How to Bake Perfect Butter Swim Biscuits Every Time

Posted on June 19, 2025

There’s something undeniably nostalgic about the scent of buttery biscuits rising in the oven. For many, it’s a taste of home — warm, flaky, and golden on the outside with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth interior. Garlic butter swim biscuits elevate this classic comfort food by infusing it with bold flavor and a uniquely indulgent texture that results from the “swim” technique — where the dough bakes while immersed in melted butter.

This isn’t just another biscuit recipe. It’s an irresistible biscuit recipe that combines simplicity with exceptional results, making it ideal for beginner bakers and seasoned cooks alike. What sets these biscuits apart is how they strike the perfect balance between flavorful garlic butter and a fluffy, layered crumb. The result? A side dish so versatile and addictive, it can easily steal the spotlight from any main course.

The method is rooted in classic Southern cuisine (source), where buttery breads are often a table staple. But the magic lies in the technique: by baking the biscuits in a bath of butter, they form a crisp, golden crust while remaining tender and moist inside. For a deeper understanding of how ingredients like buttermilk (source) and leavening agents work together to achieve that signature rise, it’s helpful to explore the science behind biscuit baking.

Whether served alongside a hearty chili, a roasted chicken, or as part of a weekend brunch spread, these garlic butter swim biscuits promise to be a go-to favorite. In the next section, we’ll break down what exactly makes a biscuit a “swim” biscuit, and how this method creates the unforgettable texture and flavor home cooks love.

2. What Are Butter Swim Biscuits?

Butter swim biscuits are a delicious twist on traditional biscuits that quite literally bake in a pool of butter. Unlike standard biscuit recipes that call for butter to be cut into the dough and baked on a dry sheet, these biscuits are submerged in melted butter before they hit the oven. This results in a crisp, golden exterior and a rich, tender interior. The buttery base seeps up into every layer of the biscuit, creating a mouthwatering texture that’s both soft and slightly crisped on the edges.

The term “swim” refers to this unique baking method — the dough “swims” in butter as it cooks. This technique not only enhances the flavor but also ensures consistent moisture and tenderness throughout. Originating from Southern biscuit-making traditions (source), the method embraces both indulgence and simplicity.

Unlike rolled or laminated biscuits that require folding and cutting, some butter swim biscuit variations are simply pressed into a pan and scored before baking. However, in this garlic butter version, we enhance the texture further by folding the dough a few times before cutting, which creates delicate layers. That extra step combines the best of both worlds: traditional flaky biscuits and the rich butter-cooked technique.

To understand why these biscuits rise so beautifully while retaining a soft, pillowy interior, consider the science behind leavening agents like baking powder (source) and baking soda. These components react with the acid in buttermilk to release carbon dioxide, forming air pockets that lift the dough during baking. The result is an incredibly light biscuit, full of air and flavor.

On platforms like Pinterest, swim biscuits have gained popularity for their minimal prep and stunning presentation. Their rustic edges and golden tops make them photogenic — a favorite for home cooks and food bloggers alike.

Now that we’ve explored the concept behind these indulgent treats, let’s take a deeper look at the ingredients that make garlic butter swim biscuits so unforgettable.

3. Key Ingredients Breakdown

The beauty of garlic butter swim biscuits lies in their simplicity. With just a handful of staple ingredients, you can create a rich, flavorful biscuit that tastes like it came from a Southern bakery. Each ingredient plays a specific role in delivering that perfect blend of texture, rise, and flavor.

All-Purpose Flour

All-purpose flour is the structural backbone of the recipe. It has just the right protein content to create a soft but sturdy dough — ideal for layered biscuits. Unlike bread flour, which can make biscuits tough, or cake flour, which is too delicate, all-purpose strikes the perfect balance.

Baking Powder & Baking Soda

These are your leavening agents. Baking powder provides lift, while baking soda reacts with the acidity in the buttermilk for extra rise. Understanding how leavening agents (source) work can help you fine-tune the texture. Both must be fresh — old leaveners mean flat, dense biscuits.

Granulated Sugar

A small amount of sugar balances out the savory notes and promotes browning. It adds depth without making the biscuit sweet.

Kosher Salt

Salt enhances every other flavor in the recipe. Kosher salt is preferred because of its clean taste and easy-to-measure granules. It complements both the dough and the garlic butter topping, drawing out the richness in each bite.

Cold Unsalted Butter

This is the most critical element. Cold butter gets cut into the flour, creating little pockets that melt during baking, producing a flaky texture. Some bits of butter should remain the size of small peas. The butter also ensures rich flavor throughout the dough. When you pour melted butter into the pan — the “swim” part — the biscuit dough bakes in it, giving you crispy edges and golden bottoms. Check out this Pinterest board for visual tips on handling butter correctly in biscuits.

