Biscuits are amazing! Growing up we used ‘tube’ biscuits for so many things. My mother would fry them in oil and roll them in sugar for an after-school treat. She would also put them over one of my favorite comfort foods, Beef & Baked Beans.
I didn’t start making them from scratch until we moved to Georgia and I discovered that biscuits were a big deal and always made from scratch. I discovered that different biscuit doughs were needed for different meals. I make biscuits two different ways: a Southern version and a Yankee version. Both are amazing with slightly different flavors and uses.
Southern Biscuits
I found the Southern biscuit recipe on a bag of self-rising flour at Kroger in Georgia. They used baking powder and very high temps to bake amazing biscuits.
That recipe used regular milk, but I prefer buttermilk. Using buttermilk means I had to add baking soda as well.
Best in:
- biscuits and gravy
- sandwiches
Northern Biscuits
The Northern biscuit recipe uses butter as the fat and adds a little sugar to make a sweeter biscuit.
That recipe used regular milk, but I prefer buttermilk. Using buttermilk means I had to add baking soda as well.
Best in:
- beef and baked beans
- as a sweet side dish
Tips & Tricks
Tender: if you prefer tender, light biscuits, don’t handle them very much. Gently folding in the buttermilk by hand will ensure they remain tender. Gently fold the dough to keep them tender.
Use a well floured counter or work surface. This dough tends to be sticky and maybe a little moist. Flouring your surface will help you work with the dough.
Do NOT rotate the biscuit cutter! This will seal the sides and prevent them from rising nicely. You’ll use a floured biscuit cutter to cut straight down and pull it back straight up.
Bake them in a very hot oven! Because of this hot oven, I prefer baking in cast iron.
This recipe is adapted from the self-rising flour package found at Kroger. Because I love buttermilk, that’s what I use, but you could use regular milk if you prefer. You will use less regular milk because it’s thinner than buttermilk.
Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 2 Tbsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- dash salt
- 2/3 cup shortening
- 1-1/2 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 480°.
- Place all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk together.4 cups flour, 2 Tbsp baking powder, 2 tsp baking soda, dash salt
- Cut the shortening into the flour using a blending knife or stand mixer on low till flour looks like wet sand. Don't blend all butter chunks in, leave a few nice sized chunks.2/3 cup shortening
- Pour buttermilk into the bowl and gently stir in by hand.1-1/2 cup buttermilk
- Flour your work surface and scoop the biscuit dough onto it. Gently fold over your dough using floured hands to create layers. Flour your biscuit cutter and cut biscuits. DO NOT ROTATE CUTTER. Cut straight down and then up. Place cut biscuits onto baking sheet or cast iron skillet.
- Bake in very hot oven 8-10 minutes till tops are lightly tanned.
Notes
Yankee biscuits use cold butter and a little sugar to make them taste incredible.
Yankee Buttermilk Biscuits
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-1/2 cups flour
- 4 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- dash salt
- 12 Tbsp cold butter
- 1-1/2 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 480°
- Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.3-1/2 cups flour, 4 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, dash salt
- Cut in cold butter with cutting knife or with stand mixer on low. Leave some butter in chunks.12 Tbsp cold butter
- Gently fold in buttermilk by hand.1-1/2 cup buttermilk
- Flour your work surface and dump biscuit dough on to it. Gently fold dough a couple times with floured hands. Flour your biscuit cutter and cut biscuits, DO NO TWIST CUTTER. Place biscuits on baking sheet or in cast iron skillet.
- Bake in very hot oven for 8-10 minutes, watching for tanned tops.
Good with jelly, and also good with gravy