I always use milk + vinegar. I was raised in South Georgia and that's how we always did it growing up.

I've followed Lars, and Jasdips cooking advice, tips, ect...for a long time...I'm a amateur in the kitchen, but I know for a fact these two are experts and wouldn't steer you wrong. I'm not saying the rest of you good folks arnt experts, just that I've followed Lars and Jasdip so I know firsthand they know their stuff. LOL

I agree....dash of vinegar in milk. My mom never bought buttermilk.

Don't usually have buttermilk on hand unless I have planned ahead. I use a tablespoon of vinegar in a cup of milk and let it sit at least 5 minutes so the milk curdles and thickens. Works for me and I cannot notice a difference in the final results.

The vinegar does work. You just let it sit for about 5 minutes. It's not so much the flavor but the chemical reaction it does to the biscuits.

I always use yogurt thinned with a bit of milk, too. I recently bought some locally produced "real" cultured buttermilk for a recipe and it was so thick it was exactly like a slightly runny yogurt.

Buttermilk Substitute

When a recipe calls for buttermilk, can I add vinegar or lemon juice to milk as a substitute? —A.C., New York, New York

There are a number of substitutes for buttermilk in baking. For each cup of buttermilk, you can use 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to measure 1 cup. Stir, then let stand for 5 minutes. You can also use 1 cup of plain yogurt or 1-3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar plus 1 cup milk.

Thank you so much for coming to the rescue! I knew I could count count on you for good advice.

I'm about to make the biscuits and have decided to use the yogurt because I have a tub of plain on hand and it needs to be used soon. But, those of you who have recommended vinegar or lemon juice now have me curious. I'm going to try that next time so that I can compare the results of yogurt vs vinegar/lemon.

During my google searches I also saw that cream of tartar mixed with milk can be used as a buttermilk substitute. Has anyone ever tried that?

MamaP, I used to keep buttermilk powder on hand, and for some reason, got out of the habit. I remember that I used to mix in with the flour as one of the dry ingredients and it seemed to work well that way. I should get some to have as a pantry staple. Thanks for the reminder!

I'll be back later to let you all know have the yogurt biscuits turned out.

Dawn, cream of tartar is an other one of those items I never have on hand as I need it so infrequently I end up tossing it as it gets old. When making a meringue that calls for cream of tartar, I use vinegar instead.

Hey Dawn! I hope your buiscuts turned out ok! Even though it’s probably to late to help now, I thought I’d post about this buttermilk powder I found a few years back. I was baking a lot of breads at the time and thought it would come in handy should a recipe call for some. Never had to use it, so I don’t know how good it is, but I had read good reviews about it.

When using buttermilk powder, do you make it up as a liquid or add it to the dry ingredients? It would be so convenient to add to the dry ingredients, and I assume you'd increase the liquid in the recipe to equal the amount of buttermilk required.

I remember I bought some a long time ago at the bulk store but I didn't have the instructions!

Jasdip, you are correct. Buttermilk powder is added to dry ingredients and generally water in the volume required for the recipe is used.

I have this powder in hand all the time. Works well in cakes and muffins.

I'm back to report that the yogurt biscuits were delicious! Among the best I've ever made, they were fluffy like a cloud. Hubby commented that I should switch over to using yogurt instead of buttermilk!

In a bit of a hurry right now, as I have a room to paint today and I'm late getting started. Will be back later to respond to some of your comments and to share photos.

You don't actually need Buttermilk. That's a left over from before baking powder. You needed an acid to activate the baking soda. Baking powder has the acids built in, two kinds for double acting (the usual sort we use) I like to make biscuit with butter. Plenty of flavor. While I keep the dry buttermilk on hand I don't normally use it for biscuit.

Those look really delicious, Dawn! Can you share your recipe?

stacey, I'm on my way out for a few hours, but I will be happy to post the recipe when I get back. Thank you for the kind words!

I have used the buttermilk powder for many years to make buttermilk pancakes, bread and, of couse, biscuits. Glad yours turned out fine.

Dang Dawn!!! Those look so good they’re making me hungry!!!

I never buy buttermilk - I always doctor mine with vinegar or whatever. It seems to work just fine. And, if you wouldn't mind sharing that recipe, that would be great - my husband occasionally makes some kind of "drop" biscuits but they don't appeal to me, as they seem more hard than flaky and soft as yours do!

Flaky biscuits come from the handling of the dough not the recipe. Perhaps Dawn can remember how many times she "turned" the dough to make it that flaky. I just used to do it until it looked right. Too many turns and the gluten in the flour makes for a tough biscuit.

I always have sour cream in the refrigerator, and nearly never milk or buttermilk, so sour cream is what I use for any recipe that calls for either milk or buttermilk (pancakes, muffins, cornbread etc.) I will often add a dollop to mixes that don't call for milk also - like brownie mix.

Thank you, Kool Beans, for the compliment!

raee, appreciate the tip about sour cream. It's good to know that there are so many alternatives to buttermilk available.

stacey, gigi and anyone else who would like the recipe - here goes. I clipped this recipe out of the food section of The Sacramento Bee newspaper on April 20, 1994. Funny that this month is April, eh?

The other thing that is funny is that I just noticed (after all these years of making these biscuits) that it says right at the top of the recipe that yogurt or buttermilk powder can be substituted for buttermilk! *slaps self on forehead*

2 cups flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t sugar

1/2 t salt

1/4 C shortening

3 T butter

2/3 to 3/4 buttermilk (or plain yogurt!)

