This easy-to-follow Crisco biscuits recipe takes you back to grandma's kitchen. These old fashioned biscuits cook up light, melt in your mouth tender, and perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner.
Bake up flaky layer biscuits that melt in your mouth, ready to soak up gravy, jam, or drip with melting butter any time you want a taste of down home cooking.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
These homemade Crisco biscuits made with buttermilk, bake up flaky and fresh from the oven. This old-fashioned recipe is a Southern classic, and it's sure to become a favorite in your household.
- Flour - All purpose flour or Lily flour. Lily flour uses a softer wheat, and makes super fluffy biscuits.
- Baking powder - Make sure it's fresh.
- Sugar - Optional.
- Salt
- Crisco - Or any vegetable shortening.
- Buttermilk - Chilled.
Ingredients You'll Need
Not only will these biscuits be a hit with your family, they'll also be more wholesome than store-bought - because you know exactly what's going into them.
- Simple to make. You only need a few basic ingredients you've probably got in the pantry, and they take only minutes to make.
- Delicious. These old fashioned Crisco biscuits are light and flaky.
- Versatile. You can serve them plain, with butter and jam, or with your favorite toppings like our Southern White Pepper Gravy.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Crisco Buttermilk Biscuits
You'll be delighted with these easy, flaky homemade biscuits made with buttermilk and Crisco. Not only are they easy to make, but their unique texture and flavor will make your family request you make them more often!
Cut Shortening Into The Flour
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (230 degrees C).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add the Crisco.
- Cut in the Crisco into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Mix In The Buttermilk
Make sure to use chilled buttermilk. Buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to make light, fluffy biscuits. If you don't have buttermilk, you can mix whole milk and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to make a substitute.
- Fold the buttermilk into the flour until just combined.
- Scrape the bowl sides and form a ball.
PRO TIP: If you have time, chill the dough for 30 minutes or so, the result will be even flakier biscuits.
Cut Biscuits Out
- Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-12 times, or until the dough comes together.
- Roll out to ½-inch thickness.
Bake Until Golden Brown
- Cut out each biscuit using a 2 ½ to 3-inch biscuit cutter.
- Place the biscuits in a 9x13" baking dish, or cast iron skillet that has been lightly greased or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve while warm with butter, honey, or our Texas Steakhouse Honey Butter.
Serving Suggestions
You'll be delighted with these flaky, buttery homemade biscuits made with buttermilk and Crisco. Not only are they easy-to-make, but their unique texture and flavor will leave you needing a second biscuit!
Serve smothered in our Southern White Pepper Gravy, or with some of our sides that go perfectly with these biscuits.
Related Recipes
- Keto Red Lobster Biscuits
- Old Fashioned Stuffed Peppers
- Collard Greens in the Crockpot
- Air Fryer Cabbage
- Fat Tuesday Paczki - (Polish Donuts)
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few substitutions and variations when making these old fashioned recipe for biscuits:
- Substitute any type of shortening for the Crisco.
- Add 1 tablespoon of sugar for a sweeter biscuit.
- You can add ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese for cheesy biscuits.
Tips for The Best Biscuits
- For extra flaky biscuits, chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling it out.
- Don't overwork the biscuit dough, or the biscuits will be tough.
- Bake the biscuits in a hot oven for a golden brown crust.
Storage Options
- Store the biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freeze the biscuits for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat, bake the biscuits at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10-12 minutes, or until heated through.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this homemade, Crisco biscuit recipe.
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Frequently Asked Questions
There are a few reasons why your biscuits might not rise. One possibility is that you overworked the dough. Another possibility is that you didn't add enough baking powder.
Overworking the dough is the most common reason for tough biscuits. Make sure to handle the dough gently and only knead it until it just comes together.
There are a few things you can do to make your biscuits more flaky. First, use cold buttermilk. Second, don't overwork the dough. Third, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking
More Delish Ideas
Old Fashioned Crisco Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cup flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar optional
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable shortening Crisco or any brand
- ⅔ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (230 degrees C).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add the Crisco.2 cup flour, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ cup vegetable shortening
- Cut in the Crisco shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Fold the buttermilk into the flour mixture and fold together until just combined.⅔ cup milk
- Scrape the bowl sides and form a ball.PRO TIP: For the flakiest biscuits chill for 20 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator before rolling out the dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-12 times, or until the dough comes together.
- Roll out the dough to ½-inch thickness.
- Cut out biscuits using a 2 ½ to 3-inch biscuit cutter.
- Place the biscuits in a 9x13" baking dish, or cast iron skillet that has been lightly greased or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve while warm.
Notes
- For extra flaky biscuits, chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling it out.
- Don't overwork the dough, or the biscuits will be tough.
- Bake the biscuits in a hot oven for a golden brown crust.
Carolyn
Wow, these are perfect and so easy. I've tried to find the perfect biscuit recipe for years and here it is! Thank you. My only comment is that rolling it to 1" instead of 1/2" seemed to create the beautiful rise I want from my biscuits, so from now on I'm doubling the recipe. Thank you!