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Biscuits and Gravy

Updated June 5, 2025 / By Holly Erickson & Natalie Mortimer

Homemade sausage gravy and tender buttermilk biscuits are nothing short of the ultimate way to start your morning.

homemade buttermilk biscuits topped with homemade sausage gravy on a plate with a fork and knife

Truly Divine Homemade Biscuits and Gravy

Sausage gravy may seem like something that only Southern grandmas and really good brunch restaurants can nail, but the truth is that creamy, meaty, rich sausage gravy is dead easy to make. Gravy is all about the quality of the sausage—use your favorite ground breakfast sausage, or ask the butcher for their favorite, and your sausage gravy will be fabulous. No, biscuits and gravy isn’t healthy—it’s probably as far from a healthy breakfast as you can get—but it’s soul-warming and so cozy. Biscuits and gravy are an edible hug, an indulgence that’s always, always worth it.

Flour, butter, baking powder, baking soda, salt and buttermilk in bowls on the counter for homemade buttermilk biscuits
Flour and butter being pulsed in a food processor for making homemade buttermilk biscuits
flour, butter, baking soda, baking powder, salt and buttermilk being pulsed in a food processor for homemade biscuits
homemade buttermilk biscuit dough on a floured surface pressed into a 1 inch thick rectangle
raw homemade buttermilk biscuits on a parchment lined baking sheet to make homemade biscuits and gravy
raw homemade biscuits on a baking sheet topped with buttermilk

Tips for Making the Best Biscuits

You may be a bit intimidated by the idea of making biscuits from scratch, but please let go of your fears! There’s nothing magical or mystical about making the best biscuits—the reason that your grandma was so good at it and you (maybe) haven’t mastered biscuits yet is merely practice. Practice will make perfect, but our biscuit recipe is so easy that even your first batch will probably be really delicious. And homemade is always going to be better than store-bought. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you ensure that your biscuits are gravy-worthy:

  1. Use very cold butter! If you have the foresight, cube the butter and put it back into the fridge or freezer for a bit to ensure that it’s really, truly cold before you start mixing the biscuit dough.

  2. Use a gentle touch. As with pie dough and cookie dough, the key to a flakey, tender biscuit is to work the dough only as much as you need to and not a bit more. Overworked dough results in tough biscuits.

  3. Use buttermilk! Buttermilk adds flavor and contributes to the tenderness of these biscuits. Much like with the butter, its best if your buttermilk is super cold when you mix it into the biscuit dough.

homemade buttermilk biscuits fresh out of the oven on a baking sheet
ingredients for homemade biscuits and gravy, ground breakfast sausage, milk, flour, chives
browned sausage and butter in a skillet for homemade sausage gravy
browned sausage, butter and flour in a skillet for homemade sausage gravy
browned sausage in gravy in a skillet
browned sausage, butter, flour and milk in a skillet for homemade sausage gravy

How To Make Sausage Gravy

Like we mentioned above, sausage gravy really is so easy to make! Much like with the biscuits, with only a few, basic ingredients your sausage gravy will only be as good as the quality of the ingredients you use. So spring for the best ground breakfast sausage you can find, and be mindful about what it’s seasoned with, as they’re not all seasoned in exactly the same way. Some have more pepper or spice, while others are sweeter or more heavily herbed. If you love the sausage that forms the base for your gravy, you’re going to love the gravy, too. Without further ado, here’s how to make the best sausage gravy:

  1. Brown the sausage in a pan. When it’s crumbled and browned...

  2. Add the butter. Once it has melted, sprinkle the flour right into the pan with the butter and sausage.

  3. Stir in the milk. As you stir, the gravy will thicken. Keep stirring and simmering until the sausage gravy is nice and thick—it’ll take about ten minutes.

  4. And that’s it! You can season the finished sausage gravy to taste—which seasonings you decide to add will depend a bit on your own tastes as well as how heavily seasoned the pork sausage is.

homemade buttermilk biscuits on the counter for biscuits and gravy
homemade sausage gravy in a skillet on the counter for biscuits and gravy

What Goes Well With Biscuits and Gravy?

