Ingredients
Scale
- cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- tablespoon white sugar
- teaspoon baking powder
- teaspoon baking soda
- teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (see headnote)
- stick (8 tablespoons; 113 grams) cold salted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- cup cold buttermilk, divided
Directions
- Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment. In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined, about 5 pulses. Scatter in the butter, then pulse until finely and completely cut in (there should not be any “pea-sized” pieces), 12 to 15 pulses. Transfer to a large bowl. Add ¾ cup buttermilk and fold with a silicone spatula until a rough but cohesive dough forms. Fold in more buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time until no floury bits remain in the bottom and the dough holds together when a bit is squeezed.
- Generously dust the counter with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Press the dough into a rough 6-inch square and dust the surface with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 9-by-7-inch rectangle with a short side facing you. Using a metal bench scraper to loosen and lift the dough, fold the bottom third up, then the top third down, similar to folding a letter. Dust the dough with flour, then flip it over so the seam is side down and one of the open ends is facing you. Repeat the process of dusting with flour, rolling into a rectangle, folding into thirds, then flipping twice more. You will have done a total of 3 sets of folds and the dough should be seam side down on the counter.
- Now roll the dough into a 7-by-5-inch rectangle that is 1 to 1¼ inches thick. Using a 2¼-inch biscuit cutter dusted with flour, stamp out 6 rounds and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Gather the scraps into a ball, then roll them into a 9-by-6-inch rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds and flip it. Using your hands, pat it into a 5-by-3 inch rectangle that is 1 to 1¼ inches thick and stamp out 2 more rounds. Discard the remaining scraps or simply gather them into a ball and, as best you can, press it into a 1-inch thick round; place on the baking sheet.
- Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for a few minutes, then, using a wide metal spatula, transfer directly to the rack. Serve warm or room temperature.