Easy Biscuits and Gravy

This Easy Biscuits and Gravy recipe consists of tender dough cream biscuits covered in a thick white gravy made from drippings of sausage, flour and milk.

December 14th is National Biscuits and Gravy Day! Celebrate by visiting your favorite breakfast place and ordering up the best biscuits and gravy. Better yet, make them at home with this easy biscuits and gravy recipe! Making biscuits and gravy casserole is another option!

Share your biscuits and gravy on social media today using the hashtags #NationalBiscuitsAndGravyDay, #BiscuitsAndGravyDay and #RecipesForHolidays.

Be sure to follow my December Food Holidays page so you never miss a food holiday in the month of December!

“A positive attitude and a sense of humor go together like biscuits and gravy.”

-Dolly Parton

The History of Biscuits and Gravy:

Biscuits and gravy in some form dates back to the Revolutionary War. But many writers claim that they originated in Southern Appalachia in the late 1800’s. Lumber was the main industry of the region, which is why sausage gravy was called, “sawmill gravy.” Biscuits and gravy was a cheap, filling meal for sawmill workers.

In the beginning, biscuits were harder in texture. Gravy was made from things that were low in supply after the war. So biscuits and gravy was a popular meal for those who were less fortunate.

With the invention of refrigerated tube biscuits in 1930, biscuits and gravy became easier to prepare.

In the 1980’s, biscuits and gravy began appearing on breakfast menus alongside bacon and eggs.

Recipes for biscuits and gravy first appeared in the cookbooks, Southern Food (1987) and The Joy of Cooking (2006).

Nowadays, restaurants add herbs and fancy flavors to elevate biscuits and gravy to fine dining fare.

Ingredients needed:

• all purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt and pepper
• cold butter
• heavy whipping cream
• white sugar
• sage flavored breakfast sausage
• whole milk

How to make Easy Biscuits and Gravy:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post. I

Prepare the biscuits:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture until you have evenly sized crumbs. Cover and chill for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
To the chilled dough, add the heavy cream and sugar, and stir until combined. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead about 4 times. Use a rolling pin to roll out a 9×5 inch rectangle. Then fold the dough into thirds. You should have a thin, tall rectangle of dough. Roll the dough back out to a 9×5-inch rectangle and then fold again crosswise into thirds. The roll the dough out to about ¾ to 1-inch thickness. Using a small cutter, cut out the biscuits and place them on the baking sheet.

Make the Gravy and Bake the Biscuits:

In a large skillet, cook the sausage until browned and cooked through. Sprinkle in the flour and then pour in the milk. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake the biscuits for 10 to 12 minutes or until they’ve puffed up tall and are golden brown.

Serve the biscuits slathered with a generous topping of gravy!

Fun Facts about Biscuits and Gravy:

• Biscuits and gravy is among the most popular southern recipes.
• Georgia is the state that eats the most biscuits and gravy.
• Biscuits in the Southern region of the U.S. tend to be the most delicious. Southerners use a secret ingredient (soft wheat flour) in their biscuits.
• There are two restaurant chains that specialize in biscuits and gravy: Biscuitville in Virginia and North Carolina and Tudor’s Biscuit World in West Virginia.
• There are 508 calories in 1 biscuit with gravy.
• Lay’s Potato Chips has a flavor called, Southern Biscuits and Gravy.