Sky-High Ranch Biscuits

Step 1

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment if desired. If making the ranch butter, let 8 ounces cultured butter sit at room temperature to soften.

Step 2

Make the ranch sprinkle: Place 1 tablespoon dried chives, 1 tablespoon onion flakes, 1 tablespoon dried garlic flakes, and 1 teaspoon dried dill weed in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Step 3

Make the biscuits: Place 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Place 1 cup buttermilk and 1 cup ranch dressing in a liquid measuring cup or medium bowl and whisk to combine.

Step 4

Place a box grater over a small piece of parchment paper or a butter wrapper. Grate 1 stick of the unsalted butter on the large holes of a box grater. Add to the flour mixture and use your fingertips to work this butter into the dry ingredients until only pea-sized pieces of the butter remain.

Step 5

Grate the remaining 1 stick unsalted butter. Add to the flour mixture and gently toss to combine. If you have any small nubs of butter, chop that nub into 5 to 6 small pieces and add to the flour mixture.

Step 6

Make a well in the dry mixture and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Step 7

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured cutting board and pat into a 1-inch-thick rough rectangle with a shorter side closer to you. Sprinkle with about half of the ranch sprinkle. Fold the dough in half from top to bottom, then pat it back down into its original shape. Repeat with the folding and patting, alternating folding from each side, the bottom, and the top until you have completed a total of 8 folds. At the end, the dough should be a little springy to the touch.

Step 8

Pat the dough into 9x13-inch rectangle that's about 3/4-inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the biscuits into 12 square biscuits. Arrange the biscuits on the baking sheet so that the biscuits touch each other but not the sides of the pan. Sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons of the ranch sprinkle.

Step 9

Bake until the biscuits are golden-brown, 22 to 26 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the softened cultured butter with 1 tablespoon of the remaining ranch sprinkle if desired. Serve the biscuits with the butter.