¾ cup buttermilk
1 stick butter (or ½ cup shortening)
2 cups flour
2¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Pre-heat the oven to 450°F.
Put the buttermilk in the freezer while you are working with the other ingredients, but leave it there at least 10 minutes. Melt the butter in the microwave, setting it for a 20-30 seconds at a time.
Traditional: If you are using shortening, you can't do this shortcut and you'll have to do the normal cutting in with the dry ingredients and the shortening. Don't put the buttermilk in the freezer.
Mix the dry ingredients. Take the buttermilk out of the freezer. Using a fork or whisk, whip the melted butter into the partially frozen buttermilk until the butter makes tiny balls. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and combine all.
Traditional: If you are using shortening, cut in to the dry ingredients with a biscuit cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles small peas. Pour in the buttermilk and combine all.
Shape the dough into a ball and put on a floured board. Knead lightly. I don't roll mine out; I just flour my hands and pat it to the thickness I want. But you can roll it if you really want to, about ½ inch thickness. Use a floured biscuit cutter, or if you don't have one of those, flour a knife and cut the dough into squares or triangles.
Put on a greased baking sheet and brush the biscuit tops with melted butter.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Makes about 16-20 biscuits. Serve hot with butter, jam, or honey.
Gluten Free Biscuits
- Substitute the flour above for Pillsbury Best Gluten Free Multipurpose Flour, King Arthur 1-1 Gluten Free Flour, or Red Mill 1-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
- Use a full cup of buttermilk
Mix the ingredients as above. You will not be able to knead or roll this dough. Instead pinch off a good quantity of dough and shape into a biscuit shape, place on the baking sheet. The recipe should make the same amount of biscuits as normal. Bake the same amount of time.
Laura
