Old Fashioned Soda Biscuits Recipe | CDKitchen.com (2024)

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These old-fashioned buttermilk biscuits are ready in a jiffy, perfect for dipping in heavy sausage gravy or mopping up runny eggs on a big, All-American breakfast plate.

Old Fashioned Soda Biscuits Recipe | CDKitchen.com (1)


serves/makes:

ready in:

under 30 minutes

16 reviews
1 comment


ingredients

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk (see note)

directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Sift the flour then measure it to yield 2 cups. Sift it again with the baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl.

Add the shortening and using a pastry cutter or fork, work the shortening into the flour to form a crumbly dough.

Make a well in the center of the dough and pour in most of the buttermilk (reserve a couple of tablespoons). Stir the mixture to form a soft dough. If needed, add the remaining buttermilk to form a soft dough.

Place the biscuit dough on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with flour. Knead the dough 5 or 6 times, no more.

Pat the dough out into a 1/2-inch thick round. Cut the dough with round biscuit cutters and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Place the biscuits in the oven and bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

cook's notes

If you do not have buttermilk, you can make sour milk by adding 4 tablespoons vinegar to 3/4 cup of milk.

recipe tips


Do not overwork the dough to keep the biscuits light and fluffy.

For a golden crust, brush the biscuits with melted butter or milk before baking.

Space the biscuits about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

Serve the biscuits warm for the best flavor and texture.

Try adding herbs or cheese to the dough for a more savory flavor.

For a layered effect, fold the dough over a few times before cutting.

Use a sharp biscuit cutter and do not twist it to make sure the biscuits rise properly.

If you don't have a biscuit cutter, a round glass or cup can be used.

Serve with gravy, jam, or honey for a traditional Southern breakfast.

Always preheat the oven for the best baking results.

common recipe questions


Is there a substitute for shortening?

Butter or lard can be used as alternatives, but they may change the flavor and texture.

Can I make these biscuits without buttermilk?

Yes, you can use the sour milk alternative as mentioned in the cook's notes or use plain milk with a slightly different result.

How should I adjust the recipe for a sweeter biscuit?

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar to the dry ingredients for a sweeter taste.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days and reheat in the oven or microwave.

Can these biscuits be frozen?

Yes, freeze them before baking. Place the cut biscuits on a tray in the freezer, then transfer to a bag once frozen. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time.


nutrition data for old fashioned soda biscuits

240 calories, 9 grams fat, 33 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein per serving.



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reviews & comments for old fashioned soda biscuits

  1. laughingcook REVIEW:
    January 8, 2024

    I love soda bread so I was thrilled to find a soda biscuits recipe. Turned out perfect! Will make again.

  2. LiveLove December 19, 2020

    Looks good - pretty sure we'll like it at our house. My husband needs flat buns for his breakfast sausage!

  3. Belle REVIEW:
    August 21, 2020

    I made it as directed other than I used SOUR CREAM in place of the buttermilk. Next time I will replace salt with SUGAR and add 1 teaspoon of VINEGAR or lemon juice to activate the baking soda for more lift. Best biscuits I've ever made but thats not saying much... 5 stars

  4. Pobear REVIEW:
    May 1, 2020

    I used all the ingredients besides salt and buttermilk. But i did replace the salt with the sugar. And they turned out great

  5. Guest Foodie REVIEW:
    March 11, 2020

    My mom used to make baking soda biscuits from scratch and I loved them. This recipe tastes just like them you can the baking soda in them which is the perfect amount!! just like moms. THANK YOU!!!this is my favorite recipe for biscuits

  6. Anonymous REVIEW:
    December 24, 2019

    For those that mention too much soda, uh, they are called SODA biscuits. They are supposed to have a baking soda flavor to them (and this isn't overpowering at all - it's the right amount). These turned out perfect for me and I've made them twice now.

