Step 1

First prepare the garlic butter, which you will want to do an hour or more in advance. Even the day before is perfectly fine. This garlic butter will easily keep for a week in the fridge.

Step 2

Heat 3 tbsp of the butter over low heat; you will not want the butter to brown at all.

Step 3

Add the garlic and sauté it in the butter for just a minute or so until it softens.

Step 4

Remove from heat and allow to cool almost to room temperature.

Step 5

Stir it into the remainder of the 1/2 cup of soft butter at room temperature until thoroughly combined.

Step 6

Spoon the garlic butter onto a piece if plastic wrap and wrap it loosely before gently forming it into a small log shape.

Step 7

Refrigerate the butter until firm, then chop into small pieces about the size of the top of your thumb.

Step 8

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Step 9

In a food processor, blend together the flour and baking powder.

Step 10

Pulse in the cold garlic butter pieces. Do not over incorporate the butter into the flour. Similar to making a flaky pastry, small pieces of butter should be visible in the flour.

Step 11

Transfer this mixture from the food processor into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour in the buttermilk.

Step 12

Working very quickly with a wooden spoon, fold the dry mixture through the buttermilk, only until the flour disappears, then stop immediately.

Step 13

Drop the sticky dough onto a well floured counter top or bread board. Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour as well as flouring your hands to handle the dough. I don’t even use a rolling pin for these biscuits, the dough is soft enough to pat it out gently with floured hands to a thickness of about 1 & ½ inches.

Step 14

Using a sharp 3 inch biscuit cutter cut the biscuits out an place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. I recommend aluminum baking sheets because they tolerate the higher oven temperature without burning the bottom of the biscuits.

Step 15

Optional step: Whisk together 1 egg & 1 tbsp water to make an eggwash. Brush it over the tops of the biscuits for a more golden top as pictured. Note: You will not need to use all of the eggwash.

Step 16

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits are evenly golden brown.