Step by step

Method

4 steps

1. 1

   Heat oven to 425–450°F. Whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour (or White Lily-style soft flour) with 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in 6–8 tablespoons very cold butter (or half butter/half shortening) with a pastry cutter or fingertips until pea-sized bits remain — you should still see little butter chunks.

2. 2

   Pour in about ¾–1 cup cold buttermilk and stir gently with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms — don't knead it smooth. Turn onto a lightly floured counter, pat into a ¾-inch thick rectangle, fold in half once or twice (for layers), then pat to ¾–1 inch thick again.

3. 3

   Cut with a floured biscuit cutter straight down — no twisting (twisting seals the edges and they won't rise tall). Set biscuits touching each other on a parchment-lined sheet for soft sides, or spaced for crispier edges. Brush tops with melted butter or a little buttermilk.

4. 4

   Bake 12–15 minutes until tall and deep golden on top. Brush with more butter while hot. Serve with sausage gravy, honey, jam, or fried chicken. You want tall, flaky Southern biscuits with tender layers — not dense hockey pucks or dry crumbly disks.