Mom's Old-Fashioned Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

Light, tender, flaky biscuits made with cold lard and buttermilk

These are the lightest, fluffiest biscuits my mom used to make, and I still remember how carefully she handled the dough. She never treated biscuit dough like bread dough. Instead, she handled it gently, almost as if it were fragile.

One of her secrets was using lard instead of shortening. The lard, combined with cold buttermilk and a gentle touch, helped create biscuits that were tender, flaky, and beautifully light.

There are a few little tricks in this recipe that make a big difference. The dough is folded several times to create flaky layers, the cut biscuits are chilled in the freezer before baking, and then they're placed into a hot, buttered cast iron skillet. Keeping the biscuits cold while the skillet is hot helps them rise tall and keeps them from spreading too much.

My mom would serve these biscuits with sausage or country gravy, but they were just as good split open and spread with butter, jelly, or jam. They're the kind of old-fashioned homemade biscuits that make an ordinary breakfast feel special.

Ingredients: 

3 c. flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. salt 
6 Tbs. lard or butter
1 c. buttermilk
1 Tbs. butter
Additional butter for brushing the tops 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper.  A cast iron skillet or cake pan to bake the biscuits.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.

Add the cold lard or butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or two table knives, cut the fat into the flour until the pieces are about the size of small peas. A few slightly larger pieces are fine.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the cold buttermilk and gently stir with a wooden spoon just until the ingredients are combined. Do not overmix. The dough will be soft, wet, and somewhat sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle a little flour over the top of the dough and lightly flour your hands.  Gently knead the dough by hand about 10 to 12 times, just enough to bring it together. Try not to work the dough any more than necessary.

Pat or gently roll the dough to about 1 inch thick. Fold the dough into thirds, like folding a letter. Turn the dough 90 degrees, then pat it out and fold it into thirds again. Repeat the folding process several times, about 4 to 6 times, to create flaky layers. Handle the dough gently throughout this process.

If the dough becomes sticky, lightly dust your hands and work surface with flour as needed. Avoid adding more flour than necessary, since too much flour can make the biscuits heavy.

Pat or roll the dough to about 1 inch thick. Using a round biscuit cutter or a drinking glass dipped in flour, cut the dough into rounds. Press straight down and lift straight up without twisting the cutter. Twisting can seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising properly.

Gently gather the scraps together and pat them out again to cut the remaining biscuits. Try not to knead or work the scraps excessively.

Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and place them in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to chill.

While the biscuits are chilling, place the cast iron skillet in the preheated oven to heat.

After 10 minutes, carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add the 1 tablespoon of butter and carefully swirl it around the bottom of the skillet.

Carefully place the cold biscuits into the hot skillet so they are touching one another. Keeping the biscuits close together encourages them to rise upward instead of spreading outward.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the biscuits are puffed and golden brown on top.

Remove the biscuits from the oven and immediately brush the tops with butter.

Serve warm with butter, gravy, jelly, or jam, and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Success:

• Keep the fat cold. Cold lard or butter helps create tender, flaky layers as the biscuits bake.
• Use cold buttermilk. Keeping the dough cold is especially important with this recipe.
• Don't overmix the dough. Stir only until the flour is incorporated. Overworking the dough can make biscuits tough.
• Handle the dough gently. This was one of my mom's secrets. Biscuit dough doesn't need to be kneaded like bread dough.
• Don't add too much flour. The dough should be soft and a little sticky. Add just enough flour to make it manageable.
• Don't twist the biscuit cutter. Press straight down and lift straight up. This helps the biscuits rise properly.
• Chill the cut biscuits before baking. A short rest in the freezer helps keep the biscuits cold so they hold their shape and rise rather than spread.
• Get the skillet hot. The hot skillet gives the biscuits an immediate burst of heat and helps create a beautifully browned bottom.
• Let the biscuits touch. Placing them close together helps encourage them to rise upward.
• Bake until lightly golden. Overbaking can dry out an otherwise tender biscuit.

Variations and Substitutions:

• Lard: Lard gives these biscuits that wonderful old-fashioned texture and flavor. If you don't have lard, cold butter makes an excellent substitute.
• Buttermilk substitute: If you don't have buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup, then add enough milk to make 1 cup. Let it stand for about 5 minutes before using.
• Extra buttery biscuits: Use butter in place of the lard and brush the tops generously with melted butter after baking.
• Cheddar biscuits: Add about 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the flour mixture before adding the buttermilk.
• Herb biscuits: Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried herbs such as parsley, chives, thyme, or rosemary to the dry ingredients.
• Garlic biscuits: Add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder to the flour mixture for a savory garlic biscuit.
• Sweet biscuits: For a slightly sweeter biscuit, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar to the dry ingredients. These are especially good with jam or fresh berries.

Serving Suggestions:

• These homemade biscuits are wonderful served warm with a pat of butter, but there are plenty of ways to enjoy them.
• Serve with sausage gravy or country gravy for a classic Southern-style breakfast.
• Split them open and spread with butter and your favorite jelly or jam.
• Serve alongside scrambled or fried eggs and bacon or sausage.
• Use them as a side for fried chicken, roast chicken, or country-style dinners.
• Serve with honey for a simple sweet treat.
• Turn leftover biscuits into breakfast sandwiches with eggs, cheese, and sausage or ham.
• Serve warm biscuits alongside soups and stews in place of dinner rolls.

How to Store:

• At room temperature: Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 2 days.
• Refrigerator: Biscuits can be refrigerated in an airtight container for about 4 to 5 days. Warm them before serving to bring back some of their softness.
• Freezer: Allow the baked biscuits to cool completely, then wrap them individually or place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheating:  To reheat frozen baked biscuits, warm them in a 300°F oven until heated through. You can also microwave them briefly, although the oven will give you a better texture.
• Freezing unbaked biscuits: The cut biscuits can also be frozen before baking. Place them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why are my biscuits not light and fluffy?
The most common reasons are overmixing, using warm ingredients, adding too much flour, or working the dough too much. Keep the ingredients cold and handle the dough gently.

Can I use butter instead of lard?
Yes. Cold butter works very well in this recipe. Lard gives the biscuits a particularly tender, old-fashioned texture, but butter provides wonderful flavor.

Why do I put the biscuits in the freezer before baking?
Chilling the biscuits helps keep the fat cold and helps prevent the biscuits from spreading too much in the oven. It also gives them a better chance of rising tall.

Why does the skillet need to be hot?
Starting the biscuits in a hot skillet gives them an immediate burst of heat. It also helps the bottoms brown nicely while encouraging the biscuits to rise.

Why shouldn't I twist the biscuit cutter?
Twisting can compress or seal the edges of the dough. This can interfere with the biscuits rising properly and may result in shorter biscuits.

Can I make these biscuits without a cast iron skillet?
Yes. A greased cake pan or another oven-safe baking pan can be used. A cast iron skillet is especially nice because it holds heat well and gives the biscuits beautifully browned bottoms.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?
For the best texture, biscuits are best baked soon after the dough is prepared. However, the cut biscuits can be frozen and baked later.

Why is my biscuit dough sticky?
This dough is supposed to be soft and somewhat sticky. Lightly flour your hands and work surface rather than adding large amounts of flour to the dough. Too much flour can make the biscuits heavy.

Can I use a food processor to make these biscuits?
You can, but for this recipe I recommend mixing them by hand. It is easier to avoid overworking the dough and preserves the gentle, old-fashioned method my mom used.