Grandmother’s Buttermilk Biscuits
There’s nothing quite like waking up to the comforting aroma of freshly baked biscuits. Growing up, I cherished weekends at my grandmother’s house because I knew I’d be greeted by the scent of her warm, buttery biscuits wafting from the kitchen. This recipe is, without a doubt, the best I’ve ever tried, and I hope you love it just as much as I do.
After I got married and moved away, I found myself craving those biscuits more than ever. One day, my grandmother sent me a simple recipe card, but true to her style, it only listed the ingredients—no precise measurements, just instinct and experience.
Now, I’m sharing this treasured family recipe with you.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ cup shortening
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar (or substitute with 1 cup buttermilk)
Instructions
1. Preheat & Prepare the Buttermilk:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a small cup, combine milk and white vinegar, then let it sit for at least 5 minutes. If you have buttermilk on hand, you can skip this step and use 1 cup of buttermilk instead.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients:
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
3. Incorporate the Shortening:
Add the shortening to the dry ingredients and mix until the dough resembles coarse crumbs. You can use a fork or pastry cutter for this step.
4. Add the Buttermilk Mixture:
Pour in the prepared milk mixture (or buttermilk) and stir quickly. Be careful not to overmix—do not knead the dough. The key to tender biscuits is handling the dough as little as possible.
5. Shape the Biscuits:
Turn the sticky dough onto a lightly floured surface or a non-stick baking mat. Gently pat the dough out (without rolling it too thin). Use a biscuit cutter or a glass to cut out biscuits. For extra fluffy biscuits, avoid pressing the dough too flat.
6. Bake to Golden Perfection:
Place the biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until they turn a beautiful golden brown.
7. Enjoy!
Serve warm with butter, honey, or jam—just the way my grandmother used to.
Yields: 8 biscuits