Grandma Barb’s Southern Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

I’m finally sharing my grandma’s buttermilk biscuit recipe and the surprising ingredient she insisted on, all here as a Breakfast Recipe.

I still can’t believe Grandma Barb kept this one secret, she scribbled notes that meant nothing at first, but once I tasted the magic of cold unsalted butter and cold buttermilk everything made sense. These Southern buttermilk biscuits look simple but they hide layers of surprise, like a small comfort rebel that won’t do the same old thing.

I bring this to brunches and to late night cravings, people always ask for the recipe, but its more than technique it’s memory. If you like simple wins this is a Resep Roti Mudah that doubles as Makanan Enak, trust me you’ll want to test it.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: mostly carbs small protein, gives structure and chew, absorbs liquid.
• Baking powder and soda: chemical leaveners, make biscuits rise quickly, add no nutrition.
• Salt: boosts flavor balances sweetness, reduces blandness, no calories but use sparingly.
• Unsalted butter: adds rich flavor, moisture and flakiness, mostly fat tiny protein.
• Vegetable shortening or lard: creates flaky layers and tenderness, mostly saturated fat, not heart healthy.
• buttermilk: tangy acidic milk, reacts with baking soda to tenderize, adds calcium and tang.
• Sugar optional: small sweetness, helps browning and crust, adds calories with little nutrition.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (about 312 g)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar optional
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (about 85 g)
• 1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening or lard (about 56 g)
• 3/4 to 1 cup cold buttermilk (180 to 240 ml)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease a cast iron skillet, and put it in the oven while you work so it’s hot.

2. In a big bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon fine salt and 1 tablespoon sugar if you want a touch of sweetness.

3. Cut 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter and 1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening or lard into the flour mixture until pieces are about pea size. You can grate the butter, pulse it in a food processor, or use two knives. Keep everything cold.

4. Pour in 3/4 to 1 cup cold buttermilk and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together and looks shaggy. Use less buttermilk for a stiffer dough, more for a slightly wetter dough.

5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, fold it over itself 4 or 5 times to build layers and press or pat to about 1 inch thick. Don’t overwork it or the biscuits will get tough.

6. Use a round cutter and press straight down, no twisting, to cut out biscuits. Re-shape scraps as little as possible to keep them tender.

7. Place biscuits on the hot baking sheet or skillet close together if you want soft sides, or spaced apart for crisper edges.

8. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown and risen. Ovens vary so check at 12 minutes.

9. As soon as they come out brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter if you want a rich top, then cool a few minutes on a rack. They taste best warm.

10. Leftovers: store in a covered container and reheat in a hot oven to revive the texture, or freeze unbaked rounds on a sheet, bag them, and bake from frozen adding a few extra minutes.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven set to 450°F (232°C).
2. Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment, or a preheated cast iron skillet.
3. Large mixing bowl.
4. Whisk (for dry ingredients).
5. Pastry cutter, or box grater, or food processor, or two knives to cut/grate the cold butter.
6. Dry measuring cups plus measuring spoons (or a kitchen scale if you prefer grams).
7. Fork for stirring and a bench scraper or spatula for handling the dough.
8. Round biscuit cutter or a floured drinking glass.
9. Pastry brush for melted butter and a cooling rack.

FAQ

Grandma Barb’s Southern Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Buttermilk: For 1 cup, stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup milk, let sit 5 minutes. Or thin plain yogurt with a little water until pourable. Works great in place of buttermilk.
• Shortening or lard: Swap shortening 1:1 with lard. If you only have butter use the same total fat by weight (about 10 tablespoons cold butter instead of the butter + shortening combo) for richer flavor, though biscuits might be a touch less tall.
• All purpose flour: You can use self-rising flour measured cup for cup but leave out the baking powder, baking soda and salt from the recipe. To add whole grain try replacing up to half the AP with whole wheat pastry flour, expect a slightly denser biscuit.
• Granulated sugar: Replace 1 tablespoon sugar with 1 tablespoon light brown sugar for a hint of molasses, or use 1 tablespoon honey but drop oven temp about 15 degrees F cause honey browns faster.

Pro Tips

1) Keep everything ice cold. Chill the butter, shortening and even the bowl. Grate or smash frozen butter into the flour so you get tiny flakes that steam in the oven and make layers. If it starts to soften, pop the whole bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes before you finish.

2) Heat the pan good and long. A screaming hot cast iron or baking sheet gives instant lift. Use an oven thermometer so you know the temp, and dont open the oven the first 8 to 10 minutes or they can fall.

3) Handle the dough super gently. Fold only a few times, use a bench scraper to lift and turn, and press instead of rolling. Minimal reshaping of scraps keeps them tender. If the dough feels sticky, chill it rather than overworking it.

4) Freeze smart and reheat right. Flash-freeze cut rounds on a sheet, then bag them for later. Bake from frozen adding a few extra minutes. For leftovers, warm in a hot oven on a rack to revive the crust, or microwave very briefly then finish in a toaster oven for crispness.