Biscuit Test with Fresh-Milled Flour: What I Loved & What I’ll Change Next Time
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Link for the baking sheet I used below (affiliate link).
I finally tried making soft, buttery biscuits using fresh-milled flour—and while they tasted great, they didn’t turn out quite like I hoped. I thought I’d share what worked, what didn’t, and what I plan to change next time.
What I Loved
The flavor was honestly so good. You really can’t beat the depth you get from fresh-milled flour. I used a blend of 1 cup hard white wheat berries and 1 cup soft white wheat berries, freshly milled into about 2 cups of flour. The biscuits rose well and had that cozy, homemade taste I love. Just the smell alone made me want to make them again.
What Didn’t Go So Well
1. Too salty
The recipe had ¾ teaspoon of salt, and I used salted butter, plus brushed more on top after baking. It was just a little too salty for me.
Next time, I’ll either use unsalted butter or cut the salt down to ½ teaspoon (maybe even ¼ tsp if I stick with salted butter).
2. Sticky dough = no layers
The dough was really sticky, which made it hard to fold and layer. I tried, but it was tough to handle, and in the end, I didn’t get the flakiness I was hoping for.
What I’ll Try Next Time
Link for Pyrex measuring cups below (affiliate link).
Start with a little less buttermilk and only add more if needed
Use unsalted butter or reduce the salt
Chill the dough for a few minutes before shaping
Use plenty of flour when folding and cutting the biscuits
Maybe even add a tablespoon of cornstarch to lighten the texture
The Recipe I Used
Fresh-Milled Buttermilk Biscuits
Yields: 8–10 biscuits
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 12–15 minutes
Flour Blend
1 cup hard white wheat berries
1 cup soft white wheat berries
→ Mill to get about 2 cups of fresh flour
Ingredients
2 cups fresh-milled flour (from above)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt (I’ll use ½ tsp or less next time)
6 tablespoons cold salted butter, cubed (I’ll try unsalted next time)
¾ cup whole milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice (let sit 5–10 minutes to make “buttermilk”)
Optional: 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine ¾ cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Let sit for 5–10 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together:
• 2 cups fresh-milled flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt (or less if using salted butter)
Cut in 6 tablespoons cold butter until crumbly, with some pea-sized bits remaining.
Stir in the buttermilk mixture (and 1 tablespoon honey if using) until just combined. The dough will be sticky—next time I’ll start with a little less liquid to make it easier to work with.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Pat into a rectangle about ¾ inch thick. Fold in thirds like a letter, then pat out again. Repeat the fold 1–2 more times for layers.
Pat dough out to ¾ inch and cut with a biscuit cutter (don’t twist). Place biscuits close together on the baking sheet for softer sides, or spaced apart for crisp edges.
Optional: Brush tops with butter or milk before baking.
Bake 12–15 minutes, until golden brown.
Brush with melted butter while hot, if you like!
I’ll definitely try these again with a few changes. Even though they weren’t as flaky as I’d hoped, they were still warm, buttery, and so good with dinner. Sometimes the best recipes come from a few imperfect tries!
Let me know if you’ve baked biscuits with fresh-milled flour and what worked for you—I’d love to hear!
By Leah Ann Grace
