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Is it better to use milk or buttermilk in biscuits?

Both milk and buttermilk can be great options for making fluffy, tender biscuits. The main difference is that buttermilk will provide a more tangy flavor while milk will give you a more neutral flavor profile. Buttermilk also impacts the texture and rise of biscuits a bit differently thanks to its acidity.

Quick Answer

For most basic biscuit recipes, buttermilk is the preferred liquid ingredient. The acidity of buttermilk helps activate the baking soda to give biscuits a good rise. The tangy flavor of buttermilk also balances out the richness of butter. However, milk can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio if you don’t have buttermilk on hand.

The Role of Liquid in Biscuit Dough

In biscuit dough, the liquid ingredient serves several important purposes:

  • Hydrates the dough so the dry ingredients can come together
  • Imparts flavor
  • Contributes to leavening by reacting with baking soda
  • Helps control the texture of the biscuits

Both milk and buttermilk check the box for hydrating and flavoring the dough. Where they differ is their acidity levels, which impact leavening and texture.

Buttermilk Provides Acidity for Leavening

Most biscuit recipes call for the use of baking soda or baking powder as a chemical leavener. These leaveners produce carbon dioxide bubbles that cause the biscuit dough to rise when baked.

For baking soda to work properly, it requires an acidic ingredient in the dough. Buttermilk contains lactic acid which reacts with baking soda to produce the lift. Milk does not have a high enough acidity to activate baking soda on its own.

If you substitute milk for buttermilk, you’ll need to supplement it with a bit of lemon juice or cream of tartar to create the acidity needed. Otherwise, your biscuits won’t rise as high.

Acidity Levels

Ingredient pH Level
Buttermilk 4.5-4.8
Whole Milk 6.7

Buttermilk Lends Tenderness and Flake

The increased acidity from buttermilk also impacts the texture of biscuits. Gluten development is slower in an acidic environment. This means the buttermilk helps minimize gluten formation compared to milk.

Less gluten equals more tenderness and flakiness in the biscuit crumb. Milk biscuits will be a bit tougher with a finer, more bread-like crumb. Still delicious, but different from the light and layered texture buttermilk provides.

Flavor Differences

Milk has a neutral, dairy-forward taste that lets the flavors of butter and flour shine through. Buttermilk provides a tangy flavor note that many biscuit lovers adore.

Buttermilk’s acidic zing balances and enhances the richness from butter. It also helps prevent biscuits from tasting too bready or dry. The tang brightens up biscuits flavored with cheese, herbs, or other mix-ins too.

Everyday Biscuits: Buttermilk Wins

For making everyday biscuits, buttermilk is the clear winner. The boost in rise, tenderness, and tangy flavor is hard to replicate with regular milk.

However, milk can be used in a pinch or for certain recipes. Milk may provide better results in very rich or buttery biscuit doughs where you want a more subdued flavor. Biscuits made with alternate leaveners like baking powder can work with milk too.

Tips for Substituting Milk for Buttermilk

If you don’t have buttermilk, milk can still be used to make tasty biscuits. Here are some tips:

  • Use a 1:1 milk to buttermilk ratio for best results
  • Supplement with a teaspoon of lemon juice or cream of tartar per cup of milk
  • Use all-purpose flour instead of cake or pastry flour to encourage more gluten formation
  • Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking to help minimize spread

Conclusion

Buttermilk is the preferred liquid for most biscuit recipes. Its acidic tang and texture-enhancing qualities take biscuits to the next level. However, milk can be used in place of buttermilk with a few adjustments. While milk biscuits will turn out a bit different, they can still be light, buttery, and delicious.