Elevate your breakfast with Butter Swim Biscuits and Gravy — rich, buttery biscuits baked in a pool of melted butter and topped with a creamy sausage gravy seasoned with The Rocks rub. These are the easiest, most indulgent biscuits you’ll make at home.
Butter Swim Biscuits and Gravy Recipe
Butter swim biscuits are exactly what they sound like: biscuits that bake while literally swimming in melted butter. The method produces a flaky interior with a deeply caramelized, buttery crust on every side. The dough itself is simple — flour, buttermilk, baking powder, a touch of sugar and salt — and the result is a nostalgic, diner-style biscuit that pairs perfectly with a hearty sausage gravy.
These biscuits have become a go-to for special breakfasts and weekend brunches because they are effortless and reliably delicious. When paired with a peppery sausage gravy seasoned with a bold rub, they transform into a breakfast that feels both classic and a little elevated.
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Recipe Shopping List
You likely have most of these pantry staples on hand. Quantities and a printable recipe card are included in the recipe section below.
- All-purpose flour
- Buttermilk (reconstituted is fine)
- Salted butter
- Baking powder
- Brown sugar
- Salt
- Breakfast sausage (pork)
- The Rocks rub (or your preferred savory BBQ rub)
- Milk
- Eggs (optional, for serving)
Use up those EGGS with these recipes!
How To Make This Recipe
Here’s an overview of the method so you know what to expect. Detailed steps and exact ingredient amounts are in the recipe card further down.
- Mix: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Whisk together the dry ingredients, then stir in the buttermilk just until combined — don’t overmix.
- Bake: Melt the butter and pour it into a 10×13-inch pan. Spread the biscuit dough across the butter, and use a buttered bench scraper to mark or cut the dough into biscuits so butter can run into the seams. Bake until golden and puffed.
- Gravy time: Brown the sausage in a skillet, sprinkle in the flour and cook briefly. Add milk and the rub, simmer until thickened and well seasoned. Adjust salt to taste.
- Serve: Split the biscuits, spoon on a generous amount of sausage gravy, and finish with a fried egg if you like.
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Recipe FAQ
Biscuits are best fresh and warm, so plan to bake them right before serving when possible. The sausage gravy stores very well and can be made ahead — reheat gently and add a splash of milk if it thickens too much.
Keep baked biscuits covered at room temperature for 1–2 days. Store sausage gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gravy slowly on the stove, stirring frequently.
Try our Traeger Baked Eggs!
More Breakfast Recipes
If you love diner-style breakfasts, these recipes pair beautifully with biscuits and gravy. Try hashbrown casseroles, stuffed croissants, pancakes, or skillet eggs for an all-out brunch spread.
- Smoked Hashbrown Casserole
- Stuffed Breakfast Croissant with Steak
- Raspberry Pancakes
- Banana Bread
- Eggs in a Basket on the Griddle
- Apple Fritters
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Perfect Scrambled Eggs
- Homemade Eggs Benedict
- Crispy Hash Browns
Butter Swim Biscuits and Gravy
One of the heartiest breakfasts you can make from scratch: buttery, golden biscuits and a rich sausage gravy, ready in about 40 minutes for a crowd.
Ingredients
Butter Swim Biscuits
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 cups buttermilk (reconstituted is fine)
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons salt
Sausage Gravy
- 2 pounds pork breakfast sausage
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups milk (add more if you prefer a thinner gravy)
- 1 tablespoon The Rocks rub (or your preferred savory rub)
Instructions
Make the biscuits
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Melt the butter and set it aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the buttermilk and stir gently until the dough just comes together. Avoid overmixing to keep the biscuits tender.
- Prepare a high-sided 10×13-inch baking pan: pour in the melted butter, spreading it to coat the bottom evenly.
- Transfer the biscuit batter into the pan and spread it out gently and evenly.
- Coat a bench scraper or metal spatula with butter and cut the dough into 12 squares, allowing some butter to flow into the seams.
- Bake on the middle rack for 25–30 minutes, until the biscuits are risen and the tops are deep golden brown. Let the pan rest 5 minutes before handling.
Make the gravy
- Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Once cooked through, sprinkle the flour over the sausage and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir to incorporate and cook for a few minutes so the flour loses its raw taste.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and add the rub. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the gravy thickens to your liking. Season with additional salt or rub to taste.
- Split the biscuits, ladle plenty of gravy over each half, and top with a fried egg if desired. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
Amount per serving (estimate): Calories 539 | Total Fat 33g | Saturated Fat 11g | Cholesterol 77mg | Sodium 1021mg | Carbohydrates 38g | Fiber 1g | Sugar 8g | Protein 23g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate.
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These Butter Swim Biscuits and Gravy are perfect for a weekend brunch, a holiday breakfast, or anytime you want to impress a crowd without fuss. The butter-swim method gives each biscuit an exceptional crust while the sausage gravy delivers savory, peppery comfort. Make the gravy ahead if you need to save time, but bake the biscuits to order for the best texture and flavor.