Simple Homemade Biscuit Recipes

Few things in life are as delicious as a homemade biscuit fresh from the oven and slathered with a little butter and a touch of honey. Treat your family to something special using one of these simple recipes.

Basic Homemade Biscuits

This recipe creates traditional biscuits you'll be proud to serve with your meals.

Yield: 6 to 8 biscuits, depending on size

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold shortening
• 3/4 cup liquid (all milk or half milk and half water)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Sift the dry ingredients together into a large bowl.
3. Cut the shortening into the flour mix using a pastry cutter or two knives.
4. Add the liquid gradually, turning the dough gently with a wooden spoon until it's just incorporated. Dough should be soft and a little sticky.
5. Turn the dough onto a floured board, dust the top lightly with a little more flour, and pat down or lightly roll to 1/2- inch thick. Work the dough as little as possible or the biscuits will turn out tough.
6. Cut out biscuits using a biscuit cutter. Do not twist the cutter into the dough or the biscuits won't rise. Dough scraps can be pressed together and cut to make more biscuits.
7. Place the biscuits about 1/2 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for approximately 10 to 12 minutes or until they turn golden.
8. Remove from the oven. Using one end of a stick of butter, rub the tops of the biscuit to soften them. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Easy Drop Biscuits Recipe

If you don't want to deal with cutting biscuits, these drop biscuits are quick and easy.

Yield: approximately 1 dozen biscuits

Ingredients

• 1 and 3/4 cups bread flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons corn oil
• 1 cup milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and stir in the corn oil and milk.
3. Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough about two inches apart on a greased baking sheet.
4. Bake for about 12 minutes or until tops of biscuits are golden.
5. Brush tops with butter and serve warm or at room temperature.

Sweet Biscuits Recipe

If you're looking for a slightly sweet biscuit, give this recipe a try.

Yield: about 8 biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour plus additional flour for rolling
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) cold butter
• 3/4 cup milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Sift the dry ingredients together into a large bowl.
3. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two knives.
4. Slowly add the milk, stirring slowly with a wooden spoon just until a soft dough forms.
5. Turned the dough out onto a floured board and turn a couple times to coat it with the flour.
6. Gently pat or roll the dough out to about 1-inch thick and cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Lightly press any leftover dough together and cut more biscuits.
7. Place biscuits 1/2 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment and bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes or until they turn light golden on top. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with melted butter.
8. Serve warm with honey and butter or your favorite jams or preserves.

A Tasty Addition to Any Meal

Biscuits can be substituted almost any time you'd use regular bread. Use them as sides with your meals, make sandwiches with them, or spread them with your favorite seasoned butters, nut butters, cream cheeses or jellies. Once you've made these recipes, you'll realize how simple they really are and how easy it is to make a batch any time you want them.