Biscuits - Soft, lofty and easy to make!

These soft, tender biscuits are a snap to make! They rise nicely in the oven and taste great. This is a basic baking soda biscuit recipe that uses simple ingredients you keep on hand.  I love that they can be frozen for later, what a great time saver and it means that you can make a big batch and only take out as many as you need .

You can make them with regular milk and a teaspoon of vinegar or use buttermilk for an even better flavor.

Remember not to over work them. Biscuits are not bread and you do not want to knead it like bread or it will toughen the biscuits! When you cut them, just press straight down without a twist or they will not rise as high. You may reroll the scraps to use them all up but the rerolled ones will be a little tougher.

I don't often use shortening but on occasion I really like it for pie crust and these biscuits. At least the newer versions of shortening do not have trans fat. Use more butter if you like.

These are not the most nutritious food but they are good comfort food with a nice bowl of soup or smothered in honey! All things in moderation…okay pass me a biscuit :-)

I will add a recipe or two to use with biscuits next time. Maybe Biscuits with sausage gravy...

 

Biscuits - Soft, lofty and easy to make!

 

2 cups white unbleached flour
1 Tablespoon Baking powder
1 Tablespoon white sugar
1 tsp salt

 

5   Tablespoons shortening, butter flavored, no-trans fat
2 Tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup milk, whole or buttermilk, May not need it all

1 tsp. white vinegar, optional  if using milk just  add vinegar to it  but omit if you use buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Then turn it down to 425 when you put the biscuits in the oven.

In a large bowl,  mix  together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

Cut in the shortening/butter with a a pastry cutter or two butter knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Or you may use fingers to break up shortening into flour then add butter bits and mix.

Gradually gently stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. You may use wooden spoon or your hands to stir.

Turn out onto a well-floured surface, and gently fold/knead 6 -8 times. Do not overwork!! Gentle folding makes tender biscuits.

Roll dough out to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits straight down with a large cutter ( about 2 inch or so)  or use wide glass dipped in flour.  Do not twist when cutting biscuits.

Place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet which may be lined with parchment paper. For nice browned exteriors, place them an inch apart or more.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until top, bottom and edges begin to brown.

Note: You may brush with cream and dust these with cinnamon sugar before baking for a sweeter biscuit.

You can freeze these before cooking and then bake them later. Place the biscuits to freeze in a greased freezer Ziploc bag on cookie sheet or pie tin to freeze then remove the sheet or pie tin and leave the biscuits in the bag for freezer storage. To bake heat oven to 450 and cook for 8-10 minutes then turn the oven off but leave the biscuits in for another 6 -7 minutes.