The first batch taught me that air-fryer biscuits need breathing room: the tops went golden before the sides had color when I crowded the basket. Now I cook four at a time in a preheated 6-quart air fryer, with a little space around each one. These air fryer buttermilk biscuits come out crisp-edged and tender inside, and the honey butter takes just a moment to mash together while they rest.
Cold butter and cold buttermilk keep the dough from turning greasy or heavy before it cooks. I cut the butter into pea-size pieces, then stir the dough only until it looks shaggy. Three gentle folds give the biscuits some layers without turning the dough into something tough. A swipe of honey butter melts into the warm tops, with just enough sweetness to balance the tang of the buttermilk.
Kitchen Note
Stop stirring as soon as the dough comes together in shaggy clumps. A few rough patches are fine; working until it looks smooth is what makes biscuits firm instead of tender.
Save these air fryer buttermilk biscuits with honey butter for a warm, tender biscuit with crisp golden edges.
Why Twisting the Biscuit Cutter Can Leave You with Short, Lopsided Biscuits
A biscuit cutter should move straight down through the dough, then lift straight back up. Twisting feels like a natural way to get a clean cut, but it pinches the edges together and can limit how freely they rise. The result is often a squat biscuit with uneven sides, even when the dough itself is well made.
The folds in the dough help create layers, but they don’t need to be elaborate. Folding the dough over itself three times builds enough structure for a light, layered crumb while keeping the butter in distinct pieces. When those pieces heat in the air fryer, they help separate the dough into tender layers. Pressing the cutter straight down protects the edges of those layers, so the biscuits rise more evenly instead of pulling inward.
Use a 2-inch cutter and press firmly through the dough without rocking it from side to side. That clean cut matters more than pressing hard or reshaping the edges afterward.
What the Buttermilk, Butter, and Leaveners Each Bring to These Biscuits
- Buttermilk — Its acidity works with the baking soda and gives the crumb a gentle tang. Cultured buttermilk is the dependable choice here; plain milk doesn’t bring the same acidity or tenderness.
- Cold unsalted butter — The butter needs to stay in small pieces in the dough, where it helps create a tender, layered biscuit. A fresh, everyday butter works well; there’s no need for a specialty brand. The softened portion is for the honey butter, so keep it separate from the cold portion.
- Baking powder and baking soda — They work alongside one another to lift the dough and balance the acidity in the buttermilk. Measure them carefully rather than adding an extra pinch, which can leave a bitter or soapy taste.
- All-purpose flour — It gives the dough enough structure to hold its shape through folding and cutting. Fluff the flour before measuring so it doesn’t pack into the cup and make the biscuits dry.
- Honey — Honey brings a round, floral sweetness to the softened butter. A familiar grocery-store honey works just fine; a strongly flavored honey will make its character more noticeable in the topping.
- Neutral oil — A light coating helps the biscuits release from the air-fryer basket. Use a neutral-tasting oil so it doesn’t compete with the butter and honey.
From Shaggy Dough to Golden Air-Fryer Biscuits
Preheat the Basket and Cut in the Butter
Preheat a 6-quart air fryer to 350°F for 3 minutes. While it heats, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine salt in a large bowl. Cut in the cold biscuit butter until the flour holds pea-size pieces; avoid blending it until the mixture looks sandy. Those little butter pieces should still be visible.
Fold, Pat, and Cut the Dough
Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir just until a shaggy dough forms. Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself three times, then pat it into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Cut out eight biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. If the dough sticks, use a light dusting of flour on the work surface rather than kneading extra flour into the dough.
Air-Fry in Two Uncrowded Batches
Brush the basket with 1/2 teaspoon of the neutral oil and place four biscuits in a single layer with space between them. Air-fry at 350°F for 10–12 minutes, until the tops are deep golden and the biscuits are cooked through. If the edges are pale, give them the full cooking time rather than trying to fit more biscuits into the basket. Brush the basket with the remaining oil and cook the other four the same way.
Rest the Biscuits and Mix the Honey Butter
Transfer the baked biscuits to a wire rack and let them rest for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the honey until smooth. The butter should be soft enough to blend without leaving lumps, but it doesn’t need to be melted. Serve it with the biscuits while they’re warm.
Two Easy Ways to Change the Honey Butter or Biscuit Flour
Swap the Honey for Maple Syrup
Use maple syrup in place of the honey when mashing the butter. The topping will taste more maple-forward and a little less floral, and its softer consistency makes it especially nice spooned over warm biscuits.
Make a Gluten-Free Batch
Replace the all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend that includes xanthan gum. The dough will be more delicate and the finished biscuits less stretchy, so handle them gently when folding and cutting.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container for up to 3 days; they may firm up as they chill. Keep the honey butter covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Freeze cooled biscuits in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Freeze the honey butter separately if you want to keep it longer, then thaw it in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Warm biscuits in the air fryer at 300°F for 2–3 minutes, then add the honey butter. Reheating them with the butter already spread on top makes the topping melt away before the biscuit is warm.
Questions That Come Up When Making Air-Fryer Biscuits
Air Fryer Buttermilk Biscuits with Honey Butter
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat a 6-quart air fryer to 350°F for 3 minutes.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Cut in 6 tablespoons cold butter until the mixture has pea-size pieces.
- Pour in the buttermilk and stir just until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself 3 times.
- Pat the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle and cut out 8 biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, pressing straight down without twisting.
- Brush the air-fryer basket with 1/2 teaspoon oil.
- Arrange 4 biscuits in a single layer without touching.
- Air-fry at 350°F for 10–12 minutes, until deep golden and cooked through; repeat with the remaining oil and biscuits.
- Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack and let them rest for 5 minutes.
- Mash the softened butter with the honey in a small bowl until smooth.
- Serve the honey butter with the warm biscuits.