  7. Two-Eagle REVIEW:
    December 19, 2019

    Is work to find baking powder without Al here so I tried these. I folded the dough 30F & leaded gently 30F. Baked at 400F & watched for Browning. Put Indian Maid Products' DurumPopper Buttr on.. YUM! My new recipe for biscuits!

  8. Guest Foodie REVIEW:
    August 8, 2018

    Didn't Notice I needed to sift flour and I used butter instead but still turned out pretty good, my grandson helped me make them. Would make ag as in in a pinch. My husband sent wrong flour to my daughter's so we found it he recipe and trye

  9. Ziyadah1 REVIEW:
    July 29, 2018

    They would have been perfect,if they didn't have to much baking soda. Next time I'll use less soda, but they were still good. Thanks for the recipe.

  10. Tell REVIEW:
    April 26, 2018

    And they even tell you how to make sour milk!! Saves time and money!!

  11. Melissa REVIEW:
    April 21, 2018

    This morning's craving for fresh homemade biscuits was fierce! What, no baking powder? Bummer...until I found your recipe. A few changes and I was in buttery biscuit Heaven! Here are a few tips: Use fresh squeezed lemon juice to sour the milk, let rest 5 minutes(in place of buttermilk), replace shortening with unsalted sweet cream butter(use a grater to shred into flour and stir in lightly) Handle dough as little as possible and knead only 4-5 strokes, bake at same temperature in upper 1/3 of oven, brush tops with a little of the sour milk, only cook 8 to 9 minutes, DO NOT OVERCOOK. So light and fluffy with an exceptionally, spongy crunch on the bottom. Great taste and texture!

  12. Luke REVIEW:
    October 12, 2017

    Since I was using these with a pasta dish for dinner I cut back on the salt added garlic lowered the oven temp and they were awesome... Well for sure make these again

  13. bumblebeeisi REVIEW:
    September 14, 2014

    I think this would be a good recipe with a little tweaking I personally felt there was too much soda flavor, salt?, oven was to hot and biscuits were doughy on in BROWN on out. a lot of this is easy fixes. just need to work around the base

  14. Karis REVIEW:
    April 18, 2014

    Very good and simple recipe. Salt was left out of recipe (for these proportions 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt based on your taste should be correct. I prefer 1/2 tsp. sea salt) I think they made a mistake on temperature and it should be 425 Fahrenheit (~ 220 Celsius) for ~ 15 minutes. (Ovens always differ... watch your biscuits!) Also I hate shortening as partially hydrogenated oils are very bad for you. I substituted unsalted creamery butter. (Normal substitution for shortening is 1 to 1 or 1 to 1 1/4 butter instead of the shortening. I used 1 to 1 and it was fine)

  15. Joyce REVIEW:
    March 8, 2014

    These were very baking soda flavored. I added 1/4 tsp salt, because I worried they would be bland & I reduced the oven temp to 325 so they wouldn't brown so quickly. They looked pretty, but I couldn't even finish eating one because of the bitter taste.

  16. skittles REVIEW:
    November 6, 2013

    I baked at 450 and they still got brown too quickly. Good biscuits though.

    • CDKitchen Staff Reply:

      The oven is supposed to be at 425 degrees F, not 450.

  17. luci68 REVIEW:
    November 3, 2012

    These were very good biscuits. I was out of baking powder and had to find a new recipe. These turned brown on top before I got them out of the oven, but they stayed extra soft, not hard at all. My babies loved them also.

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Old Fashioned Soda Biscuits Recipe | CDKitchen.com (2024)

FAQs

How did they make biscuits in the old days? ›

Originally, biscuits were little more than wheat flour and water, baked to form hardtack, which was carried by travelers because it stored for long periods of time. By the early 1800s, commercial baking powder was developed and the biscuit took a form that resembles the modern biscuit.

What does soda do for biscuits? ›

But tangy buttermilk is one of the hallmarks of any good buttermilk biscuit, so you don't want to completely neutralize the acid in your biscuit dough. Instead, you can use a bit of soda because the immediate chemical reaction with the buttermilk gives the biscuits a big lift right out of the gate.

