Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and sugar in a large bowl.
- Cut the cold butter-flavored shortening into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter until crumbly.
- Grate the cold butter into the bowl and gently toss it in.
- Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir just until a wet, sticky dough forms.
- Generously flour a clean work surface.
- Turn the biscuit dough out onto the floured area.
- Sprinkle flour lightly on the dough and your hands, then gently knead and fold several times.
- Add more flour only as necessary to make the dough manageable, keeping it moist for fluffiness.
- Fold the dough over itself a few times to create layers.
- Pat the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle.
- Dip a biscuit cutter in flour and cut out rounds without twisting.
- Arrange the biscuits close together on a baking pan so their sides touch.
- Lightly brush the tops with a thin layer of cold mayonnaise, milk, or heavy cream.
- Bake for 14 minutes or until the tops are golden; for deeper color, switch to a low broil for the last 2 minutes, watching carefully.
- Remove biscuits from oven and brush tops with additional melted butter.
- Serve warm.
Nutrition
Notes
Keeping your fat and dairy ingredients cold is crucial for fluffy, layered biscuits. You can substitute regular all-purpose flour for White Lily, though the biscuits will be a bit less tender. If you don’t have butter-flavored shortening, regular shortening or extra butter will work; just keep everything as cold as possible. Bake the biscuits side by side for the best rise, and avoid overworking the dough. Biscuits are best enjoyed warm, but leftovers can be cooled completely and frozen tightly wrapped for up to two months. Reheat in a 350°F oven until heated through.