Biscuits and gravy are unquestionably hearty enough to serve all on their own. But they are also a seriously sturdy anchor for a bigger brunch spread! If you’d like to doll them up a little, serve them with:

homemade buttermilk biscuits topped with homemade sausage gravy on a plate

Tools You’ll Need

homemade buttermilk biscuits topped with homemade sausage gravy on a plate with a fork and knife
homemade buttermilk biscuits topped with homemade sausage gravy on a plate with a fork and knife

It’s All Gravy!

This biscuits and gravy recipe is 100% guaranteed to make 100% of people around your table happy. It’s rich, hearty, indulgent, creamy, cozy, homey—it’s all the things! Oh and—between you and TMP—it’s easy to make, too. Honestly! And don’t feel like it only belongs on the breakfast table. Biscuits and gravy for dinner, anyone? Seriously, who would complain about that? If you make this recipe, let us know how you like it! Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!

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Biscuits and Gravy Recipe

  • Serves:  10
  • Prep Time:  20 min
  • Cook Time:  20 min
  • Calories:  336

Description

This homemade sausage gravy and tender buttermilk biscuits recipe transforms humble ingredients into pure breakfast bliss! Our fluffy, buttery biscuits smothered in rich, peppery sausage gravy will make you forget about your favorite fancy brunch spot!

Ingredients

Biscuits

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed and very cold
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup cold buttermilk, plus more for brushing

Sausage Gravy

  • 1 pound ground breakfast sausage
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 ½ to 3 cups whole milk
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of paprika
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • Minced fresh chives, for serving (optional)

Method

  1. Make the biscuits. Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center position. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.

  2. In a food processor, combine the flour and cold butter. Pulse 8 to 10 times, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces of butter.

  3. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pulse 2 to 3 more times to combine. Add the buttermilk and pulse just until the dough comes together, about 8 pulses. Do not overmix.

  4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using your hands, gently press the dough into a 1-inch-thick rectangle, about 6 x 10 inches. Fold the rectangle into thirds, then press it back to a 1-inch thickness. Repeat this folding and pressing process one more time.

  5. Using a 2½-inch round biscuit cutter, cut straight down without twisting. Gather the scraps, gently press together, and continue cutting until you have 10 biscuits total. Alternatively, you can cut the dough into 10 rectangular biscuits. 

  6. Arrange the biscuits on the prepared sheet pan. Brush the tops with buttermilk. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Let cool slightly.

  7. Meanwhile, make the sausage gravy. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes.

  8. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the skillet and stir until melted. Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and butter, stirring constantly, until well incorporated, about 1 minute.

  9. Slowly pour in 2½ cups of the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the gravy thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. If the gravy seems too thick, add more milk, ¼ cup at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.

  10. Stir in the garlic powder, salt, nutmeg, and paprika. Season to taste with black pepper.

  11. Split the warm biscuits in half and arrange on plates. Spoon the sausage gravy generously over the top. Sprinkle with chives, if desired, and serve immediately.

Notes

For the best results, make sure your butter is very cold—even frozen works great. Cold ingredients are key to achieving light, flaky biscuits.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories 336
  • Protein 12 g
  • Carbohydrates 28 g
  • Total Fat 18 g
  • Dietary Fiber 1 g
  • Cholesterol 57 mg
  • Sodium 994 mg
  • Total Sugars 4 g

Biscuits and Gravy

Questions & Reviews

Join the discussion below.

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  • Matthew

    Have you ever doubled the biscuits and put the extra in the freezer? Do they do ok like that? How much longer did you need to cook them for?

    We haven't but you definitely can freeze biscuits. Wrap them tightly in foil or saran wrap then put them in a freezer bag or container. Hope you enjoy.

  • Kaitlyn

    I think my family would love this for Christmas morning. I don’t have a food processor- but I do have a vitamix. Think the biscuit dough could be done in a blender?

    We wouldn't do a blender but you could mix by hand or use a pastry cutter. Hope you enjoy Kaitlyn!

  • Kels

    I made this gravy with the onion and chive biscuits - this will be my new go-to! Delicious and easy!

    Thanks Kels, so glad you loved it!

  • Jenn

    Oh my gosh, everyone ATE THIS UP! Absolutely delicious! My first time making biscuits and gravy and it was such a hit!

    That's so great to hear Jenn, glad everyone enjoyed it!