Old Fashioned Soda Biscuits Recipe | CDKitchen.com (2024)

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These old-fashioned buttermilk biscuits are ready in a jiffy, perfect for dipping in heavy sausage gravy or mopping up runny eggs on a big, All-American breakfast plate.

Old Fashioned Soda Biscuits Recipe | CDKitchen.com (1)


serves/makes:

ready in:

under 30 minutes

16 reviews
1 comment


ingredients

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk (see note)

directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Sift the flour then measure it to yield 2 cups. Sift it again with the baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl.

Add the shortening and using a pastry cutter or fork, work the shortening into the flour to form a crumbly dough.

Make a well in the center of the dough and pour in most of the buttermilk (reserve a couple of tablespoons). Stir the mixture to form a soft dough. If needed, add the remaining buttermilk to form a soft dough.

Place the biscuit dough on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with flour. Knead the dough 5 or 6 times, no more.

Pat the dough out into a 1/2-inch thick round. Cut the dough with round biscuit cutters and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Place the biscuits in the oven and bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

cook's notes

If you do not have buttermilk, you can make sour milk by adding 4 tablespoons vinegar to 3/4 cup of milk.

recipe tips


Do not overwork the dough to keep the biscuits light and fluffy.

For a golden crust, brush the biscuits with melted butter or milk before baking.

Space the biscuits about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

Serve the biscuits warm for the best flavor and texture.

Try adding herbs or cheese to the dough for a more savory flavor.

For a layered effect, fold the dough over a few times before cutting.

Use a sharp biscuit cutter and do not twist it to make sure the biscuits rise properly.

If you don't have a biscuit cutter, a round glass or cup can be used.

Serve with gravy, jam, or honey for a traditional Southern breakfast.

Always preheat the oven for the best baking results.

common recipe questions


Is there a substitute for shortening?

Butter or lard can be used as alternatives, but they may change the flavor and texture.

Can I make these biscuits without buttermilk?

Yes, you can use the sour milk alternative as mentioned in the cook's notes or use plain milk with a slightly different result.

How should I adjust the recipe for a sweeter biscuit?

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar to the dry ingredients for a sweeter taste.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days and reheat in the oven or microwave.

Can these biscuits be frozen?

Yes, freeze them before baking. Place the cut biscuits on a tray in the freezer, then transfer to a bag once frozen. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time.


nutrition data

240 calories, 9 grams fat, 33 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein per serving.



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reviews & comments

  1. laughingcook REVIEW:
    January 8, 2024

    I love soda bread so I was thrilled to find a soda biscuits recipe. Turned out perfect! Will make again.

  2. LiveLove December 19, 2020

    Looks good - pretty sure we'll like it at our house. My husband needs flat buns for his breakfast sausage!

  3. Belle REVIEW:
    August 21, 2020

    I made it as directed other than I used SOUR CREAM in place of the buttermilk. Next time I will replace salt with SUGAR and add 1 teaspoon of VINEGAR or lemon juice to activate the baking soda for more lift. Best biscuits I've ever made but thats not saying much... 5 stars

  4. Pobear REVIEW:
    May 1, 2020

    I used all the ingredients besides salt and buttermilk. But i did replace the salt with the sugar. And they turned out great

  5. Guest Foodie REVIEW:
    March 11, 2020

    My mom used to make baking soda biscuits from scratch and I loved them. This recipe tastes just like them you can the baking soda in them which is the perfect amount!! just like moms. THANK YOU!!!this is my favorite recipe for biscuits

  6. Anonymous REVIEW:
    December 24, 2019

    For those that mention too much soda, uh, they are called SODA biscuits. They are supposed to have a baking soda flavor to them (and this isn't overpowering at all - it's the right amount). These turned out perfect for me and I've made them twice now.

  7. Two-Eagle REVIEW:
    December 19, 2019

    Is work to find baking powder without Al here so I tried these. I folded the dough 30F & leaded gently 30F. Baked at 400F & watched for Browning. Put Indian Maid Products' DurumPopper Buttr on.. YUM! My new recipe for biscuits!

