Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits are buttery, soft, and full of blueberry flavor - plus that lemon glaze takes it over the top! While they are ultra moist and tender on the inside, the outside becomes ultra crispy and golden brown from the melted butter. Go blueberries and lemon!
You might also like Easy Lemon Blueberry Cake.
When the life gives you blueberries, make the Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits with Lemon Glaze. They are amazing: tender, fluffy, and just the right amount of sweet and a little tart. The sugar in the dough made a crunchy thin crust on the bottom. Just perfect!! For more Blueberry Desserts, explore Blueberry Scones and Flaky Blueberry Hand Pies
Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits are insanely delicious when served warm, with or without additional butter, but always with extra blueberries. They are perfect for breakfast, brunch or dessert. Astonishing with coffee or a glass of milk.
What is Butter Swim Biscuit
Butter Swim Biscuit is the type of biscuit where the dough is baked in a pan with a layer of melted butter on the bottom. This way the butter seeps up right into the dough, which results in biscuits that are crispy on the bottom and fluffy on the inside with a buttery flavor throughout.
The name comes from the fact that the melted butter gives the appearance of the dough floating or swimming in butter.
Jump to:
- What is Butter Swim Biscuit
- Why you'll love Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits
- Ingredients in Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits
- How to Make Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits
- Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits
- Tips on making this recipe
- What is the secret to fluffy biscuits?
- Why are my butter biscuits rubbery or tough?
- Why didn't my biscuits rise?
- Why are my blueberry butter biscuits too dry or crumbly?
- Why are my butter biscuits too sweet or too sour?
- Why are my biscuits soggy in the middle?
- Variations and Substitutions
- FAQ
- Storage/Reheating Instructions
- More Delicious Blueberry Desserts
- More Lemon Desserts
- Reviews
Why you'll love Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits
- Blueberry and Lemon: Lemon and blueberry is such an elite combo! Blueberries stay juicy and vibrant, offset by the richness of real buttermilk and fresh lemon juice in the glaze!
- Better than blueberry muffins: This is an easy, delicious recipe to make…a nice change of pace from blueberry muffins.
- Simple beginner proof recipe: No biscuit cutter, no kneading, and no stand mixer required-just mix everything by hand in minutes. There's almost no way to mess this up, and all the steps are simple enough for anyone to follow. It's so simple you'd think there is no way they will be that good but they are *THAT* good!
- Versatile: Easily swap for different berries, adjust sweetness and spices (think cinnamon), or use greek yogurt or sour cream instead of buttermilk.
Ingredients in Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits
Lemon Glaze
- Powdered sugar - use confectioner's sugar and a sifter to prevent your glaze from being grainy.
- Fresh lemon juice - Squeeze juice of 2 lemons to arrive at 2 tablespoons.
- Vanilla extract - Used for flavor, optional but tasty!
Butter Swim Biscuits
- All-purpose flour - Flour is the foundation of these blueberry butter swim biscuits; we need a strong batter to hold all of the blueberries.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar helps retain moisture, contributes to browning, and adds sweetness and flavor. It also helps create a slightly crunchy topping.
- Baking powder and salt: A lot of leavener is required to create a significant rise against all of the wet ingredients and blueberries.
- Eggs: Eggs add moisture and bind everything together
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds plenty of moisture and lightens up the dough.
- Blueberries: I used fresh blueberries, however frozen will work as well.
- Butter: Butter produces a moist, tender biscuit. These days I use salted and melted butter (1 stick).
How to Make Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits
1. Make Biscuit Dough: Begin by whisking together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Slowly pour in the buttermilk while stirring gently until a sticky dough forms. If the dough seems dry, add a little more buttermilk. Be careful not to overmix.
Fold in the blueberries until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough without crushing them.
2. Pour Butter and Add Dough: Pour the melted butter into the bottom of a 9×9-inch baking pan. Evenly spread the dough into the baking dish with melted butter.
3. Smooth it out using a spatula.
4. Cut the dough into 9 squares using a knife.
5. Bake the butter swim biscuits for 25-30 minutes at 450 F., until the tops are golden brown.
6. Make Lemon Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice in a small bowl until super smooth. Add vanilla extract. Add more lemon juice to thin, and add more powdered sugar to thicken.
Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits
CLICK on STARS to REVIEW the RECIPE, then CLICK OK
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour spoon and leveled
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1¾ cups buttermilk (up to 2 cups)
- 1½ cups fresh blueberries
- ½ cup salted butter melted (1 stick)
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450°F.
Make blueberry butter swim biscuits
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Slowly pour in the buttermilk while stirring gently until a sticky dough forms. If the dough seems dry, add a little more buttermilk. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the blueberries until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough without crushing them.
- Pour the melted butter into the bottom of a 9×9-inch baking pan.
- Evenly spread the dough into the baking dish with melted butter. Smooth it out using a spatula. Cut the dough into 9 squares using a knife.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
Make lemon glaze
- Whisk together powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice in a small bowl until super smooth. Add vanilla extract.
- Add more lemon juice to thin, and add more powdered sugar to thicken.
- Once biscuits are done baking, let them cool slightly before drizzling glaze over them. Serve warm.
Tips on making this recipe
- Fresh blueberries are preferred as they hold their shape better during baking. Frozen can be used but they may turn your dough purple.
- If using frozen berries, always thaw and blot dry to prevent sogginess.
- Use glass or ceramic pans for consistent, even baking (metal can cause burnt edges and undercooked centers).
