Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

I know that I’ve admitted before that there are two things that are my biggest failings in the kitchen. One is pie crust. Can’t make one to save my life. It was a really big day for me when they came out with those nice ones in the dairy section at the grocery store.

But pie crust isn’t such a big deal, really. Lots of people have trouble with pastry dough. I could get over that one.

The other one, however, was my biggest shame. Biscuits.

What Southern Cook Can’t Make Biscuits!?

Who ever heard of a Southern cook who couldn’t make a biscuit? It was just unbelievable. They’re one of the most basic elements of southern comfort food.

And it’s not like I haven’t tried. Over the years, I’ve wasted enough flour trying to make a decent biscuit that you could have baked a dozen of William and Catherine’s royal wedding cakes with it. Honestly.

I tried every biscuit recipe I could find, following each one to the “t.” I sifted my flour just so. Had the buttermilk at room temperature. Cut in the shortening till it was the perfect consistency. Nothing worked.

They were a complete disaster every time. The tops cracked. They burned on the bottom. They were dry, and they fell apart. And it frustrated me to no end.

Searching for the Perfect Recipe

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I was trying to make the wrong kind of biscuit. What I was longing for was the old fashioned buttermilk biscuits I grew up with. And they were nothing like the tall, flaky, light ones that everyone raves about. Nothing at all.

The biscuits that I grew up eating and which were produced by nearly every cook in my little corner of south Georgia were not light. They weren’t flaky, and they surely weren’t tall.

Those biscuits were moist! They had an almost chewy texture, and they never, ever fell apart. You could slice them open, put a piece of ham or sausage in them, and close them back up like a sandwich. Those biscuits had substance!

The Right Fat Makes All the Difference

After all these years, I’ve finally realized what made those childhood biscuits different. The difference was oil. Believe it or not – oil.

My childhood biscuits were not made with solid shortening at all. Our south Georgia cooks made up their dough using soft winter wheat flour, buttermilk, and vegetable oil.

There was no cutting in of shortening involved at all. They just dumped the ingredients into a bowl, mixed it up a little, formed the biscuits, and popped them in the oven.

And guess what else – I have now made pans full of perfect south Georgia biscuits! I cannot explain to you how relieved I am. Whew. I thought for a while there that I was gonna have to give up my Southern cook credentials.

What You’ll Like About This Recipe

• These biscuits are so substantial that you can use them as you would bread. Instead of being tall and flaky, they bake up with a moist interior and a pleasantly chewy bite. They’re sturdy enough to hold up to hearty fillings and simple enough to be with just a pat (or two!) of butter.
• These biscuits work beautifully with everything from a slice of salty country ham to a spoonful of cane syrup. Kids love them with jam and jelly.
• This is biscuit-making at its simplest. No chilling, no folding, no complicated steps. Just stir, shape, bake, and enjoy biscuits that have stood the test of time.

The Simple Ingredients You’ll Need

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• Self-Rising Flour — If you have White Lily brand flour in your area, be sure to use it; if not, any brand will work.
• Buttermilk — Gives the dough a rich, tangy taste.
• Vegetable Oil — Use any neutral-flavored oil such as canola.
• Salt — Optional but I like to add a bit to boost the savory flavor.
• Butter — For finishing the tops after baking.

How to Make Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

👉 PRO TIP: If you’d like to try my version of old-fashioned buttermilk biscuits, one of the things I’d recommend is to try finding some White Lily flour. It’s a Southern flour made from soft red winter wheat, and it makes a tremendous difference in your baked products. If it’s not available where you live, any self-rising flour will work. Your biscuits just won’t be quite as tender 🙂.

Sift the Flour and Add the Wet Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet or cast iron skillet generously with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl (or not – most flours don’t really need sifting these days).
3. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the buttermilk followed by the oil and the salt.

Mix the Dough

4. Mix the ingredients together just until all the flour is moistened. Try to avoid over mixing. You’ll have a fairly rough, shaggy dough. That’s okay – it’s supposed to look like that.
5. Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and gently knead it just 4 or 5 turns. That’s all you want to do – just enough to bring the dough together.

Form the Biscuits

6. Now, for these biscuits, instead of using a biscuit cutter, you’re going to roll them with your hands like you would a dinner roll. Just pinch off a portion a little larger than a golf ball and roll it between your palms a few times. Be gentle. Then flatten it into a disk.
7. Place the biscuits on either a greased baking sheet or in a cast-iron skillet with the sides touching. That will help them rise a little more.

Bake in a Hot Oven

8. Place the baking sheet in the upper third of the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Check a couple of minutes before the end of the cooking time and if the tops are not quite brown enough, turn on the broiler briefly to finish browning.
9. While the biscuits are cooking, melt a little butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove the biscuits from the oven and brush immediately with melted butter.

Add Butter and Syrup for a Treat

If you really want to experience a south Georgia treat, split one of these biscuits open while it’s still good and warm. Add a pat or two of butter and drizzle it with a little cane syrup. Oh, yeah.

And there you go – the biscuits I remember from childhood. I was afraid I’d never figure out how to make them. I feel all grown up and everything :-)

What Goes With Buttermilk Biscuits?

Anything. Anything in the world. But if you need some suggestions, I’d say try my biscuits with sausage gravy, or steak and eggs, or maybe tomato gravy with over easy eggs. They’re all really good!

More Recipes You’ll Like

• If you enjoy a touch of sweetness with your biscuits, my Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits are soft, tender, and just right with a cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk.
• For a rich, buttery treat that’s just about foolproof, try my Butter Swim Biscuits. They bake in a pool of melted butter, and the result is golden and irresistible.
• Want something that falls somewhere between a biscuit and a roll? My Angel Biscuits use a bit of yeast for extra lift and are perfect for holiday dinners or Sunday supper.
• My Herbed Drop Biscuits are packed with fresh flavor and couldn’t be easier. No rolling or cutting—just mix, scoop, and bake.
• Bacon and cheese in a biscuit? Yes, please. My Bacon Cheddar Biscuits are savory, satisfying, and just right for breakfast sandwiches or alongside a bowl of soup.
• And if you ever find yourself with leftover biscuits (it happens!), don’t miss my Biscuit Pudding. It’s a cozy, old-fashioned dessert that turns day-old biscuits into something special.