Popeye’s Biscuits Copycat Recipe

Everyone loves Popeye’s chicken, but have you ever had their biscuits?

These wonderfully flaky, perfectly dense baked treats may not be what they’re most known for, but one bite of these copycat Popeye’s biscuits, and you’ll wonder why they aren’t as famous as their chicken!

Crisp and buttery, this recipe makes the perfect buttermilk biscuits. Try it, and you’ll never make biscuits any other way again!

Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

Copycat Popeye’s Biscuits

I know what you’re thinking. Any recipe that requires dough can be quite intimidating, especially if you’re starting from scratch and have little experience with baking.

Not to worry, though. I gave this recipe to a friend who almost never bakes, and her buttermilk biscuits turned out perfectly!

These copycat Popeye’s biscuits are pretty hard to mess up, and even kitchen newbies can make flaky, buttery biscuits in just 45 minutes.

You’ll be starting with the easiest part: mixing in all the dry ingredients. Next, you’ll be adding butter… be sure it’s COLD!

Cold butter makes biscuits extra puffy and soft, and you won’t get that perfect texture with melted butter.

Because your butter is going to be firm, you’ll want to cut it into smaller bits, the size of peas. And you don’t want the pieces to melt either, so be sure not to overmix.

Up next is milk and buttermilk. You’ll want to keep your butter cold even as it’s incorporated into the dough, so it’s best to use cold milk, too.

The flavor of buttermilk will be very subtle, but that slight hint of tanginess makes a whole world of difference!

If you don’t have it, you can just use regular milk, but I think it’s worth a run to the store if you want the best biscuits possible!

Once the dry and wet ingredients have been mixed together, you’ll have your dough. It’s going to be extra sticky, so be sure to flour your surface generously.

I even like to sprinkle more flour on top before rolling out the dough.

Before cutting up the dough with a biscuit cutter, you’ll want it to be ½ inch thick. It might seem too thin, but trust me, your biscuits are going to rise, rise, and rise in that oven!

When arranging your biscuits on the baking sheet, you’ll want them to be close together. This way, they won’t have much room to widen, and they’ll be thicker and fluffer once they’re done.

Get the butter ready because your biscuits are going to be light brown and ready to enjoy in less than 25 minutes. Top with butter, let them cool down a bit, and enjoy THE BEST buttermilk biscuits ever!

Buttermilk Biscuits in a Basket

Tips and Tricks for the Best Buttermilk Biscuits

Here’s some buttermilk biscuits best practices you can follow so they come out of the oven PERFECT every single time!

  • Use COLD butter! I can’t stress this enough. Cold butter creates steam inside the biscuits as it bakes, which then expands and makes those signature biscuit layers. 
  • Cut the butter into small, pea-sized pieces. The butter should remain cool and firm even within the dough. You can also use a grater.
  • Use cold milk and buttermilk. Doing so will also keep the butter from melting.
  • Use active baking powder and baking soda. Aside from the butter, these leaveners also play a big role in how tall your biscuits are going to get.
  • Use good quality buttermilk. It’ll give the biscuits a bit of tanginess and a lot of tenderness. You can use regular milk in a pinch, but this will affect both the taste and the texture.
  • Don’t overmix the dough. This can make your biscuits tough and can also end up melting the butter too soon. Only mix until combined!
  • Follow this folding technique: For soft & flaky layers, fold the dough 3 times to make 3 layers, and then gently roll it out. It’s a simple trick that does wonders for your biscuits!
  • Don’t seal off the biscuit dough edges. When using a biscuit cutter, simply press down on the dough and then lift. If the edges are a little rough, that’s okay! Avoid twisting the cutter, as this can seal off the biscuit edges and prevent the dough from rising.
  • Place the biscuits close together. You can even let the edges touch! By doing this, your biscuits have no way to go but up, and you’ll have extra tall, extra soft buttermilk biscuits.
  • Brush melted butter over freshly baked biscuits. It’s a must!
  • Jazz up your buttermilk biscuits. For savory toppings, try sausage gravy, tomato gravy, or cheese. If you like them sweet, try honey, jam, or bourbon jelly.

How to Make Popeye’s Biscuits

Popeye’s Biscuits Recipe

Servings

24

servings
Cooking time

45

minutes
Calories

151

kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 cup cold butter

  • 1/2 cup buttermilk

  • 1/4 cup milk

  • To Brush On Top
  • 2 tablespoon butter, melted

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
  • Slice the butter into small chunks and add to the dry ingredients. Use a knife to mix and cut the butter into small pieces or use a pastry blender.
  • Stir in buttermilk and milk until a shaggy dough forms.
  • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press or roll gently to about 1/2 inch.
  • Use a biscuit or scone cutter to portion the dough. Transfer the biscuits to the baking sheets, leaving 1-2 inches between each. Very gently press the leftover dough together, then roll and cut into portions.
  • Bake for 22-24 minutes or until light brown on top.
  • Brush the melted butter over the hot biscuits, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

  • Don’t use a glass to cut the biscuits. The blunt edge will squash the dough and keep it from puffing up in the oven.
Popeye's Biscuits Recipe

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6 thoughts on “Popeye’s Biscuits Copycat Recipe”

  1. I literally just made this and it is so goooood! It’s flaky, buttery, crisp around the edges and soft and fluffy on the insode just the way I like it. Thank you for sharing your recipe.

    Reply
  2. Just tried your recipe, they’re seriously delicious. I tried another copy cat recipe for popeye biscuits, they were ok but nothing like yours.
    When I read reviews and others tell of the their substitutions, it was annoying to me, but after some thought, a recipe is the base or guildline and should be made to your liking. I guess the reason I mentioned this is because I exchanged the 1/4 cup of milk with 1/2 cup of sour cream and it will be our only Tea Biscuit recipe going forward.
    I would like to express my sincere thanks for your recipe.
    Dean

    Reply
    • Hi Dean, you are definitely correct! A recipe should just be used as a guideline. I love your suggestion of substituting sour cream for milk in these biscuits. I’ll have to try it next time!

      Reply
  3. These were delicious! Ours got a little too brown so next time, because there will definitely be a next time, we’ll just cook them less. And squish them closer together. Thank you!

    Reply

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