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Small batch butter swim biscuits are buttermilk biscuits baked in melted butter for a golden, crispy crust and soft, fluffy center. This easy recipe makes 4 biscuits in 20 minutes, no rolling or cutting required.
Featured Comment
“5 stars and more. Excellent recipe. Light and fluffy.”
– Janice
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Equipment: 5×5-inch baking dish
- Cook Method: Baked
- Servings: 4 biscuits
- Difficulty: Easy
These small batch butter swim biscuits, also called butter dip biscuits or butter bath biscuits, bake right in melted butter for a buttery, golden crust and a soft, tender center.
Why I Make These Butter Swim Biscuits
Most butter swim biscuit recipes call for an 8 or 9-inch pan and yield 9 biscuits, way more than I want when I’m cooking for myself.
So I scaled the recipe down to a 5-inch baking dish that produces 4 biscuits. That’s the right amount for one person or a small household.
After testing this dozens of times, I learned the ratio of butter to dough matters more than anything. Too little butter and the bottom doesn’t crisp. Too much and the biscuits turn greasy. Four tablespoons in a 5-inch dish is the sweet spot.
The technique is what makes these special. You melt butter in the pan first, spoon a sticky buttermilk batter on top, score it into squares, and bake.
The biscuits rise into the butter as they cook. The bottom and edges crisp up golden. The center stays soft and pillowy.
There’s no cutting in cold butter, no rolling, no biscuit cutter. The dough is intentionally wet and shaggy. That’s not a mistake. The wet dough is what makes the inside so tender.
I serve these with single serving sausage gravy on slow mornings, split them for breakfast sandwiches, or eat them warm with homemade refrigerator jam.
For a different small batch biscuit, try our small batch drop biscuits or rosemary garlic buttermilk biscuits.
Ingredient Notes
You only need 7 simple pantry ingredients to make a small batch of butter swim biscuits. Each one plays a specific role in giving these biscuits their crisp golden crust and soft, fluffy center. If you have ingredients leftover, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Butter: Salted butter is what I use. It melts in the pan first and creates the crisp golden bottom and edges as the biscuits bake.
All-purpose flour: Standard all-purpose flour gives the right structure for a soft, tender biscuit. For a gluten-free version, use King Arthur brand Gluten Free Measure For Measure Flour. Self-rising flour also works (see Recipe Variations below).
Baking powder: Provides most of the lift. It activates twice, once when it hits the wet ingredients and again when the biscuits hit the hot oven, which gives these biscuits their tall, fluffy rise.
Baking soda: Reacts with the acid in the buttermilk to create extra lift and tenderize the dough. Without it, the biscuits would be denser.
Sugar: Just one teaspoon. Enough to help the tops brown but not enough to make the biscuits sweet.
Salt: Seasons the dough so the biscuits don’t taste bland. Without it, you’ll notice the difference right away.
Buttermilk: The acid in buttermilk reacts with the baking soda for lift and tenderizes the dough at the same time. ¾ cup is more buttermilk than most small batch biscuit recipes call for, and that’s intentional. The wet, sticky dough is what creates the soft, almost cake-like center.
Extra buttermilk? Use it in a small batch of chicken nuggets, buttermilk quick bread, a mini buttermilk pie, or a small batch of hush puppies.
Buttermilk Substitute: Add 2 ¼ teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to ¾ cup of milk. Let it sit for 10 minutes, stir, and use as directed.
Recipe Variations
These small batch butter swim biscuits are easy to customize. Try one of these simple variations:
Cheddar Garlic Biscuits: Add ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar to the dough. Stir in just before adding the buttermilk.
Blueberry Biscuits: Fold ½ cup of fresh blueberries into the dough after the buttermilk is mixed in. Don’t overmix or the dough will turn purple.
Self-Rising Flour: Use 1 cup of self-rising flour in place of all-purpose flour. Leave out the baking powder and salt. Keep the baking soda, sugar, and buttermilk as written.
How To Make Butter Swim Biscuits
These step-by-step photos and instructions show you how to make a small batch of butter swim biscuits in a 5-inch square baking dish.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt until evenly combined.
- Add the buttermilk. Pour the buttermilk into the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon or rubber spatula just until the flour disappears. The dough will be wet, sticky, and shaggy. That’s exactly how it should look. Don’t overmix.
