Flaky Biscuits Sausage Gravy (Printable version)

Buttery biscuits paired with peppery sausage gravy create a warm, comforting Southern breakfast favorite.

# Needed ingredients:

→ Biscuits

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tbsp baking powder
03 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
04 - 1 tsp salt
05 - 1 tbsp sugar
06 - 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
07 - 3/4 cup cold buttermilk

→ Sausage Gravy

08 - 1 lb breakfast sausage, crumbled
09 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
10 - 3 cups whole milk
11 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/4 tsp salt
13 - Pinch cayenne pepper, optional

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
03 - Incorporate the cold cubed butter using a pastry cutter or fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Pour in cold buttermilk and stir just until combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently pat to about 1 inch thickness, fold over 2 to 3 times, then pat again to 1 inch thickness.
06 - Use a 2.5-inch biscuit cutter to cut biscuits, reshaping scraps as needed, then place them close together on the prepared baking sheet.
07 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let cool slightly.
08 - In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon until fully cooked.
09 - Sprinkle flour over the cooked sausage and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the flour is absorbed.
10 - Slowly pour in milk while stirring constantly to avoid lumps; bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
11 - Incorporate black pepper, salt, and optional cayenne; continue cooking and stirring for 5 to 7 minutes until thickened. Adjust seasoning to taste.
12 - Split warm biscuits and generously ladle hot sausage gravy over them. Serve immediately.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The biscuits are genuinely flaky and buttery, the kind that shatter just right under your fork.
  • That peppery sausage gravy coats everything perfectly—it's comfort food that actually tastes like something special.
  • You can have it all on the table in under an hour, which makes a weekday breakfast feel like a weekend treat.
02 -
  • Ice-cold butter and buttermilk are not optional—they're the difference between a fluffy biscuit and a dense hockey puck, and I learned this the hard way after leaving my ingredients on the counter.
  • If your gravy breaks or gets lumpy, strain it through a fine sieve and whisk in a splash of cool milk; it won't be perfect but it'll be salvageable.
  • Don't fold your dough more than 3 times, or you'll overwork the gluten and lose that tender crumb that makes people ask for the recipe.
03 -
  • Use a biscuit cutter with a sharp edge and cut straight down without twisting—this seals the sides and helps them rise tall and fluffy.
  • Serve immediately while everything is hot; the contrast between warm biscuits and hot gravy is essential to the experience.
  • If making ahead, bake the biscuits, cool them completely, and freeze them in an airtight container; reheat them in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes before serving with freshly made gravy.
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