We Taste-Tested 7 Store-Bought Biscuits—These Were the Flakiest and Most Flavorful

When I'm feeling ambitious, I like to stock my freezer with homemade biscuits that are ready to bake whenever the mood strikes. Fresh biscuits are especially delicious with sausage gravy for breakfast, make an excellent base for sandwiches, and are a fun snack when smothered with jam and butter. As much as I love making my own biscuits, it's often not realistic when I'm short on time or have to feed a crowd—which is when I reach for store-bought. The question is: Which brands are worth buying?

To find the best biscuits, our editors taste-tested seven widely available brands, sampling both plain and buttermilk options, including refrigerated and frozen varieties. We baked them according to package directions, then sampled the biscuits in random order, without knowing which was which. We then tabulated the results and crowned two overall winners—one plain and one buttermilk—along with two runners-up.

The Criteria

Biscuits should be tender and flaky, with a crisp, golden-brown exterior. They should have buttery layers that pull apart easily. They should be nicely moist but not excessively greasy. Plain biscuits can have a touch of sweetness, but they should not taste like dessert, nor should they be overly salty. Buttermilk biscuits should have a pleasant, subtle tang and, like their plain counterparts, a balanced flavor that's neither too sweet nor too salty.

Overall Winners

Plain Biscuits: Immaculate Baking Organic Flaky Biscuits

"Nice crunch and a slightly plush, soft interior," our associate culinary editor Laila wrote. Almost every single taster commented on how much they enjoyed the flavor of these biscuits. Both visuals editor Jessie and Laila used "toasty" to describe its flavor, and associate visuals director Amanda liked that they were "a touch sweet." Our associate editorial director, Megan, loved that they were "nicely salty and sweet at the same time," and appreciated that they were "tender inside with actual layers."

Buttermilk Biscuits: Magnolia Table Jo's Buttermilk Frozen Biscuits

Almost everyone found these too oily, with Laila describing them as "nauseatingly buttery" and Megan remarking they were "almost too wet and greasy." Still, they more than made up for it in flavor: Jessie enjoyed the richness of these biscuits, and Amanda loved how "buttery, nice, and dense" they were.

Runners-Up

Plain Biscuits: Trader Joe's Organic Biscuits

"I would not be mad if this were on my plate, but I would probably want to butter it," Amanda noted. Similarly, Jessie thought these were "on the drier side." Still, everyone enjoyed the biscuits' flavor. "Actually buttery and nice browning," Megan wrote. "Good balance of sweet and savory. Pleasant aftertaste." Laila liked the "toasty flavors" and appreciated that they were "crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside."

Buttermilk Biscuits: Callie's Hot Little Biscuit Buttermilk Biscuits

These were Megan's favorite of the bunch. "Although a little doughy in both flavor and texture, it reminds me of a Southern diner biscuit, which I like," she wrote. Amanda thought these were "nice and buttery and biscuity," while Jessie appreciated their "crispy top and slightly crumbly" texture.

The Contenders

Plain Biscuits

• Annie's Organic Flaky Biscuits
• Immaculate Baking Organic Flaky Biscuits
• Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Layers Biscuits
• Trader Joe's Organic Biscuits

Buttermilk Biscuits

• Callie's Hot Little Biscuit Buttermilk Biscuits
• Magnolia Table Jo's Buttermilk Frozen Biscuits
• Stop & Shop Buttermilk Biscuits

Key Takeaways and Conclusion

Refrigerated and frozen biscuits are made with the same base ingredients: flour, water, sugar, salt, chemical leaveners such as baking powder and/or baking soda, and a fat, typically palm oil and/or butter. Many of the brands we sampled contain additives and preservatives, such as xanthan gum, mono and diglycerides, ascorbic acid, and/or dextrose. All the refrigerated biscuits we sampled came portioned in a can; similarly, all frozen biscuits were pre-portioned. To make them, we simply arranged them on a rimmed baking sheet and baked them according to the package directions.

All of our top picks had a relatively short ingredient list, with minimal additives. Both our winner and runner-up for plain biscuits contain palm oil, a hydrogenated oil high in saturated fats, and a common ingredient in many commercially made foods. On the opposite end of the spectrum, neither of the buttermilk biscuits we loved contains palm oil. Instead, both are enriched with dairy: Magnolia Table Jo's Buttermilk Frozen Biscuits with cream cheese, and Callie's Hot Little Biscuit Buttermilk Biscuits with sour cream. 

Overall, we were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed all of the biscuits we sampled. Would they pass for homemade? Probably not. Still, our editors would be happy to keep most of these brands—including those that did not win—in our fridge or freezer. And we suspect the biscuits would be even better slathered with butter or drenched in gravy.

Our Testing Methodology

All taste tests are conducted with brands completely hidden and without discussion. Tasters taste samples in random order. For example, taster A may taste sample one first, while taster B will taste sample six first. This is to prevent palate fatigue from unfairly giving any one sample an advantage. Tasters are asked to fill out tasting sheets, ranking the samples according to various criteria. All data is tabulated, and results are calculated with no editorial input to provide the most impartial representation of actual results possible.