  8. Guest Foodie REVIEW:
    August 8, 2018

    Didn't Notice I needed to sift flour and I used butter instead but still turned out pretty good, my grandson helped me make them. Would make ag as in in a pinch. My husband sent wrong flour to my daughter's so we found it he recipe and trye

  9. Ziyadah1 REVIEW:
    July 29, 2018

    They would have been perfect,if they didn't have to much baking soda. Next time I'll use less soda, but they were still good. Thanks for the recipe.

  10. Tell REVIEW:
    April 26, 2018

    And they even tell you how to make sour milk!! Saves time and money!!

  11. Melissa REVIEW:
    April 21, 2018

    This morning's craving for fresh homemade biscuits was fierce! What, no baking powder? Bummer...until I found your recipe. A few changes and I was in buttery biscuit Heaven! Here are a few tips: Use fresh squeezed lemon juice to sour the milk, let rest 5 minutes(in place of buttermilk), replace shortening with unsalted sweet cream butter(use a grater to shred into flour and stir in lightly) Handle dough as little as possible and knead only 4-5 strokes, bake at same temperature in upper 1/3 of oven, brush tops with a little of the sour milk, only cook 8 to 9 minutes, DO NOT OVERCOOK. So light and fluffy with an exceptionally, spongy crunch on the bottom. Great taste and texture!

  12. Luke REVIEW:
    October 12, 2017

    Since I was using these with a pasta dish for dinner I cut back on the salt added garlic lowered the oven temp and they were awesome... Well for sure make these again

  13. bumblebeeisi REVIEW:
    September 14, 2014

    I think this would be a good recipe with a little tweaking I personally felt there was too much soda flavor, salt?, oven was to hot and biscuits were doughy on in BROWN on out. a lot of this is easy fixes. just need to work around the base

  14. Karis REVIEW:
    April 18, 2014

    Very good and simple recipe. Salt was left out of recipe (for these proportions 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt based on your taste should be correct. I prefer 1/2 tsp. sea salt) I think they made a mistake on temperature and it should be 425 Fahrenheit (~ 220 Celsius) for ~ 15 minutes. (Ovens always differ... watch your biscuits!) Also I hate shortening as partially hydrogenated oils are very bad for you. I substituted unsalted creamery butter. (Normal substitution for shortening is 1 to 1 or 1 to 1 1/4 butter instead of the shortening. I used 1 to 1 and it was fine)

  15. Joyce REVIEW:
    March 8, 2014

    These were very baking soda flavored. I added 1/4 tsp salt, because I worried they would be bland & I reduced the oven temp to 325 so they wouldn't brown so quickly. They looked pretty, but I couldn't even finish eating one because of the bitter taste.

  16. skittles REVIEW:
    November 6, 2013

    I baked at 450 and they still got brown too quickly. Good biscuits though.

    • CDKitchen Staff Reply:

      The oven is supposed to be at 425 degrees F, not 450.

  17. luci68 REVIEW:
    November 3, 2012

    These were very good biscuits. I was out of baking powder and had to find a new recipe. These turned brown on top before I got them out of the oven, but they stayed extra soft, not hard at all. My babies loved them also.

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Old Fashioned Soda Biscuits Recipe | CDKitchen.com (2024)

FAQs

Are biscuits better made with butter or Crisco? ›

The butter version rises the highest — look at those flaky layers! The shortening biscuit is slightly shorter and a bit drier, too. Butter contains a bit of water, which helps create steam and gives baked goods a boost.

What makes Southern biscuits different? ›

What makes biscuits Southern? Besides being passed down by beloved grandmothers, Southern biscuits are typically made with flour made from soft red winter wheat, such as White Lily.

Which liquid makes the best biscuits? ›

Buttermilk adds a tangy flavor to the biscuits and makes them slightly more tender.