Is crisco or butter better for biscuits? ›

The butter version rises the highest — look at those flaky layers! The shortening biscuit is slightly shorter and a bit drier, too. Butter contains a bit of water, which helps create steam and gives baked goods a boost.

Which liquid makes the best biscuits? ›

Buttermilk adds a tangy flavor to the biscuits and makes them slightly more tender.

What happens if you use baking soda instead of baking powder in biscuits? ›

That is why you will notice that recipes usually call for a small amount of baking soda, typically ¼ teaspoon per 1 cup of flour. Do not make the mistake of trying to substitute equal parts baking soda for baking powder in recipes. Your baked goods will have no leavening, be quite flat, and have an altered taste.

Why are southern biscuits so good? ›

Southern cooks have several tricks when it comes to making tender and delicious biscuits, from the cutters they use, to the type and amount of liquid incorporated, to the number of kneads required to turn out a perfect dough. The not-so-secret ingredient they rely upon is soft wheat flour.

What is the best flour for biscuits? ›

There is some actual science behind why White Lily flour is lighter than others and, thus, better suited for items like biscuits and cakes.

What is the secret to biscuits? ›

Use Cold Butter for Biscuits

For flaky layers, use cold butter. When you cut in the butter, you have coarse crumbs of butter coated with flour. When the biscuit bakes, the butter will melt, releasing steam and creating pockets of air. This makes the biscuits airy and flaky on the inside.

What are soda biscuits made of? ›

Like mini Irish soda breads, these biscuits are made with flour, baking soda, sugar, butter, and buttermilk. Add-ins like raisins and caraway seeds optional. Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019.

Is buttermilk or heavy cream better for biscuits? ›

When you're making biscuits, you use buttermilk for its acidity as well as its fat and liquid content. The acidity is used, in conjunction with leaveners, to help the dough rise.

Is it better to make biscuits with butter or oil? ›

The cold chunks of butter are important because as they melt into the biscuit while baking they create tiny pockets of steam that puffs and lifts the dough. These pockets turn into that beautiful light and flaky texture we crave with biscuits.

What fat makes the best biscuits? ›

High-fat butter, such as Kerrygold Butter, is best. The rich fat from the butter releases water when the biscuits are baking which is what contributes to the beautiful layers and flakiness that we love about biscuits.

What kind of flour is used in Southern biscuits? ›

The best combination of flour for biscuits is one part all-purpose and one part cake flour. Cake flour is soft and has a lower gluten protein percentage.

Should you let biscuit dough rest? ›

Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. Gently pat out the dough some more, so that the rectangle is roughly 10 inches by 6 inches. Cut dough into biscuits using a floured biscuit cutter (or even a glass, though its duller edge may result in slightly less tall biscuits).

What is the most tasty biscuit? ›

Best Biscuit Brands In India
  • 1) Britannia Marie Gold Biscuits.
  • 2) Cadbury Oreo Chocolate Biscuit.
  • 3) Unibic Assorted Cookies, Brown Butter.
  • 4) Sunfeast Dark Fantasy Choco Fills.
  • 5) Mom's Magic Rich Cashew Almond Cookies.
Jan 15, 2024

How was the first biscuit made? ›

The Earliest Evidence

The Romans certainly had a form of biscuit, what we'd now call a rusk and, as the name suggests, it was essentially bread which was re-baked to make it crisp. It kept for longer than plain bread, and was useful for travellers and soldiers' rations.

How did people bake without baking soda? ›

If you don't have baking soda on hand, you can use triple the amount of baking powder instead. Alternative substitutions include potassium bicarbonate, baker's ammonia, or self-rising powder. Baking soda is a staple ingredient found in the cupboards of both seasoned and amateur bakers.

What is the oldest biscuit in the world? ›

English: A ship biscuit, purportedly the oldest in the world, is displayed prominently at the maritime museum in Kronborg castle, Elsinore, Denmark.

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