- Melt the butter in the pan. Pour the melted butter into a 5×5-inch baking dish, spreading it across the bottom.
- Spoon the dough over the butter. Drop the dough on top of the melted butter and spread it gently to the edges with a spatula or the back of a spoon. The butter will rise around the sides of the dough, that’s exactly what you want.
- Score the dough into 4 squares. Use a sharp knife to cut the unbaked dough into 4 equal squares. Don’t worry if the cuts close up a little, the score lines guide the biscuits as they bake.
- Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any butter that bubbles over.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops are deep golden brown and the butter around the edges is bubbling.
- Rest for 10 minutes in the pan before cutting and serving. This lets the biscuits absorb the remaining butter and finish setting up.
Expert Tips
Measure your flour by spooning and leveling. Scoop directly with the measuring cup and you’ll pack in 20-30% more flour than the recipe needs. The biscuits will turn out dense and dry. Spoon flour into the dry measuring cup, then level the top with the back of a knife.
Don’t overmix the dough. Stir just until the dry pockets disappear. Once the flour is fully wet, stop. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which gives you tough, dense biscuits instead of light and tender ones.
Test your leaveners before you bake. Both lose potency after about 6 months. To test baking powder, add ¼ teaspoon to ¼ cup of hot water. If it bubbles, it’s fresh. To test baking soda, mix ¼ teaspoon of vinegar into ½ cup of hot water, then add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda. If it fizzes, it’s good.
Watch the oven, not the clock. Ovens often vary by 25°F or more in either direction. Start checking the biscuits at the 13-minute mark. They’re done when the tops are deep golden brown and the butter around the edges is actively bubbling.
Troubleshooting
Most butter swim biscuit fixes are simple.
Why is my dough wet and runny?
The dough is supposed to be wet and shaggy, not pancake batter. If it pours instead of spoons, you may have under-measured the flour or used a buttermilk substitute that’s too thin. Add 1-2 tablespoons of flour at a time until the dough holds together when scooped but is still sticky.
Why are my biscuits greasy?
The pan used was too small for the amount of butter, or you used too much butter. For this small batch recipe, stick to 4 tablespoons of butter melted in a 5-inch square baking dish. A larger pan will spread the butter too thin, while a smaller pan or extra butter will leave the biscuits sitting in butter.
Why are my biscuits doughy in the middle but the edges are done?
The biscuits came out of the oven too soon. Return the dish to the oven for 2-3 more minutes and check again. The tops should be deep golden brown and the butter should be actively bubbling around the edges before you pull them out.
Why didn’t my biscuits rise?
The most likely cause is old baking powder or baking soda. See the Expert Tips section for how to test both. Overmixing the dough can also flatten the biscuits by deflating the air bubbles before they bake.
Serving Suggestions
These small batch butter swim biscuits work for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
For breakfast: Top with homemade apple butter, serve alongside an egg wrap, or use them in place of toast under eggs benedict for one.
With soup or stew: Serve warm with a bowl of single serving chicken noodle soup, single serving beef stew, or single serving chili.
For dinner: Pair with roasted chicken thighs and a side of roasted carrots for an easy meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
A 5×5-inch baking dish is the right size for this small batch recipe. It gives the 4 biscuits the right thickness and lets the butter bake into the dough properly. A larger pan will spread the butter too thin and produce flat, greasy biscuits.
Warm in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes for the best texture. You can also microwave a single biscuit for 20-30 seconds, but the edges will lose some of their crispness.
Yes. Wrap each biscuit tightly in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before reheating.
Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.
Yes. Double all the ingredients and bake in a 6×8-inch baking dish for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are deep golden brown.
A wet, sticky dough is exactly how it should look. The high moisture is what gives these biscuits their soft, almost cake-like center. If the dough pours instead of spoons, you may have under-measured the flour.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
Did you make this small batch butter swim biscuits recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out.
If you take a photo, tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen). We’d love to see it!
Small Batch Butter Swim Biscuits
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons butter -melted (½ stick)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt until evenly combined.
- Pour in the buttermilk and stir with a spoon or rubber spatula just until the flour disappears. The dough will be wet, sticky, and shaggy. Do not overmix.
- Pour the melted butter into a 5-inch baking dish, spreading it across the bottom.
- Spoon the dough on top of the melted butter and gently spread it to the edges with a spatula or the back of a spoon. The butter will rise around the sides of the dough.
- Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any butter that bubbles over.
- Use a sharp knife to score the unbaked dough into 4 equal squares.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops are deep golden brown and the butter around the edges is bubbling.
- Let the biscuits rest in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting and serving. This lets the biscuits absorb the remaining butter and finish setting up.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I love the idea of no leftovers, and your recipes look so easy and cute! I tried your biscuit recipe this morning and the raised up beautifully, but the center was a little doughy and the bottoms did not brown up. I was wondering if it was because I bought a 5×5 glass dish? Should they have baked longer? Also, do you use salted butter in the recipe? Will unsalted work? I look forward to using my little dish often. Thank you for this creative way to cook =)
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! Glass dishes can sometimes bake a little differently than metal or ceramic, they tend to heat more slowly, which might explain the softer bottoms and slightly doughy center. A few extra minutes of baking should help next time. I do use salted butter in this recipe, but unsalted will work too. You might just want to add a extra pinch of salt to the mix. I’m so happy you’re here and excited to hear how you enjoy more recipes.
I knew I could depend on you have this recipe for a small batch! Thank you!
Thank you so much for your kind comment. I’m glad to hear the small batch version was just what you needed!
Could these be made with self rising flour? What changes would be made?
I only use all-purpose flour in this recipe and have not tested any other type of flour.
Great recipe for a small batch! I drop the biscuits into the melted butter and bake. No need to spread and cut. The butter boiled over so I was glad I had put the dish on a baking sheet. Perfect!
These were quick and amazing. I had no buttermilk or milk, so used 1/2 cup carnation milk, 1/4 cup water and 2 tbsp of lemon juice. Worked perfectly. Thanks Joanie.
The smallest size dish I had was 5×7. The biscuits were delicious. I cooked at 425 since I wasn’t sure of the temp my Pyrex dish could take. I cooked a couple minutes longer.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the biscuits! Thanks so much for your feedback.
Loved the biscuits! Easy to make. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes, I ‘m looking forward to enjoying treats without over indulging.
I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes.
I made these biscuits today and plan on using them in the morning for some biscuits and gravy. I used a small CorningWare dish to bake them in and they came out perfectly except I broke one maybe on purpose because I had to eat that right away 😁 delicious!
I live alone and I use your recipes quite often and enjoy them all the time especially the double chocolate chip cookies
Thanks Joanie
I agree. I am also a widow and cannot find recipes like yours so I am so
glad I found you. Thanks
Row
I made these this morning and they are so easy and tasty. I was a little disappointed that the bottoms did not get brown so, after I had one with my breakfast, I turned the remaining 3 out onto a baking sheet, bottoms up, and popped them under the broiler for a few minutes. Absolute perfection. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Your recipes look and sound fabulous. Recently I became a widow and had a hard time getting used to cooking for just myself. Your recipes are wonderful to have. Thank you for sharing them.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Adjusting to cooking for one can be challenging, and I’m glad my recipes have been helpful to you. I truly appreciate your kind words and hope you find many meals here that bring you comfort and enjoyment.
5 stars and more. Excellent recipe. Light and fluffy.
I didn’t have the exact right size pan for this and I made 1.5x recipe. I was really worried it wouldn’t turn out good but despite being kinda thin these bisks were delicious! I will get a smaller pan and try again because something so easy shouldn’t be this tasty!! Thanks Joanie, you’ve done it again!!
I never heard about these biscuits and I sometimes like a biscuits/dinner roll with my supper and these worked out great and very delicious. I will be making these more
Thank you
I’m so happy you enjoyed the biscuits. Thank you for taking the time to comment!
WOW!!!!! Super easy and super yummy. I never heard of them before until watching a barbecue competition on TV and one person had included the biscuit on their plate. I wanted a small batch, found yours, and so glad I did. I am hooked!!!
I made these today – very easy. I wasn’t sure if they turned out when I first took them out of the oven. But, oh boy….hands down, the BEST biscuit I have ever tasted! Ever. I already ate one and we haven’t even had dinner yet. Obviously, I will make a double batch next time, and one with blueberries. Awesome recipe!
I made this today but I added jalapeño, omg it was sooo good! Light and fluffy and crispy. It is delicious straight out of the oven. I used self rising flour, eliminated the salt and baking powder, I did add the baking soda. I used an 8 inch pan. Thank you for this recipe!
