Mama's Biscuit Recipe

Mama's gonna show you a biscuit recipe that's light and flaky and just waitin' for your favorite jam.

Learning how to make great biscuits isn't hard, just follow the recipe! Now, if you don't have or can't find self-rising flour, you can use All-purpose flour but you will need to add 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 tsp. salt to 2 cups of all-purpose flour. I recommend you use self-rising flour if you can though for best results.

flaky biscuits




Here's what you'll need:


2 cups self-rising flour (the key to great biscuits is the flour. If at all possible, chose a soft winter wheat flour like White Lily or Martha White)
1/4 cup All-Vegetable Shortening or Lard
1 cup buttermilk, or you can use whole milk
flour for kneading
melted butter for brushing on top of the biscuits


Here's what you need to do:

**In the pictures below, I doubled the recipe**

how to make buttermilk biscuits

Gather together everything you will need. Preheat your oven to 500° F.

buttermilk biscuit recipe

Combine the self-rising flour and shortening.

buttermilk biscuit recipe

Cut the shortening into the Self-Rising Flour with a pastry blender or fork or your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs.

buttermilk biscuit recipe

Add the buttermilk.

how to make great biscuits

Mix dough with a fork just until incorporated. Do not mix it any more than necessary. The dough will be sticky.

how to make biscuits

Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface.

how to make perfect biscuits

Knead by gently by folding the dough over onto itself 6 to 8 times.

how to make the best biscuits

Press or roll with a rolling pin into a circle that's 1 inch thick.

how to make perfect biscuits

Cut out the biscuits using a 2 or 3-inch cutter (I have a special glass that I like to use).

Be sure to push straight down through the dough. Do not twist the cutter until the dough has been cut all the way through. Twisting the cutter will cause the biscuits not to rise straight up.

make perfect biscuits

Re-form scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting out biscuits until all of the dough has been used.

the best biscuits

Place biscuits on baking sheet so that they just barely touch.

perfect biscuits

Using your index and middle finger, make a slight indentation into the center of each biscuit.

southern biscuits

Bake in the preheated 500° F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

southern buttermilk biscuits

Brush with melted butter and ENJOY!

**For something a little extra special, try mixing a little honey in with the melted butter before brushing on the biscuits!

Cheddar Biscuits

If you like cheddar cheese biscuits, try adding 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, 1 Tablespoon of fresh chives and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to the flour mixture just before adding the buttermilk and continue following the directions above.


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Chosen as one of the 50 Best Southern Food Blogs by

Culinary Arts College Best Blog

If you like my website, you're gonna love my new ecookbook Tried and True Recipes from Mama's Kitchen.


Now you can make your favorite restaurant recipes at home!

Print Friendly and PDF



Chosen as one of the 50 Best Southern Food Blogs by

Culinary Arts College Best Blog

If you like my website, you're gonna love my new ecookbook Tried and True Recipes from Mama's Kitchen.


Now you can make your favorite restaurant recipes at home!