Mile High Biscuits: The Best High Altitude Biscuit Recipe

February is here, which means we are collectively pretending winter is almost over while knowing deep in our Colorado bones that we are absolutely being lied to. Sure, Punxsutawney Phil did his little groundhog thing, but Colorado winters are sneaky.

You’ll be out there casually saying things like, “Wow, this winter hasn’t been too bad,” or “Yikes, the snowpack though…” and then BAM—winter remembers she forgot about us and shows up unannounced, boots on, no text first.

So yes, even though the sun is shining and there’s not a flake of snow on the ground at the moment, I am firmly staying in my cozy era. Warm-your-bones food only. Enter: Mile High Biscuits.

These biscuits are big. Like Colorado big. They’re tender, buttery, and fluffy in a way that feels mildly impressive even though, let’s be honest, biscuits are mostly just flour and vibes. Made right, they puff up gloriously and make you feel like you’ve absolutely got your life together—even if you’re eating one standing at the counter in yesterday’s sweatpants.

To make sure I don’t waste even a speck of dough (because waste stresses me out more than it should), I cut these into squares. No re-rolling scraps. No biscuit dough patchwork situation. Just clean cuts and straight sides. That said, if biscuit cutters are your thing, go for it! Just promise me one thing: don’t twist. Twisting seals those edges and these babies won’t rise to their full, dramatic potential. And honestly? They deserve better.

Have them for breakfast with butter melting into every nook. Serve them alongside a big old bowl of soup when winter finally shows up. Drizzle them with honey just because it’s time for carbs. However you eat them, just… make them. Winter doesn’t stand a chance.

High Altitude Mile High Biscuits (Makes 9 large biscuits)

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

• ¾ cup cold milk or buttermilk (plus a splash more if needed)

Optional (but cozy):

• Melted butter for brushing tops

• Flaky salt for finishing

Instructions

1. Preheat & Prepare
   Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it. High altitude biscuits like a hot oven—think dramatic entrance.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. This is not the time to rush—give it a good whisk so everything is evenly distributed.

3. Cut in the Butter
   Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingertips, work the butter in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still hanging out. Those little butter pockets? That’s where the magic lives.

4. Add the Milk
   Pour in the cold milk or buttermilk and gently stir just until the dough comes together. If it looks a little dry, add a splash more milk. The dough should be soft and slightly shaggy—not wet, not crumbly, and definitely not overmixed.

5. Shape the Dough
   Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. No rolling pin required. We’re being gentle here.

6. Cut the Biscuits
   Cut the dough into 9 equal squares. Easy, efficient, and zero waste—my favorite combo. If you’re using a biscuit cutter, press straight down without twisting.

7. Bake
   Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet with sides just barely touching. This helps them climb upward instead of spreading out. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until tall, golden, and smelling like you’ve made excellent life choices.

8. Finish & Serve
   Brush the tops with melted butter if you’re feeling extra (you should be). Sprinkle with flaky salt if desired. Serve warm, always warm.

A Few Cozy Notes

• High altitude friendly: Extra baking powder and minimal handling help these rise beautifully above 5,000 feet.

• Cold ingredients matter: Cold butter + hot oven = flaky layers. Science, but make it cozy.

• Square biscuits = sanity: No scraps, no stress, no dough rerolls turning tough.

If winter is going to sneak up on us anyway, we might as well be ready—with biscuits. Big, buttery, mile-high biscuits. The kind that make soup better, mornings softer, and February feel just a little less long.

Go make them. Winter doesn’t stand a chance.