I have a lot of different biscuit recipes, and they are all good, but my Mom’s Best Biscuits is the one I go to most often. This is a classic tender biscuit with layers that is the perfect butter-delivery method!
Jump to RecipeWhen I was a kid, my mom’s biscuits were tasty, but most often they were flat and a little tough. We ate them eagerly though, because . . . biscuits! Some time in my late teens they started getting taller, flakier, and more delicious. My mom claims she used the exact same recipe, but she started kneading them a little before rolling out. I’ve been using her same Best Biscuits recipe now for 30+ years, and the only time I’ve had them fail was when my baking powder was too old.
Note from Hannah:
“These are the biscuits I grew up eating, and they really are delicious! Unlike most kids, my mom cooked most things herself and it was a treat to get canned biscuits over homemade, ha ha! To this day, I’m not sure if I really like canned biscuits more or if it’s just because I didn’t get them as often. Maybe I’m just lazy . . .”
There are so many variations on a classic biscuit – buttermilk, no buttermilk, 7-Up, sour cream as the fat, peanut butter as the fat, even some using eggs (I love Joanna Gaines!) Most of the time I use this simple recipe because it is familiar, consistent and is the perfect base for any topping. Here is the method I’ve developed over many, many years…
Ingredients
Flour. All-purpose or you favorite gluten-free option.
Baking powder. An elevating agent to get a perfectly fluffy rise.
Salt. A bit to help flavor the dough.
Shortening. Or butter, or combination of both.
Milk. Whole percent is best, but 2% will work.
Butter. Melted, to brush the tops after baking.
How to Make the Best Biscuits
- Preheat the oven to 450F.
- Measure the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and mix the dry ingredients well. If your baking soda is lumpy, make sure you work out any lumps before adding to the flour. You can use shortening or butter in this recipe – I often use half of each. Cut the shortening in with a pastry blender, a fork, or with your hands. You want to end up with small pea-sized pieces of coated shortening throughout. Add the milk and stir just until the milk is incorporated. You will probably have some dry ingredients after the milk is absorbed, but don’t continue to stir.
- Scrape the dough onto a lightly-floured work surface. Use your hands to squeeze the dry and moist ingredients together into a pile. Gently press the dough into a flat rectangle – it doesn’t matter how thick yet. Fold one side of the rectangle onto the other side. If your dough is stuck to your work surface, use a scraper to lift it up to fold it. You can add a little more flour to your work surface, but don’t add too much. Press your dough back into a flat rectangle and fold again. Press and fold one more time, but this time press your dough out to 3/4″ thick. You’re now ready to cut out your biscuits.
- For the best results use a sharp-edged biscuit cutter or knife. Press straight down and straight back up without twisting your cutter. Press dough scraps together to cut additional circles. I usually take the last of the scraps and just form into a last biscuit. Depending on the size, you’ll get 8-10 biscuits. The size I used for this recipe is 2 1/2″.
- Place the circles of dough onto an ungreased baking sheet; place the sheet into your preheated oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly brown on top. Remove from the oven and immediately brush with melted butter on the top and sides.
Serve them hot with some good butter, or top with your favorite jelly or jam. They make really good sausage biscuits also!
If you give them a try, let me know what you think!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you follow mom’s recipe you should have perfectly tender, tall, fluffy and flaky biscuits every time. Our top tips are to: 1. Not over mix the dough 2. Fold and press the dough several times 3. Use a cuter to cut straight down into the dough, with no twisting back and forth and 4. Bake them just until lightly golden and not a moment more. Easy!
I like shortening for a fluffier rise, but either truly works well. You can even use a combination of both for biscuits that are melt-in-your-mouth moist and tender.
Yes, you can! While they won’t have exactly the same flaky texture, you can substitute a non-dairy plant based milk in this recipe. Almond, soy, and oat milk are all great options.
Keep them in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days. But they rarely last that long in our house!
Absolutely! Let them cool entirely before wrapping each biscuit in a layer of aluminum foil. Place them all together in a freezer-safe zipper bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.