Is Buttermilk or Heavy Cream Better for Biscuits?

November 21, 2025 •

3 min read

Over 75% of American home bakers have faced a dilemma in the kitchen: buttermilk or heavy cream for biscuits. The right choice depends entirely on the desired outcome, as these two popular dairy ingredients yield distinctly different results in terms of flavor, texture, and rise.

Quick Summary

This guide compares buttermilk and heavy cream for making biscuits. It explains how their unique properties, from acidity to fat content, influence the final product's texture and flavor. Learn which liquid creates flaky, tangy biscuits versus rich, tender ones and how to choose the right one for your recipe.

Key Points

Tangy & Tall vs. Rich & Tender: Buttermilk creates fluffy, flaky biscuits with a tangy flavor, while heavy cream produces richer, more tender, and crumbly biscuits.
The Role of Acid: Buttermilk's acidity reacts with baking soda, producing carbon dioxide for a superior rise. Heavy cream is not acidic and relies on baking powder for leavening.
High Fat vs. Low Fat: Heavy cream has a much higher fat content (36%+) than buttermilk (approx. 1%), which directly impacts the final texture and richness.
Substituting with Care: Swapping heavy cream for buttermilk or vice-versa is not a simple 1:1 replacement and requires adjustments to leaveners and potentially added fat.
Simplicity vs. Technique: Heavy cream biscuits are famously easy, often requiring only two ingredients and minimal handling. Buttermilk biscuits often require more careful technique with cold butter to achieve flaky layers.

The Fundamental Differences: Buttermilk vs. Heavy Cream

At a glance, buttermilk and heavy cream are both white, creamy liquids, but their chemical composition and effect on baked goods couldn't be more different. This is due to a few key factors: fat content, acidity, and protein structure.

The Case for Buttermilk Biscuits

Traditional buttermilk, the liquid left after churning butter, was naturally tangy. Today, most commercial buttermilk is cultured milk, meaning bacteria have been added to create lactic acid. This acidity is the secret weapon for creating tall, fluffy biscuits. Buttermilk typically contains around 1% fat, much less than heavy cream.

Leavening Reaction: Buttermilk's acidity reacts with baking soda, producing carbon dioxide gas. This creates a powerful, rapid rise that results in light, airy, and tall biscuits.
Distinct Flavor: The tangy, slightly sour flavor of buttermilk cuts through the richness of the fat, creating a complex and classic Southern biscuit taste.
Tenderizing Effect: The lactic acid in buttermilk helps to break down gluten, which keeps the biscuits from becoming tough.

The Case for Heavy Cream Biscuits

Heavy cream is the high-fat portion of milk skimmed from the top before homogenization. With a fat content typically above 36%, it provides rich flavor and an incredibly tender texture without the need for additional fat like butter or shortening in some simplified recipes.

Richness and Tenderness: The high fat content coats the flour, inhibiting gluten development and resulting in an exceptionally rich and tender crumb.
Simplicity: Many classic cream biscuit recipes, known as "two-ingredient biscuits" (self-rising flour and heavy cream), are incredibly simple to make. Since cream is not acidic, it does not react with baking soda and usually relies on baking powder for leavening.
Crumbly Texture: Instead of distinct, flaky layers, heavy cream biscuits are known for their soft, delicate, and more uniform, tender crumb.

Comparison Table: Buttermilk vs. Heavy Cream for Biscuits


Feature	Buttermilk Biscuits	Heavy Cream Biscuits
Rise	Taller, fluffier due to acid reacting with baking soda.	Shorter, more uniform rise; relies on baking powder.
Texture	Flaky layers with a soft, yet sturdy interior.	Tender, delicate, and often more uniform or crumbly.
Flavor	Classic tangy, savory flavor.	Mild, rich, and creamy taste.
Fat Content	Low fat (approx. 1%), relies on added butter.	High fat (36%+), often needs no added butter.
Leavening	Requires baking soda to react with its acid.	Requires baking powder for leavening.
Ease of Use	Often requires working with cold butter, more steps.	Simple, fast, and often a two-ingredient affair.

Can You Substitute One for the Other?

While it's possible to substitute one for the other, it's not a simple one-to-one swap without affecting the final result. If you must substitute:

Substituting Cream for Buttermilk: You'll need to compensate for the missing acid and lower fat. For every cup of buttermilk, you can use 1 cup of heavy cream but might need to adjust the recipe's leavener. Since cream lacks the acid to activate baking soda, you'll need to use baking powder instead. A small amount of lemon juice or vinegar can mimic the tangy flavor.
Substituting Buttermilk for Cream: To replace heavy cream, you'll need to account for the difference in fat content. Use less buttermilk than the cream called for and potentially add extra fat, like melted butter, to achieve a similar richness. The final texture will still be different due to the lack of fat and the presence of acid.

The Verdict

Ultimately, the choice comes down to personal preference. There is no single "better" option, only the right tool for the job. Do you want a light, flaky, and tangy biscuit to be the star of a savory breakfast? Or a tender, rich, and simple-to-make biscuit that complements a sweet dish? Experienced bakers often have both buttermilk and heavy cream recipes in their arsenal, knowing that each has a distinct purpose.

For a deep dive into the properties of baking ingredients, resources from King Arthur Baking may be helpful. They offer extensive baking science articles and trusted recipes for all skill levels.

Conclusion: Your Biscuits, Your Choice

Whether you crave the classic, sky-high tang of a Southern buttermilk biscuit or the melt-in-your-mouth richness of a cream biscuit, both are valid and delicious choices. The science behind each ingredient—the acid in buttermilk and the fat in heavy cream—is what determines the final outcome. Armed with this knowledge, you can confidently choose the right liquid for your baking project and achieve consistent, satisfying results every time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, some recipes intentionally combine both heavy cream and buttermilk to achieve a balance of richness, tenderness, and tang. This can produce a uniquely flavored biscuit that benefits from the qualities of both liquids.

A quick and easy substitute is to combine 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice with 1 cup of regular milk. Allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes to curdle and thicken slightly before adding it to your recipe.

Since heavy cream is not acidic, it won't react with baking soda. Your cream biscuit recipe likely called for baking powder, which is a complete leavener. If they didn't rise, it could be due to expired baking powder, overworking the dough, or the oven not being hot enough.

Buttermilk is generally considered the healthier option due to its significantly lower fat and calorie content. It also contains probiotics from the culturing process, while heavy cream is primarily a source of fat and high calories.

Yes, you can, but the results will differ. Plain milk lacks the acidity to activate baking soda, so you would need to use baking powder. The finished biscuit will be less tangy and often have a less tender crumb than those made with buttermilk.

Yes, buttermilk biscuits typically require additional cold butter or shortening. Buttermilk is very low in fat, and the solid fat is crucial for creating the flaky layers characteristic of a great buttermilk biscuit.

Many simplified cream biscuit recipes use self-rising flour because it contains the necessary leavening (baking powder) and salt. This streamlines the recipe, as heavy cream is not acidic enough to react with baking soda, making it unnecessary.