Homemade Biscuits

Chill the butter in the freezer for 10 to 20 minutes. Keeping it very cold helps the biscuits bake up light and flaky.

Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl.

Grate the cold butter into the dry ingredients, or cut it in with a pastry cutter. Toss gently until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

Stir in the milk with a wooden spoon or spatula just until a rough dough forms. Do not overwork it.

Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and gently bring it together. Add only enough extra flour to keep a sticky dough manageable.

Fold the dough in half and flatten it gently with your hands. Rotate it 90 degrees and repeat until you have made 5 or 6 folds.

Pat the dough to 1 inch thick without using a rolling pin. Flour a 2 3/4-inch round cutter, then press it straight down to cut the biscuits.

Set the biscuits less than 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Gently gather the scraps and cut again until you have at least 6 biscuits.

Bake for 12 minutes, until the tops are just beginning to turn light golden brown.

Brush the warm biscuits with melted salted butter if you like, then serve them right away.