- Adjust sugar to your own taste-these biscuits work with more or less for breakfast or dessert occasions.
- Heavy cream can be subbed for buttermilk if needed for a super tender crumb.
- If using unsalted butter instead of salted butter, increase the salt in the recipe to ½ teaspoon.
- Fresh lemon juice makes such a huge difference when it comes to flavor, and when a glaze recipe only has 3 ingredients, you're better off making sure that it tastes good.
- If you don't have lemon on hand, I have also made this with lime juice and it was super delicious!
What is the secret to fluffy biscuits?
- Do Not Overmix: Gently stir the dough by hand just until moistened-lumpy batter is perfect and exactly what makes these butter swim biscuits delicious!
- Use Room-Temperature Ingredients: Cold butter and chilled buttermilk is essential in classic cut biscuits, but for swim biscuits, room temperature is fine since everything gets melted together. Still, avoid letting the dough sit too long before baking.
- Wet, Sticky Dough: Don't be afraid of a sticky dough! Too little liquid makes biscuits dense and dry, but a wetter consistency allows for steam and rise. If the batter looks dry, add an extra splash of buttermilk until it's sticky-the right dough is almost "shaggy".
- Oven Temperature: A high baking temperature (450°F) gives biscuits a strong initial lift, sealing in moisture and promoting tenderness.
- Even Spreading and Scoring: For swim biscuits, spreading the dough evenly and lightly scoring before baking ensures uniform, fluffy layers every time.
- Proper Pan Choice: Bake in a ceramic or glass pan for even heat and fluffier results; avoid metal pans that brown too quickly, leading to overcooked edges and undercooked centers.
Why are my butter biscuits rubbery or tough?
- Cause: Overmixing the dough activates gluten, making biscuits dense and rubbery.
- Fix: Mix the dough gently just until ingredients are combined. Use a spatula or wooden spoon, and avoid using a mixer. Fold in blueberries last and stir as little as possible.
Why didn't my biscuits rise?
Always use fresh baking powder, keep butter cold, and handle the dough minimally (don't overwork it). It's also super important to preheat your oven thoroughly before baking.
Why are my blueberry butter biscuits too dry or crumbly?
The most common reason is the wrong proportion of flour to liquid: either too much flour or not enough liquid (buttermilk).
- Pro Tip: Use the dip-and-scoop method for flour, and add buttermilk gradually until the dough is sticky but not wet. If the dough is too dry, add a tablespoon more buttermilk at a time.
Why are my butter biscuits too sweet or too sour?
This usually happens due to the imbalance between sugar and blueberries. Either too much sugar or the blueberries are too sour (this depends on the season and blueberry brand).
- Fix: Adjust sugar to taste (start with ¼ cup and add more if needed). Use fresh, sweet blueberries or thawed frozen ones, and pat dry to avoid excess moisture.
Why are my biscuits soggy in the middle?
Never use frozen blueberries without thawing and drying them first - there will always be extra liquid released during baking. Also make sure to bake blueberry butter swim biscuits long enough.
- Pro Tip: Thaw and pat dry frozen blueberries before adding to the dough. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, and rotate the pan halfway through
Variations and Substitutions
- Bake swim biscuits in the preheated cast iron skillet. This type of skillet conducts the heat very well and what's even more important - very even distribution of heat.
- Experiment with a glaze: Use milk instead of lemon juice for a silky white glaze. I also LOVE drizzling these blueberry butter swim biscuits with orange glaze.
FAQ
Can I make the lemon glaze ahead? Ideally you will make this glaze as soon as you need it, as it does go crusty as it dries. Unless you like crusty glaze which I personally do.
Can I use self-rising flour? Yes-omit the extra salt and baking powder in the recipe.
What are the best blueberry substitutes? Try diced strawberries, blackberries, or even dried cranberries and white chocolate chips for endless variations.
Can I use frozen blueberries in butter swim biscuits?
Can I make these ahead of time? Yes! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days, in the fridge for 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven or air fryer for best results.
How do I double the recipe? Use two 9×9-inch pans instead of one large dish for even baking. A single large pan can leave the center underbaked and edges too crisp.
Storage/Reheating Instructions
- Wrap cooled biscuits tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to two days or in the fridge for up to four days.
- How to store lemon glaze: If you have leftover glaze that you want to store you can pop it into a ziploc bag and seal with no air in it so that it does not go crusty, then just snip the end off the bag and use it as a piping bag.
- Reheat in air fryer: Can be easily warmed up the next morning in the air fryer.
Hannah says
These were absolutely wonderful. My picky daughter even said “delicious!”
Olya Shepard says
The daughter is right!
Smg says
Awesome - I make the swim bread and can't wait to try your recipe. I know it will be delicious - thank you!
Olya Shepard says
Anything swim is always so good!
Lynne Pettman says
Terrific, my first experience with 'swim biscuits'. Very tender in the middle and crispy on the bottom, plus not too sweet. I used what I had in my pantry, so mine were fresh raspberry with a lime glaze. I made the buttermilk with milk combined with fresh lime juice as well. I only had skim milk and heavy cream so I mixed them together, 1cup skim, 3/4 cup cream, then added the lime juice. Just delicious for a special breakfast or brunch side.
Olya says
So happy you liked the swim biscuits, lynne. Delicious with lime juice!
Janet says
Made these and doubled on the lemon glaze! So delicious
Olya says
Good call on that glaze. I love smothering the biscuits with it!