Butter Biscuits

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (lightly scooped into measuring cups and leveled off) 
• 1/4 tsp baking soda 
• 1 TBSP baking powder 
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt 
• 3 oz (6 TBSP) unsalted butter, very cold and cut very small 
• 1 cup buttermilk, very cold 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 475°F.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and whisk together.
3. Add the cold butter pieces into the dry ingredients and cut into the flour, using a pastry cutter or a fork, until it resembles coarse meal.
4. Add the cold buttermilk into the bowl and stir with a spoon or a rubber spatula JUST until combined. This should only take a few turns. The dough will be pretty wet and sticky.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. With floured hands gently pat out (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick. Add a tiny bit of flour over top if needed and fold the dough over itself about 5 times, gently pressing down in between each fold. Gently pat the dough out to a 1 inch thick.
6. Use a round cutter to cut into rounds about 2 1/2 inch wide. You can go smaller for more biscuits.
7. Gently pat the scraps together to cut out the rest of your biscuits.
8. Place the biscuits in a buttered pan close together. I used a 10" cast iron skillet, but you can also use a cake pan, a spring form pan, or a baking dish.
9. Immediately place the biscuits in the oven and bake at 475F for about 11-15 minutes. DO NOT open the oven door for AT LEAST the first half of baking time. You want the steam to stay trapped in the oven to help with the rise. Brush biscuits with melted butter if desired.