Step 1

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Step 2

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Rub 2 tablespoons of the cold butter into the flour with your fingertips until completely absorbed. Work the remaining 5 tablespoons of cold butter into the flour with your fingertips until pea-sized bits of butter remain. Use a rubber spatula to stir the buttermilk into the flour until the mixture comes together into a shaggy dough.

Step 3

Dust a cutting board or work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Pat the dough into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Fold dough in thirds, like a letter, and then pat into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle. Cut biscuits out using a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter and put on the prepared baking sheet. Press together the remaining scraps of dough and cut out more biscuits. Brush the biscuit tops with buttermilk.

Step 4

Bake until the tops are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool on the pan at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.