I love biscuits, but I don’t make them often. Why? Because my family doesn’t like them (I know—unfathomable, right?). But I’ll do (mostly) anything for a story, so when I was asked to try Loretta Lynn’s biscuit recipe, I said “Yes!” knowing full well I’d be the one eating them. So I put on my stretchiest pants and got to work. Good thing I did—these turned out to be some of the tastiest and easiest biscuits I’ve ever made.
Loretta Lynn’s 4-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
Lynn’s recipe, which she shared in her 2004 cookbook “You’re Cookin’ It Country: My Favorite Recipes and Memories,” is simple and similar to other classic biscuits. It begins with cutting cold shortening into self-rising flour. You can use a fork, but I prefer a dough cutter—and my hands.
Once you achieve a crumble-like texture, you add buttermilk and stir gently until just combined. Then, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and pat it into a 1/2-inch thick circle. Cut the dough into rounds (whatever size you like), transfer to a baking sheet, and bake until golden. A pat of butter on top of each warm biscuit is the final—but crucial—step.
I followed the recipe, and after baking for about 12 minutes, the biscuits were ready to come out of the oven. They weren’t the deep golden color I was after, but I was afraid to go any longer and risk burning the bottoms. I covered the tops with a pat of butter and tried one immediately. I was impressed.
The inside was light and fluffy, and the outside had the perfect crispy edge. I could taste the tangy buttermilk, a delightful contrast to the creamy butter. I loved them, but all I could think about was how I wished I had made some eggs and bacon to create an epic breakfast sandwich. Next time.
Sara Haas
Tips for Making Loretta Lynn’s Buttermilk Biscuits
Use your hands. You’ll be tempted to keep your hands clean, but don’t! Biscuits are such a fun, hands-on experience. Plus, when you use your hands, it’s harder to overwork the dough than if you were using a spoon. Keep your touch light, and you can’t go wrong.
Skip the rolling pin. No need to dirty another kitchen tool. Just gather the dough and flop it onto your floured countertop. Instead of rolling it out, gently pat it into a circle. This helps keep the dough tender and fluffy.
Flour your cutter. Before cutting the dough, create a little pile of flour on your counter for dipping. Each time you cut, give your cutter a dip in the flour first. This will help prevent the dough from sticking to the cutter. Also, when cutting the dough, press the cutter straight down and pull it straight up (without twisting) to ensure a clean cut.
Skip the salt. Lynn’s original recipe calls for both salt and self-rising flour, but self-rising flour already has salt in it. Adding extra might make the biscuits too salty, so I recommend leaving it out.
Loretta Lynn’s Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe
Ingredients
2 cups self-rising flour6 tablespoons shortening, cold3/4 cup buttermilk, cold4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for topping
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Add the flour to a large mixing bowl, then work in the shortening with a fork until the crumbs are coarse and about the size of peas. Add just enough buttermilk to make a nice stiff dough, stirring with a fork to combine. If it gets too sticky, add just a little more flour, but do not overwork the dough. Touch it as little as possible.Lightly flour a clean work surface and roll out the dough to 1/3- to 1/2-inch thick. Use a floured round cutter to cut biscuits. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown. Remove from oven; top each biscuit with a pat of butter.
Adapted from “You’re Cookin’ It Country.”