Golden Buttermilk Biscuits

Golden buttermilk biscuits are the kind that built the American Southern breakfast plate: short, tall, flaky, and ready to soak up gravy or melted butter. This version leans on vegetable shortening for shatter, buttermilk for tang, and a hit of cream of tartar to push the rise even higher.

The original directions reference Dutch oven coals because this recipe lived first in a cast iron pan over a campfire, which tells you exactly how forgiving the dough is. A 425°F (220°C) home oven works just as well.

The trick is a light hand. Knead just enough to bring the dough together, no more than a dozen gentle folds. Overworked biscuits go tough.

Pro Tips

• Keep the shortening cold. Cut it in until you see coarse pea-sized crumbs, those bits melt during baking and create the flaky pockets.
• Pour the buttermilk into a well and stir with a fork just until shaggy. Stop before the dough looks smooth.
• Stamp the cutter straight down without twisting. Twisting seals the edges and stops the biscuits from rising tall.
• Place biscuits on the baking sheet so they’re touching, they support each other upward and rise higher than spaced biscuits would.

Variations

• Swap half the shortening for cold cubed butter for richer flavor.
• Add a cup of sharp cheddar and a tablespoon of chopped chives for a savory dinner biscuit.
• Brush tops with melted butter and a pinch of flaky salt the moment they come out of the oven.