Skillet Biscuit Bread

Also known as hoecake bread, this old-fashioned biscuit bread is flaky, buttery and all things delicious.

The secret is cooking it in a hot cast iron skillet.

It gets this incredible crispy crust on the outside, while staying extra soft and fluffy inside. One bite and I’m transported back to my grandma’s kitchen table.

WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox.

Old-Fashioned Skillet Biscuit Bread

When people think of Southern cooking, they often imagine fried chicken and sweet tea. Maybe they throw in apple pie and cornbread. 

But this old-fashioned biscuit bread is as quintessentially Southern as it gets. It’s been around since before the Colonial era, and its simple ingredients reflect that.

It consists of flour, baking powder, milk, salt, and butter. Some people add sugar, but that’s entirely up to you. Besides that, all you need is something to grease your pan. 

For authentic biscuit bread, that “something” is bacon grease. You can always use butter or oil, though. Either way, it’s delicious.

Ingredients 

Fun fact: There are no actual biscuits in biscuit bread. It takes its name from its appearance, which looks like a single large biscuit. 

Here’s what you need to make it: 

• Butter or oil – For greasing the pan. Traditionally, Southerners use bacon grease. If you have some, it’ll make it taste even better. 

• Flour – Regular, all-purpose flour is fine for this recipe. There’s no need to get fancy with cake flour or anything like that. 

• Baking powder – The leavening agent to make the bread rise. 

• Salt – A flavor enhancer to make the bread taste better. 

• Sugar – It’s a totally optional ingredient. If you want your biscuit bread to have a bit of natural sweetness, add it. If not, don’t worry about it. 

• Butter – Remember, the butter should be cold and cubed! Don’t melt it or set it out beforehand to soften it. 

• Milk – The recipe calls for whole milk, which adds a ton of flavor. However, you can substitute buttermilk for an even richer taste. 

How to Make Biscuit Bread

Making biscuit bread may not be as simple as 1, 2, 3, but it’s not difficult, either! Follow these steps: 

1. Prepare. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and grease an 8 or 9-inch cast-iron skillet. 

2. Make the dough. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar (if using) in a large bowl. Whisk them together, then add the butter and work it in by hand or with a pastry cutter. 

Finally, stir in the milk, being careful not to overmix. 

3. Knead and shape the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it, then shape it into a 1-inch-thick round shape. 

4. Bake. Transfer the dough to the skillet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the bread turns golden brown. 

5. Cool and serve. Let the bread cool in its pan for a few minutes at room temperature. Then, place it on a wire rack for another several minutes.

Finally, serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy! 

Recipe Tips and Variations

Here are my best tips (and variations) for biscuit bread: 

• Don’t skimp on the skillet. Cast iron helps regulate heat distribution better. It will ensure your bread cooks evenly all the way through. 

• No cast-iron skillet? While cast iron works best, it isn’t your only option. Any oven-safe skillet (or even a cake pan) will work. 

• Flavor it up. Try adding mix-ins to the batter for more flavor. Herbs and spices, like garlic, onion powder, or cayenne, all work well. You could also try grated cheeses or sliced jalapenos. 

• Score the dough. “Scoring” is a simple process of making shallow cuts into the top of the dough before baking it. Doing so will make separating the bread into pieces after baking easier. 

How to Store

Place the leftovers in an air-tight container or Ziploc bag. (Remove as much air as possible from the bag.) Store the bread at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. 

More Easy Bread Recipes 

Can’t get enough homemade bread? Here are some other delicious (and simple!) recipes: 

Native American Fry Bread
Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Garlic Bread
Condensed Milk Bread
Cottage Cheese Bread

Biscuit Bread

Course: Side DishCuisine: American

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Total time

40

minutes

This old-fashioned biscuit bread never goes out of style! Made in a skillet, it’s quick, easy, and so delicious.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon sugar, optional

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

• 3/4 cup whole milk

• Butter or oil, for greasing

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°Fahrenheit (220°Celsius). Lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch cast-iron skillet with butter or oil (or a 9-inch cake pan).
• In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar (if using. Whisk together until well combined.
• Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. It’s okay if some larger pieces of butter remain—they’ll help create flaky layers.
• Pour the milk into the mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix, or the bread will be tough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead it a few times to bring it together, then pat it into a round shape about 1 inch thick. If desired, you can use a rolling pin for a smoother top.
• Carefully place the dough into the cold, prepared pan or skillet. If you like, you can score the top of the dough with a knife to create portions that are easier to separate after baking.
• Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The bread should be golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
• Remove the biscuit bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool slightly.
• Serve warm with butter, jam, or your favorite spread, and enjoy!

Notes

• For a richer flavor, use buttermilk in place of some or all of the liquid.
• You can add a variety of seasonings to the dough, such as herbs, spices, jalapeños, or grated cheese.
• If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can use a regular oven-safe skillet. However, cast iron gives the best results in terms of heat distribution and crust.
• This bread is best served warm, but leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

NaTaya Hastings

NaTaya Hastings is a food and recipe writer for Insanely Good Recipes. She’s an educator, boy mom, dog mom, and whatever-stray-enters-the-yard mom. As a result, she's constantly cooking for both humans and animals.

Luckily, she enjoys it!

Though born, raised, and still living in Alabama, her specialty is NOT down-home Southern cooking. Instead, she loves to experiment with Asian, Mexican, Italian, and other ethnic cuisines. She has two mottos when it comes to cooking. “The more spice, the better!” and “There’s no such thing as too much garlic!”

She’s also pretty good with desserts. Especially the easy, no-bake ones.

Her favorite things are cuddling with her four giant dogs, traveling, reading, writing, and hanging out in nature. She’s also pretty excellent at Dominoes.

See Full Bio

Related posts

No Milk Biscuit Recipe (Dairy Free) Chicken and Biscuit Casserole Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie Honey Butter Skillet Corn Chrissy Teigen Banana Bread Apple Fritter Bread with Glaze