Buttermilk

A staple in Southern cuisine (source), buttermilk is essential for moisture, tenderness, and a slight tang that complements the garlic. It also activates the baking soda. If you’re out of buttermilk, you can substitute 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.

Garlic Butter Topping

This is where the flavor really comes alive. Melted unsalted butter is infused with minced garlic for a savory aroma and flavor punch. Garlic sautéed in butter for just one minute releases its oils without browning — keeping the flavor mellow but pronounced.

Fresh Parsley & Chives

Fresh herbs like parsley (source) and chives (source) add brightness and a pop of color to the final product. They balance out the richness of the butter and add a gourmet touch.

Together, these ingredients don’t just make a biscuit — they create a savory, tender, flavor-packed experience. In the next section, we’ll guide you through the step-by-step process to ensure flawless results every time.

4. Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Results

Achieving perfect garlic butter swim biscuits is all about precision, temperature control, and timing. This section walks you through each step of the process, ensuring that every batch comes out golden, flaky, and bursting with flavor.

1. Prepare the Dry Ingredients

Start by whisking together:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt

Mix until evenly combined. This ensures that the leavening agents are evenly dispersed, which is crucial for even rise and texture. Understanding the role of baking powder (source) and baking soda at this stage is key, as both will react later when wet ingredients are added.

2. Cut in the Cold Butter

Add 6 tablespoons of cold, cubed unsalted butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour. You’re aiming for a crumbly texture with some butter pieces the size of small peas. These solid chunks of butter will melt during baking, creating steam and forming those signature flaky layers.

The importance of cold butter cannot be overstated — it must stay solid until it hits the oven. This step is one of the most vital for biscuit texture and is widely emphasized on platforms like Pinterest for good reason.

3. Mix in the Cold Buttermilk

Pour in 1 cup of cold buttermilk and gently stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix — it’s okay if the dough looks slightly shaggy. Overworking the dough will activate the gluten in the flour and make the biscuits tough.

Buttermilk (source) not only adds tangy flavor but also triggers the leavening reaction with the baking soda, helping the biscuits rise beautifully.

4. Fold the Dough for Layers

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press it together and fold it over itself 4–5 times. This folding creates those gorgeous, flaky layers that elevate the texture. Avoid kneading — you’re building structure without activating too much gluten.

Then pat or roll the dough to a 1-inch thickness. This height gives the biscuits plenty of room to rise and develop those buttery layers.

5. Cut the Biscuits Cleanly

Use a 2½-inch round biscuit cutter. Press straight down without twisting — twisting seals the edges and prevents the biscuit from rising properly. Re-roll the scraps only once to avoid toughening the dough, and cut out the remaining biscuits.

Now that your biscuits are formed, it’s time to prepare the baking setup — and we’ll complete that process in the next half of this section.

6. Arrange and Chill the Biscuits

Place the cut biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. This allows them to rise and expand without crowding. If you’re baking them in a square or round cake pan, the sides of the biscuits will touch slightly — which helps them rise taller and creates softer edges.

Refrigerate the shaped biscuits for 10 minutes. Chilling helps re-solidify the butter, which leads to better layering and a more distinct crumb. Cold dough hitting a hot oven causes the butter to steam rapidly, creating lift and flakiness — a well-documented technique among baking experts on platforms like Pinterest.

7. Preheat and Bake

While the biscuits chill, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Once ready, place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the edges are lightly browned.

Keep a close eye during the last few minutes of baking. The high heat activates the leaveners quickly, and the butter in the pan ensures even browning and rich flavor.

8. Prepare the Garlic Butter Topping

While the biscuits bake, melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small skillet over low heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté gently for about 1 minute, just until fragrant. Be careful not to brown the garlic — it can turn bitter.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (source), 1 teaspoon chopped chives (source), and a pinch of kosher salt. This creates a vibrant, herb-infused butter that complements the biscuit’s richness beautifully.

9. Brush and “Swim”

Remove the hot biscuits from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack. Immediately brush the warm tops generously with the garlic butter, letting some of the mixture drip down the sides and pool beneath — the essence of the “swim” technique.

The buttery base helps the bottom crisp up while soaking the biscuit in flavor. This garlic-herb infusion is what turns a simple biscuit into an irresistible garlic butter swim biscuit.

With your biscuits now fresh out of the oven, buttery and golden, you’re ready to serve them as the perfect side or indulgent snack. Up next, we’ll explore professional tips and tricks to guarantee perfect results every time.