How did they make biscuits in the old days? ›

With no leavening agents except the bitter-tasting pearlash available, beaten biscuits were laboriously beaten and folded to incorporate air into the dough which expanded when heated in the oven causing the biscuit to rise.

What is the secret to an excellent biscuit? ›

Do not Overwork Biscuit Dough. Handle the dough as little as possible. Every time you touch, knead and fold, you are developing gluten. The more developed the gluten, the tougher the biscuit.

Is buttermilk or milk better for biscuits? ›

Buttermilk can produce better results when baking biscuits than using regular milk or cream. Buttermilk is acidic and when it is combined with baking soda, it creates a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas, which causes the dough to rise and gives the biscuits a light and flaky texture.

What flour do Southerners use for biscuits? ›

If you start asking around, any Southern chef, Southern Living Test Kitchen pro, or biscuit-making family member will swear by White Lily flour. Generations of bakers have claimed it as the secret to the perfect, flaky biscuit.

What kind of flour makes the best biscuits? ›

White Lily brand flour, especially the self-rising flour, is the gold standard among Southern cooks who make biscuits on a regular basis. White lily, self rising. I use it for everything except those thing I make using either cake flour or yeast. If I'm using yeast I use King Arthur flours.

Why Northerners can't make biscuits? ›

In the North, the flour was milled from hard winter wheat, which has a higher protein level — great for bread and other baked goods, but not ideal for biscuits, as it can make them tough. So, while biscuits were certainly baked in Northern kitchens, they didn't replace bread as the carbohydrate of choice.

Should you chill biscuit dough before baking? ›

But if you chill your pan of biscuits in the fridge before baking, not only will the gluten relax (yielding more tender biscuits), the butter will harden up. And the longer it takes the butter to melt as the biscuits bake, the more chance they have to rise high and maintain their shape. So, chill... and chill.

How thick should you roll biscuit dough? ›

Roll ~1 inch thick. Bake ~15 minutes at 425 F. But maybe you just like your biscuits to be as big as possible. If so, up the baking powder, decrease the liquid and butter content, and knead them a bit more.

How do you make Paula Deen's biscuits? ›

directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  2. Dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside.
  3. Mix dry ingredients together.
  4. Cut in shortening. ...
  5. Add yeast and buttermilk and mix well.
  6. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness.
  7. Cut with small biscuit cutter and place on greased baking sheet.

What happens if you use baking soda instead of baking powder in biscuits? ›

That is why you will notice that recipes usually call for a small amount of baking soda, typically ¼ teaspoon per 1 cup of flour. Do not make the mistake of trying to substitute equal parts baking soda for baking powder in recipes. Your baked goods will have no leavening, be quite flat, and have an altered taste.

What is the oldest biscuit brand? ›

The Aberffraw biscuit (sometimes Aberffraw cake or Teisen Berffro) is said to originate from 13th century Anglesey. ​”Legend has it that a Welsh king was holding court in Aberffraw – his wife was walking on the beach there and, spotting a pretty scallop shell, asked for a cake to be baked in the same form.

What is the oldest biscuit in the world? ›

The earliest surviving example of a biscuit is from 1784, and it is a ship's biscuit. They were renowned for their inedibility, and were so indestructible that some sailors used them as postcards.

What is the best fat for making biscuits? ›

In terms of flakiness, the best fat for making biscuits is probably lard, and vegetable shortening is the next best. In terms of flavor, however, butter is undoubtedly the best, with lard a close second.

Are biscuits made with butter or shortening? ›

Homemade biscuits call for just six ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, butter, and milk. And then more butter once they're finished baking because of course we need more butter.

Is it better to make biscuits with butter or oil? ›

In a pinch, substitute butter with another semi-solid fat

Without undergoing the Maillard reaction, biscuits made with oil also lack the richness and allure of butter-baked biscuits.

Why is shortening best for biscuits? ›

Shortening is more effective at reducing gluten formation in doughs. Indeed, this is where the name comes from — it “shortens” gluten strands. It also has a higher melting point than butter, making it less likely to smear into biscuit dough, even if you use your hands to mix it.

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