthy, mine never get too brown either. Still delicious!
Oh wow these are just superb and they rose sooo well. I moved to Colorado Springs a few years ago and tried to adapt my sea level recipe a few times and just gave up. I found your recipe and tried it just today and it was amazing. 🙂 We are eating them with butter and having them as a side with chili. Thank you!!
I baked! Me! I achieved flaky, yummy biscuits with your guidance! I’m 43 years old, a Colorado native, and a girl with raging, untreated ADHD, so I’ve tried baking many, many times, and have made many, many bricks, hockey pucks and doorstops, but nary a biscuit or bread. Tonight I feel so accomplished and very grateful! These are so delicious and will go great with the imitation KFC coleslaw I made. What a feast, thank you!
Can I use regular salt? I don’t have kosher
Sure!
I’m at 6500 ft. This is my go to biscuit recipe! I make mock buttermilk with 1Tbl vinegar to 1 cup milk.
These were a HIT in my household. I tested them on a non-cheat day which then became cheat-day after i immediately consumed 2. They fluffed up so much and were moist even after a couple days. Still cant believe they lasted that long! Thank you for sharing your recipes. Ive enjoyed learning how to bake at altitude!
I am a seasoned baker for 55 years. I made the recipe as directed and I found the liquid was way to much. I had to add more flour about 1 – 1 1/2 cups of flour so it was not soupy. I am letting them ruse for about 30 minutes. Hopefully they will turn out good.
Having to add that much more flour makes me think your measurements were off somewhere. This is a tried-and-true recipe as written and have been made by many to rave reviews. I hope you’ll try again!
This is a very good recipe I surely love it
I just wanted you to know that I make this recipe all the time (I live in Boulder, CO, at about ~6,000 ft), and it works great. Today for the first time I subbed in a cup of sourdough starter and reduced the flour and buttermilk by 1/2 cup each. The biscuits were the most beautiful, fluffiest, and tastiest I have ever created. I made them extra large (~3 in diameter) so they took a few extra minutes in the oven. THANK YOU for this wonderful, versatile recipe!!
Is it possible to make this with vegan butter and soy milk? My friend has a dairy allergy.
I have never tried so can’t confidently tell you if they’ll work or not. I *think the vegan butter would work and I’d probably add 1 teaspoon or so of lemon juice or red wine vinegar to whatever milk alternative you do choose to help mimic the buttermilk taste. Let me know how they turn out!
Would you be willing to weigh the flour for the recipe? I just spooned mine into the measuring cups and the mix came out too dry. I will now sift, but thought a weight might give us all the perfect recipe. Delicious, THANKS!
I have made these so often that I rarely measure. I can tell you that when I do weigh, I always use 120 grams for 1 cup of flour. Hope that helps!
What size biscuit cutter do you use?
I think mine is maybe 2-inch round?
I know I did something wrong. They just didn’t fully rise or brown. And I left them in for at least 15 minutes maybe longer. I live in Colorado springs and my area is around 6500ft. I thought boost the temp another 15 degrees or so.
I don’t keep cultured buttermilk around but I do keep a powdered buttermilk. I wonder if that could be a factor.
Hmmmm. It might be though powdered buttermilk should work. So strange. Something was definitely off!
Oh, and what is two scant tablespoons? Is that 1 3/4? I need a little help here.
yes, sir!
I don’t have kosher, can I use salt or there is something different?
Any salt will work just fine.
Just remember that fine table salt is much saltier than kosher salt and adjust accordingly!
I live at almost 8000 feet. I’ve tried many different biscuit recipes. This one is the best I have found. I’ve made it twice this week, highly recommend!This is my first comment on any recipe website. Think that says it all.
Yay! I love the biscuits so much. I’m going to be posting a biscuits and gravy recipe soon! xo
Could I use milk instead of buttermilk?
No. Though you can easily make buttermilk if you don’t have any. Put 1 teaspoon lemon juice or red wine vinegar in a cup and add 1/2 cup milk. Let it sit for 15 minutes or so and then use that!
I have had a biscuit “disability” for years. Even made them next to a master baker, hers came out beautiful but mine sadly did not. Love this recipe and mine turned out amazing!!
The recipe is wonderful….and the biscuits are delish…but I live at 9500+ ft in Colorado and mine don’t bake or turn golden at 10-12 minutes. In fact at 20 min they are just slightly golden. Any idea why your baking time doesn’t work for me.
Try brushing the tops with an egg wash and increasing the temperature for the last 5 minutes.
My email isn’t correctin my first post. The email below is my correct address.
The recipe is wonderful….and the biscuits are delish…but I live at 9500+ ft in Colorado and mine don’t bake or turn golden at 10-12 minutes. In fact at 20 min they are just slightly golden. Any idea why your baking time doesn’t work for me.
Hello! Hoping to make these for Thanksgiving morning this year. They look delicious! Any recommendations or changes if baking at 9,000 ft elevation?
You can make as written!
Married to a southern boy who said my biscuits were only suitable for sporting clays. Now live in Mile High Denver, and proudly brought these to Thanksgiving, where half the table had lived in South Carolina, and they disappeared. This recipe is wonderful. I grated almost frozen butter with a box grater and chilled the buttermilk for about ten minutes in the freezer before adding, but other than that, followed recipe to the letter. One other tip I go from a southern pro-once you have put biscuit cutter in rolled dough, do not twist at all, just lift.
First time biscuit maker here in Breckenridge 9300ft. I didn’t have a biscuit cutter so I used a cookie cutter and they turned out amazing! Thank you.