Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits
- MAKES
- 1 dozen
- PREP
- 5 Min
- COOK TIME
- 12 Min
Incredibly light and fluffy, Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits will simply melt in your mouth, just like Grandma's biscuits always did!
What You'll Need
- 4 cups self-rising flour, plus more for rolling out
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
- 2 cups buttermilk
What to Do
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and sugar; mix well. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut shortening into flour mixture until crumbly. Add buttermilk and stir just until a soft dough forms.
- Lightly flour a flat surface; using a rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut into round biscuits and place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until light golden. Serve warm, or remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Note
- Serve these with a little butter for the perfect addition to breakfast...or any meal, for that matter!
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Looking for more recipes with buttermilk? Our Best Buttermilk Recipes: 12 Recipes with Buttermilk can help you!
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asoley 3922608
Dec 05, 2016
My mom would always make buttermilk biscuits while I was growing up. They were one of my favorites!
Tammy
Nov 14, 2016
We have a family tradition of eating biscuits and sausage gravy on Christmas morning. this recipe looks better than canned biscuits, but easier than most homemade biscuit recipes. Now to find a delicious white gravy mix that will be even better than the packaged mix. I also have used coconut oil in place of shortening, and it worked well.
jlsdh38 3447114
Sep 26, 2016
Can I use Coconut Oil (solid) for the shortening?
Test Kitchen Team
Sep 27, 2016
Hi there! While the Test Kitchen has not used coconut oil as a substitute and cannot guarantee the results for using shortening in this recipe, we do believe that it will work. If you do try this change in the recipe, let us know how it turns out. We would love to hear your feedback. Enjoy!
luvmyjava66 577618 3
Mar 25, 2016
Do you still use baking powder when using self-rising flour? Thanks, luvmyjava66@yahoo.com
Test Kitchen Team
Mar 25, 2016
Hi there! In this recipe we added a little extra baking powder to the self-rising flour to make sure that these Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits were extra fluffy. Enjoy!
wwhouse411 0486221
Nov 02, 2015
can I use regular milk if not able to drink buttermilk
Test Kitchen Team
Nov 03, 2015
Hi there! Yes, you can use regular milk instead of buttermilk, but its not the same amount. We recommend starting with 1 cup milk, then add a little more at a time just until dough is moistened. Enjoy!
annehubbard 540414 6
Aug 26, 2015
When making biscuits, cut in small pieces of cold, cold, butter or shortening, leaving pea sized pieces of butter or shortening in flour. Stir in buttermilk and mix just until incorporated. With floured hands fold dough over 4-5 times, then pat dough to 3/4 inch thickness (never use rolling pin for biscuits, makes them tough) and cut biscuits with a cookie cutter or drinking glass by pushing straight down (twisting with the cutter, they won't rise right) Bake is preheated oven at 500 degrees for 5 minutes, then turn down heat to 450 degrees and bake another 13 minutes. The BIGGEST problem beginners make is overworking the flour/butter mix, then overworking the dough itself by handling too much. Remember, less is more when making biscuits.
dog lover
Mar 19, 2025
This lady, knows how to make proper biscuits. The old fashioned way. What, Mr. Food is trying to teach folks who did not grow up with Grandma to teach them, how to make your first homemade biscuits. Simple, but is this not what his show is about? There are young people out there clueless, how do cook much from scratch. I Bless Miss annehubbard 5404146 for her input. I'd love to spend time in her kitchen! My mother-in-law, in 1987 taught me to cook his favorite meals. The same way. Copy these things. Gold. Using Mr. Food's recipes. Everyone can dip their toes in cooking!! God Bless Him. D
ghosty191 9390483
Sep 19, 2014
How can a photo of "homemade" biscuits look exactly like the baked Pillsbury - Grands! Flaky Layers Buttermilk Biscuits? I can't even wish to have flaky biscuits like that. It's impossible. If you make these at home, just don't be disappointed if you can't make your homemade biscuits look like the represented photo...
njengland2013 8025 843
Nov 17, 2014
Over 50 years ago I was taught by a proper Southern girl that these "Hot 'uns" were made flaky by patting the dough out and folding it over, and repeating this maybe 4 or 5 times. Keep the board lightly floured. That's what makes the 'flaky' separations. But try not to overwork the dough.
lwr200 0920676
Nov 17, 2014
njengland2013 8025843 is right I have never rolled out biscuit dough
cemab4y
Oct 04, 2013
Biscuits are best made without a rolling pin. Here are some tips, for perfect biscuits: Oven must be HOT. 425 degrees . Take your buttermilk out of the fridge, and warm it in the microwave. the biscuits will rise faster with warm buttermilk. Use a pastry cutter to cut the shortening into small bits, when the bits are coated with flour, and resemble corn meal, add the buttermilk slowly. Stir the dough with a fork, gently. When the dough "follows" the fork, the dough is ready for gentle kneading. Knead the dough gently, and pat into a patty of about 3/4 inch thickness. Cut the biscuits out with a biscuit cutter, by pushing down firmly, WITHOUT twisting, and pulling the cutter up quickly. Place the biscuits on the sheet, just touching. Biscuits take some practice, if your first batch is not perfect, do not be disappointed, try again.
blackbetty46 07082 53
Apr 12, 2013
where do we get self rising flour?
Sa1lys0K
May 27, 2013
The self rising flour should be on the shelf close to the plain flour...it will tell you on the label. Hope this helps.
Sonja64
May 19, 2014
King Arthur Flour gives a recipe for making your own "Self-rising Flour". To make just one cup simply add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour. Whisk it together then use in your recipe. The directions also indicate that if you want light and tender biscuits, mix the liquid and dry ingredients together for only 20 seconds and knead only 10 times after you've combined the ingredients. (Handling as little as possible makes the lightest biscuits.)
Moppel
Sep 20, 2014
You can easily make your own. For my cream biscuits, I make the self rising flour by mixing 2 cups all purpose flour with 1 tbs baking powder and about a 3/4 tsp salt. Always successful.
meatandtaters
Oct 31, 2012
Why do you need baking powder with self rising flour?
Test Kitchen Team
Nov 01, 2012
We double checked this recipe and it is correct. You will need self-rising flour and baking powder. You won't be disappointed, enjoy!
sstokes1920 465359 5
Oct 04, 2013
You do not need baking powder with self rising flour. Hope this helps.
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