KFC Biscuits Copycat Recipe

✔ Updated October 18, 2026 · kneading fixed for tender biscuits, folds added for layers

My copycat-style KFC biscuits bake up tall, golden and buttery, with flaky layers and a soft, fluffy middle. They use just seven pantry staples: flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar, salt, cold butter and milk. If you’d rather order for a party, see our KFC catering menu.

The key to tender biscuits is handling the dough as little as possible: cut in fridge-cold butter, knead only a few turns, then fold the dough twice for layers that pull apart. Bake them at 415°F for 10 to 12 minutes, brush with melted butter, and serve with fried chicken, gravy or honey.

Why You'll Love These Biscuits

• Tall and flaky, with buttery layers that pull apart and a soft, fluffy middle.
• Seven pantry ingredients, on the table in about 22 minutes.
• The perfect side for fried chicken, gravy and soups, or split with butter and honey.

What Makes KFC Biscuits So Flaky?

KFC's biscuits are known for being tall, soft and buttery, with layers you can peel apart. Four things get you there at home:

• Cold butter in pieces. Pea-sized bits of butter melt in the hot oven and release steam, which puffs the dough into layers.
• Very little kneading. A few gentle turns is all it needs. Kneading for minutes develops gluten and gives you chewy, bread-like biscuits instead of tender ones.
• A couple of folds. Folding the dough like a letter stacks the butter into thin sheets, the same idea as quick puff pastry.
• A hot oven. 415°F sets the outside fast while the inside keeps rising. Baking powder plus a little cream of tartar gives a strong, even lift.

Can You Use Buttermilk or Self-Rising Flour?

Yes to both. For buttermilk biscuits, swap the milk for 2/3 cup cold buttermilk and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to the dry ingredients. They'll be a little tangier and even more tender.

For self-rising flour, use 2 cups self-rising flour and leave out the baking powder and salt. Keep the sugar and cream of tartar, and follow the same method.

What to Serve With KFC Biscuits

• Fried chicken: the classic pairing. Try our KFC original chicken copycat.
• Gravy: split the biscuits and smother them with our KFC gravy.
• Sweet: butter and honey, jam, or strawberries and whipped cream.
• Breakfast: sausage, egg and cheese biscuit sandwiches.
• More biscuits: compare them with our Popeyes biscuits.

Step-by-Step Photos

Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.

Tips for Success

• Keep everything cold. Use butter and milk straight from the fridge. On a warm day, I chill the flour and bowl for 10 minutes too, because soft butter means flat biscuits.
• Stop at a shaggy dough. Add the milk gradually and stop as soon as no dry flour remains. You may not need it all.
• Knead a few turns, not minutes. Three or four gentle turns is enough. Long kneading builds gluten and makes biscuits tough and bready.
• Cut straight down. Twisting the cutter pinches the edges shut and stops the biscuits rising tall. Dip the cutter in flour between cuts. Lucy runs the cutter in our kitchen, and “straight down, no twisting” is now her favorite thing to remind me.
• Fully preheat the oven. A hot 415°F oven turns the butter to steam fast, which is what makes the biscuits rise and flake.

Variations

• Food processor: pulse the dry ingredients and butter in short bursts until coarse crumbs form, then stir in the milk by hand. Don't over-process; you still want visible butter pieces.
• Extra golden tops: brush with milk or beaten egg before baking instead of butter after.
• Honey butter: mix 2 tablespoons melted butter with 1 tablespoon honey for brushing. Max swears this is the best part.
• Other shapes: cut squares with a sharp knife to skip re-rolling scraps. Bigger biscuits need a few more minutes in the oven.

Make-Ahead, Storage and Reheating

Make ahead: cut the biscuits, cover the tray and refrigerate for up to 2 hours before baking. For longer, freeze the unbaked rounds on a tray, then bag them; bake from frozen at 415°F, adding 3 to 5 minutes.

Store: keep baked biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months.

Reheat: warm them, loosely wrapped in foil, in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes (10 to 12 from frozen). The microwave makes them chewy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make KFC biscuits at home?

Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar and salt, then cut in cold butter until it looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in cold milk, knead just a few turns, fold the dough twice, then roll it to 1/2 inch and cut 3-inch rounds. Bake at 415°F for 10 to 12 minutes.

Should you knead biscuit dough?

Only briefly. A few gentle turns bring the dough together, but kneading for several minutes builds gluten and gives you dense, bready biscuits. For flaky layers, fold the dough in thirds once or twice instead of kneading it until smooth.

Why are my biscuits tough or flat?

The usual causes are overworked dough and warm butter. Knead only 3 or 4 times, keep the butter cold until the biscuits go in the oven, and press the cutter straight down without twisting, which can seal the edges. Old baking powder can also stop biscuits rising, so check the date.

Can I freeze KFC biscuits?

Yes. Freeze the cut, unbaked biscuits on a tray, then move them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months and bake from frozen, adding 3 to 5 minutes. Baked biscuits freeze well too; reheat them from frozen in a 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

How do you reheat biscuits so they stay soft?

Wrap them loosely in foil and warm them in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes. The foil keeps the inside soft while the oven stops the outside going soggy. The microwave works in a pinch, but only for 10 to 15 seconds, or they turn chewy.