If you’ve ever had a warm, buttery Popeyes biscuit, you know exactly why it’s worth recreating at home. This Southern-style biscuit is rich and tender, with that iconic crisp top and bottom layer and a soft, bread-like center.
It’s simple to make, but the technique is everything. In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how to get that signature crust, that moist, cakey interior, and the buttery flavor that keeps people coming back for more.
What to Know Right Away:
- Total Time: About 1 hour start to finish (including dough rest)
- Bake Time: 18 minutes
- Oven Temp: 450°F
- Yield: 9 to 10 biscuits
- Pan Type: Use a metal pan or sheet pan for golden bottoms
Why You’ll Love This Copycat Popeyes Biscuit Recipe
These biscuits are crave-worthy. Here’s why:
- They’re soft and pillowy inside
- The golden top and bottom have that perfect crispy layer
- This recipe is designed to work with a food processor or by hand.
If you're into baking copycat favorites at home, don’t miss my Subway Honey Oat Bread, Subway Italian Herb and Cheese Bread, or my super popular Raising Cane’s Toast Recipe.
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What Makes Popeyes Biscuits Unique?
Unlike super-tall, flaky-layered biscuits, Popeyes biscuits are all about that signature Southern-style, breadier interior. They aren’t dry or crumbly. They’re soft and cakey, with a buttery, crisp crust that makes these biscuits immediately identifyable as a Popeye's Biscult!
How Much Butter Is In This Popeyes Biscuit Recipe?
You might be wondering just how much butter goes into these copycat Popeyes biscuits. The dough itself uses a blend of butter and shortening to create that signature flaky texture. Then, for that golden, buttery crust on top and bottom, you’ll melt half a stick of butter and brush it on both the pan and the biscuit tops before baking.
Wondering about the calorie count for these buttery biscuits? If you have to ask, this might not be the recipe for you. A peek at the Popeyes website shows that nearly half the calories in their biscuits come from fat. Sounds about right for a top secret recipe with a reputation for buttery deliciousness. And honestly, that’s exactly what makes them so unforgettable.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ill dive into the exact amounts in the recipe card below, but here’s a look at the key ingredients you'll need:
All-purpose flour – Spoon and level your flour so you don’t accidentally add too much, which can lead to dense biscuits.Or better yet, weight the flour on a food scale.
Unsalted butter + vegetable shortening – This combo is the secret to perfect texture. Butter gives rich flavor and browning. Shortening adds tenderness and structure.
Buttermilk – This is essential. The acidity helps tenderize the dough and creates a soft crumb. Don’t skimp here, and only substitute with a DIY version if real buttermilk is truly unavailable.
Baking powder – Gives these biscuits the perfect lift. If your baking powder is clumpy, be sure to sift before adding.
Salt + sugar – Just enough to make these delicious biscuits taste like Popeye's.
Butter for brushing – Before baking, you’ll brush the tops and bottoms with melted butter. This is what creates that iconic Popeyes-style buttery crust.
Key Tools You’ll Need
To make this copycat Popeyes biscuit recipe as easy and foolproof as possible, here are the key tools I recommend having on hand.
- Food processor (or a pastry cutter if mixing by hand)
- Rubber spatula
- 2 ⅕ inch biscuit cutter
- Metal baking pan (not glass or ceramic)
- Pastry brush
These are the exact tools I use in my kitchen, and the links are affiliate links. When you shop through them, you’re supporting my site at no extra cost to you.
Step-by-Step Techniques for Perfect Buttermilk Biscuits
Making delicious biscuits isn't just about the recipe, it’s also about the method. Here’s what you’ll do:
Pulse Butter and Shortening into the Flour
To get the best texture in this Popeyes biscuit recipe, start by pulsing cold unsalted butter and vegetable shortening into your dry ingredients using a food processor.
Use short pulses, about 8–10 times, just until the flour mixture looks like coarse sand with some small pieces of butter remaining, about the size of peas. Those chunks are what create the flaky layers during baking. Avoid over-processing. Once you see that crumbly, sandy texture, you're done. Dump the flour and fat mixture into a large bowl so you can add the wet ingredients by hand.
Fold Buttermilk into the Dough
Next, pour your cold buttermilk directly into the center of the flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula or large spoon, gently lift the dough from the bottom of the bowl and fold it over itself.
You're not kneading, you’re just turning the dry bits into the wet center. Keep folding until it just comes together into a shaggy, slightly sticky dough. If it looks dry in spots, add a splash more buttermilk, one tablespoon at a time.
Fold and Shape The Biscuit Dough
Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper that’s been lightly floured. Instead of rolling, gently pat the dough into a rough rectangle. Then, fold it in half—either by hand or by lifting one edge of the parchment and letting the dough fold over itself.