Delish Best Easy Biscuit love it
Absolutely wonderful! Easy to make and so delicious
These biscuits were amazing! I was hesitant after I mixed liquid ingredients into dry. The dough was “soupy”. Baked as directed, cut biscuits after baking, topped with more melted butter (<1 T), rested for 10 minutes, and we enjoyed with honey. My husband and I really enjoyed! Thank you for the recipe.
Hello can I use self rising flour
Yes. If using self rising flour instead of all purpose flour, leave out the baking powder and salt.
Made these today with GF flour. They turned out great, even using a 4×6 dish. I cut in 6 portions and that worked out fine too. Perfect to try some blackberry butter that I got at farm near Cleburne, Texas a couple weeks ago. Thanks for the keeper recipe!
Love how these turned out. I enjoyed the texture most after they had a chance to cool down quite a bit. The flavor was heightened too. So soft and fluffy. Of course, buttery to boot! Just like you noted. They were a delicious part of breakfast with some apricot preserves.
Thanks for another ODK winner Joanie. I am having fun playing in my kitchen with your recipes. It’s exciting to do small batches because I can try so many more than I can when using full size recipes. Your recipes are so easy to prepare, requiring few ingredients, delivering big flavor.
These are now, hands down, the best biscuits I’ve ever tasted to date!!! Made my second batch today and tried your recommended variation with fresh blueberries. With a few minor embellishments to the recipe, I am floored at the results! Bojangles Boberry biscuits have nothing on what I just made. Not even close.
I am so tempted to go get a second biscuit but that would be out of sheer gluttony. I’ve made some great dishes from this site, but that blueberry swim biscuit — that’s Numero Uno!
Thanks Joanie 😃
Wonderful! I’m so happy you enjoyed the biscuits!!
Can I use a 6 inch pan to bake the biscuits in? I know that they won’t be square, but that’s the only small batch pan I have on hand.
A 6-inch diameter (round) pan will work.
Gonna make these today but will double to make in a 9 X 9” pan. Married almost 52 yrs. Never had or heard of a 5 X 5”
Pan???
Marna, if you’re using a 9×9 inch pan, you will need to quadruple the recipe. A 5×5 inch baking dish (which can be found on Amazon, in home stores, and in our store) holds 22 fluid ounces and has a base area of 25 square inches. If you’d like to double the recipe, we recommend using 6×8 inch baking dish which has a base area of 48 square inches.
Love all your recipes. Have one just about every day, thanks
Thank you so much, Mildred!
These are amazing, quick, and just the right size for 2. Thanks!
My dough is very loose, no way I can divide it into 4 before baking. I did measure very carefully. But the biscuits were awesome and crispy brown. Any clue as to why I end up with dough that’s so soft?
The dough will be very loose and you do not need to divide it. You simply need to cut the dough so that you see the knife marks. This makes the biscuits easier to pull apart after baking.
These Butter Swim Biscuits was the first recipe of yours that I tried, since ordering the 5X5 baking dish. They were absolutely delicious served along side a hearty Italian soup. The recipe was very easy to follow,I appreciate your thorough instructions, with detailed descriptions and pictures. The flavor was just as you described, buttery with a nice crust, this will be my go to recipe! I am looking forward to trying your lemon bars next!
Joanie, I should have started with your recipe to begin with. I recently made another full-size butter swim recipe; I ate one and they were leaden and burned on the bottom. I threw the rest out – a complete waste of good butter and buttermilk. I still had that carton of buttermilk to use up, so I made your recipe – delicious, fluffy and they baked up beautifully. Thank you! Your drop biscuits are excellent as well.
Thank you so much for your feedback. I’m so happy you love our biscuit recipes.
Thank you for a biscuit recipe that finally worked for me! I can bake up a storm. I make caramel with no problems. I can make you a chocolate torte that takes 8 hours to finish and is as silky as a baby’s cheek. Angel food cake? No problem…
But biscuits? Ugh, they have never been very successful for me. Nor very tasty. These biscuits are easy and taste great! They were perfect for my sausage gravy. Thank you! Thank you!
How high of an oven temp?
I bake sourdough at 450-500
Bake at 450 F (230 C). All of the recipe information, ingredient amounts, and full instructions can be found in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Can I use self rising flour if that’s all I have, and omit baking powder and baking soda?
Yes, you can use self-rising flour. Just leave out the baking powder and the salt.
