Why should shortening be cold when making biscuits?

Cold fat remains in distinct pockets throughout the dough rather than blending smoothly into the flour. These pockets create steam during baking, which produces the flaky, layered texture biscuits are known for.

How long do biscuits take to bake?

Bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes. Prepare the dough through step 4, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Roll, cut, and bake when ready.

What happens if I overwork the dough?

Overworking develops gluten and causes the fat to blend into the flour, resulting in tough, dense biscuits with fewer flaky layers.

Can I use butter instead of shortening?

Yes, though shortening produces flakier results because it has a higher melting point. Use cold butter cut into small pieces for similar layering.

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Biscuits with Shortening

Name: Homemade Biscuits With Shortening
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 4 teaspoons baking powder; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup shortening; 1 large egg, room temperature; 2/3 cup 2% milk

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Biscuits with shortening are flaky, tender quick breads that rely on cold fat cut into flour to create distinct layers. The key to success is using very cold shortening and handling the dough minimally to preserve those characteristic flakes.

Total

30 min

Servings

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Tasteofhome

Ingredients

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7 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2
Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Editor's Tip: Be sure to use very cold shortening here. Cold fat equals flaky layers, and flaky layers mean better biscuits.
3
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Pour this mix into the dry ingredients, and stir until just moistened. The dough will be wet. Editor's Tip: You don't want to overwork the dough here. The more you handle the dough, the tougher the biscuits will be and the fewer flaky layers you'll have. Just mix until the ingredients come together. A few specks of dry flour won't hurt anything.
4
To develop a few more flakes in the dough, you'll want to give it a quick knead. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, and gently knead it 8 to 10 times. Editor's Tip: This step may vary from biscuit recipe to recipe. You'll skip this when making drop biscuits, for instance. Other recipes require you to fold the dough over on itself a few times to develop the layers. If you make biscuits like Joanna Gaines, she says to "smoosh" the dough. For this fluffy biscuit recipe, though, just give the dough a quick knead. Work fast to keep the dough cool.
5
After you've kneaded the dough, roll it out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut it with a floured 2-1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Editor's Tip: Square and round biscuit cutters both work. If you don't have a biscuit cutter on hand, you can flour the rim of a glass and use that.
6
Arrange the biscuits on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.