Do this twice to create flaky layers without the risk of overhandling. Dust your hands lightly with flour if needed and gently press or roll the dough to about ¾-inch thickness. That’s the sweet spot for these biscuits, not too thick, not too thin. Then you're ready to cut.
How to Shape and Cut Popeyes Biscuits for Perfect Results
When it comes to shaping these copycat Popeyes biscuits, I use a 2½-inch round cutter and gently pat the dough to about ¾-inch thick. The dough is so soft and tender, you barely need to press with a rolling pin.
For the most even bake, I recommend placing them on the prepared baking sheet with space between each one. Baking them not touching gives each biscuit its own golden, buttery crust and that classic shape you see at Popeye’s chicken restaurants.
What Kind of Pan to Use for the Best Biscuits
- Use a 10x10 square metal pan, a baking sheet, or a Nordic Ware cookie sheet
- Avoid glass or ceramic pans. They don’t brown the bottom evenly
- Grease the bottom of the pan with melted butter before placing the biscuits
- Arrange biscuits in a honeycomb pattern with space between them so they don’t touch while baking
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days
- Freezing: Wrap tightly and freeze in a zip-top bag; reheat in the oven or air fryer
- Microwave: Reheat with a damp paper towel for 15–20 seconds, but know they’ll be softer
Serving Ideas
To make sure this recipe was spot-on, I did the best kind of market research. I went to Popeye’s and ordered their biscuits with my personal favorite: red beans and rice. That combo is tough to beat. These copycat Popeyes biscuits are buttery and flavorful enough to pair with all kinds of meals or stand on their own.
- A lot of people love them dipped in Cajun gravy.
- Others swear by the classic combo of butter and honey, just like Popeyes serves in the restaurant.
- After testing this recipe multiple times, we’ve been enjoying them as breakfast sandwiches throughout the week.
This recipe has been tested over and over until it was just right. With the golden crust, tender middle, and true-to-the-original flavor, these biscuits are everything I wanted them to be. Whether you enjoy them with dinner, turn them into breakfast, or eat them straight off the pan with extra melted butter, I hope you love them as much as I do.
Allyson’s Tips
- This is a soft dough and it can get a little sticky. Don’t worry, that’s what makes the biscuits tender.
- You can chill the dough before cutting if it feels too soft to handle.
- I like to dip my round cutter into a small dish of flour before pressing it into the dough to make clean cuts and avoid sticking.
How to Make Popeyes Biscuit Recipe Without a Food Processor
If you don’t have a food processor, you can still make this recipe the traditional way with a pastry cutter.
- Start by whisking the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cold butter and shortening, then use a pastry cutter to cut the fats into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. How to Make These Without a Food Processor
- Once the texture is right, pour in the cold buttermilk and continue with the recipe as directed.
Copycat Popeyes Biscuit Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240g
- 1½ tablespoon baking powder
- 1½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 4 tablespoon vegetable shortening cold
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
- 4 tablespoon ½ stick unsalted butter, melted (for brushing pan and tops)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a metal baking sheet or 10x10 baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Set the remaining butter aside for brushing the tops later.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a food processor, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Pulse a few times to combine evenly.
- Cut in the cold fat: Add the cubed butter and shortening to the processor. Pulse 8–10 times, or until the mixture resembles coarse sand with visible pea-sized bits of butter. These small pieces of cold fat are key to flaky biscuits.
- Add the buttermilk: Transfer the flour mixture to a large mixing bowl. Pour in the cold buttermilk. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold from the bottom of the bowl to incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet. The dough should be soft and slightly shaggy. Do not overmix.
- Let the dough rest: Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate and the leavening to activate slightly.
- Shape the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Pat it into a rough rectangle. Use the edge of the parchment to fold the dough in half. Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat the fold once more. This gentle folding builds subtle flaky layers without overworking the dough.
- Roll or pat to thickness: Lightly flour the top of the dough if needed, and gently pat or roll it to ¾-inch thick. The dough is soft, so very little pressure is needed.
- Cut the biscuits: Dip a 2½-inch round cutter into flour, then press straight down into the dough. Do not twist, as twisting seals the edges and prevents rising. Place each biscuit onto the prepared pan, spaced about 1 inch apart in a loose honeycomb pattern.
- Butter the tops: Brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining melted butter.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 18 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown on both the tops and bottoms.
- Cool and serve: Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving warm. These are best enjoyed fresh but can also be reheated for leftovers.
Notes
- Use cold ingredients and handle the dough gently to keep biscuits soft and flaky
- Pat, don’t roll, and fold twice for light layers
- Bake in a metal pan and avoid letting biscuits touch. This helps achieve that signature crispy crust
- Makes 9 to 10 biscuits depending on cutter size
- Buttermilk is essential, only substitute if absolutely necessary
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If you loved this copycat Popeyes biscuit recipe, here are a few more homemade versions of fast-food favorites that readers can’t get enough of:
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