Oh my gosh! So quick and easy to make! Tender inside, crunchy outside!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the biscuits.
I dont know what i did wrong but my dough was a batter (that definitely couldn’t be cut)!! I kept adding flour and ended up getting a dough but it tasted very floury. I followed the directions exactly.
I’m sorry your dough didn’t come together as you’d hoped. The floury taste is a direct result of the extra flour you added. If the mixture was too thin to cut, it’s a strong indicator that the ingredient measurements were not accurate. This recipe has been thoroughly tested to work when measured correctly. Our step-by-step photos are designed to guide you through each stage, so if your dough looked different, it’s a sign that the measurements likely need to be double-checked.
I’ve discovered that all flour is not the same! I got the same dough results as you using a store brand all purpose flour. Since that first batch, I’ve made these scones with a high end name brand flour. They turn out perfect every time.
These are quick easy to make and I love the buttery crunchy edges.
Perfect. Best and easiest small batch biscuits recipe I’ve tried. No additions or modifications needed. No more cutting in butter or rolling and cutting for me. Thank you.
I struggle so much making biscuits. This recipe is simple and OMG delicious. I don’t have a 5×5 pan so used 4×7 and worked fine. Thanks
I’m so happy you loved the biscuits. Thank you for your feedback.
Can I make this in muffin pans?
I haven’t tried making swim biscuits in muffin pans. If you try it, please let me know how they turn out for you.
Hi Joanie. I read the instructions for making buttermilk and you mentioned 1/2 c milk. This recipe calls for 3/4 c of milk and my batter was really loose. I panicked and added more flour and leaveners. Which amount is correct?
Hi Penny, the batter should be loose but I did update the instructions for making buttermilk: to make 3/4 cup buttermilk, fill the measuring cup with 3/4 cup milk and add 2 1/4 teaspoons of lemon juice. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, then stir and use.
After watching Spring baking championship on Food network, I learned of butter swim biscuits for the first time and just had to try making them! I found your recipe and made it exactly as written. They turned out so delicious! The entire family loved them! Thank you so much! Stephanie
I’m so happy you all enjoyed them!!
I added blueberries. I baked for 15 minutes and they were not done in the middle. I wonder if the addition of blueberries from the fridge should have made me increase my cooking time…
It sounds like the blueberries added more moisture to the biscuit dough so it’s likely that they needed to bake 10 to 15 minutes longer.
Is there an alternative size baking dish I can use?
Hi Kelsey, for best results we recommend using a 5×5-inch baking dish that has a base area of 25 square inches and holds 22 ounces. A 4×6 inch dish with a base area of 24 square inches should work too.
I just made these and I am so pleased. Very simple and no kneading involved. I did not have a 5×5 baking dish, so I used an 8×8 baking dish and increased ingredients appropriately. Very, very good. I think these will be my go to biscuits from now on.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the biscuits. Thank you for your feedback.
I have a 6 inch round Pyrex dish that belonged to my grandmother that I would love to use for this recipe. Would it work?
Hi Wendi, a 6-inch round baking dish should work.
I made these with Better Batter gluten free flour. They were even better than a biscuit. Nice and fluffy with a nice crunchy top. I see breakfast sandwiches in my future…. Thanks for the great recipe!
These are so easy to make, they are so delicious!!
Thank you, Michelle. I’m so happy you enjoyed the biscuits!
Just found this recipe but don’t need it. However I have been making butter swim biscuits for years and can certainly attest to the taste and uniqueness of this recipe! Hot with honey or apple butter is amazing! I live in a retirement home and when I make them the neighbors come in droves! The only difference is I use self rising flour which cuts out the extras needed for all purpose flour! Lol! And here I always thought this Grammy’s secret recipe!!!!!
Hi Amy, aren’t these biscuits heavenly! Thank you so much for your feedback.
These were perfect! I added garlic powder & fInely shredded cheddar. Yum!
Thank you for this site, Joanie. I use it constantly & appreciate having such a valuable resource!
Thank you, Kathy! I bet the cheese and garlic powder were a wonderful addition.
Good recipe.
Thank you.
That comment was to be in a TOASTER OVEN
These baked up very well in a toaster. Next time I will add a bit of garlic powder and dried parsley and maybe a tiny bit of cheese. They were very good biscuits.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the biscuits. Thank you so much for your feedback.