Preheat over to 425 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Cut in shortening and butter with fork or pastry cutter until mixture is coarse and crumbly (I like to grate frozen butter directly into the bowl) Gradually add buttermilk or yogurt and mix lightly with fork to blend (dough will be sticky).

Turn out on lightly floured board, sprinkle top of dough (to prevent sticking to hands) and knead 8 - 10 times (just until rollable). Roll out 1/2 inch thick and cut into discs with biscuit cutter or cookie cutter. Repeat with remaining dough until all of the dough has been cut into biscuits. Brush tops with melted butter (if desired) and bake on lightly greased cookie sheet for 12 - 15 minutes or until golden.

I believe the key to light fluffy biscuits is not over kneading as also noted above by maifleur.

Be sure to use fresh baking powder for best results.

I have found that I can reduce the amount of butter and shortening by up to half without any noticeable effect on the biscuits.

Just recently, I have been using my hands/fingers to pat the dough into a 1/2 inch circle after reading that a rolling pin overworks the dough resulting in tough biscuits.

I have never greased the cookie sheet, but I think that parchment paper is the best thing since sliced bread. It seems to help the biscuits cook evenly and without overcooked bottoms. Prior to using parchment paper, I often found that the bottoms got too dark.

It will probably depend on individual ovens, but in my case, the biscuits are golden and done after 11 - 12 minutes. I also let them stand for a few minutes after they come out of the oven.

Enjoy!

I don't use a rolling pin for my biscuits either, just pat the dough into a round disc unless I'm using the folding technique.

It's also important to push the cutter straight down (I use a soup can). Don't twist, or else you'll seal the edges.

Something that I have been doing the last few times is folding the dough several times. Pat it into a rectangle, fold into thirds like a letter, roll with rolling pin, turn 1/4 and fold into thirds again, roll, turn and fold. This also creates layers. (I put raisins in some for hubby)

Grandma used to say, "Have a light hand with the biscuits". So I mix as little as possible.

Thank you, Dawn! The only biscuits that I have had success with are the drop type. They are very tender and yummy, but I look forward to making the more conventional recipe.

Those look good, Jasdip!

My pleasure, stacey! Let us know how your biscuits turn out and don't give up if your first try isn't perfect. Like anything else, it gets better with practice. :-)

I like to rub the fat into the flour, you want to make thin flakes (I use butter since I cant get leaf lard) well coated. I lightly mix the milk into the flour/fat with a fork sprinkle with some flour so it isn't sticky and mass up the dough with my hand. We were a pinch and shape family-no rolling or cutting. You pinch or pull off the amount you want and lightly round up in your palm. My grannie was a master. Her biscuits were smaller and thinner than the large taller biscuits of today but light as air and perfectly smooth. I like mine more like Dawns or Jasdips-rougher surface.

Patricia, there's something therapeutic about rubbing the butter into the flour :-) I like doing that.

With rubbing the butter into the flour it needs to be ice cold and for the best layers leave small bb sized pieces of butter. Of course then there are beaten biscuits which I have never mastered.

I was just reading up on Beaten biscuit just the other day. They say you can use the food processor though how that works? I have never tried it and never even tasted it, looks like a thick cracker sort of thing??? Is that what you got Maifleur? I keep thinking I will try it.

Rubbing the butter between your thumb and first finger makes flakes of floured butter. It does the same thing as rolling pea sized lumps without working the dough.

I like to grate the butter into the flour, then kinda, fluff it through to distribute it before I add the milk. I fold and roll mine 6 times. Then cut into heart shapes. Mine only take about 10 to 15 minutes. Then, of course, more buttah on top!

Mine were always uneatable. I did notice that when I looked after I posted that most seem to now include baking powder which I did not use. I tried both the slamming on a board and beating the dough with a flat board. There was just nothing there to give it flavor. According to the cook book I used they were supposed to have air beaten into them. I did occasionally manage to have bubbles form but not enough to make them flaky.

Ever tried chocolate gravy over homemade biscuits? So easy so good!

Glenda, I never have! Nor have I ever heard of chocolate gravy. Is there a difference between chocolate gravy and chocolate syrup?

I've not familiar with beaten biscuits either, but I now have this mental image of people beating biscuits with a board that is making me giggle. ;-)

Lots of places around here offer chocolate gravy on biscuits, though ive never had it. I am more likely to order a cup of the gravy with a straw. But since that seems a touch uncivilized, i forgo it. It sounds divine though!

There's a restaurant/tea room named The Chocolate Biscuit. That's where I had it the first time. Then I found the recipe and used to make it lots. It's a dessert.

Chocolate Gravy

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, sugar, and salt. Pour in the milk and whisk until all the lumps are gone. Place the pan over medium heat and cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until the gravy just begins to boil and then thickens. Once thick, remove from the heat stir in the butter and vanilla. Stir until the butter has melted. Serve over hot biscuits, pound cake, or even over ice cream!

Generally two of us split the biscuit.

Oh my. Doesn't that look yummy...I'll be making that soon. Thanks, Glenda!

Amy, pass that straw over this way!

We might have to fight over it dawn!

Caution for when ordering Chocolate Gravy. Some mole's are in some areas called Chocolate Gravy. The recipe above is what was in some cookbooks as chocolate syrup for ice cream.

Chocolate gravy here, not syrup. In my area there is a difference. My opinion only.

Chocolate biscuit Tea Room, here, is perfect, as well as mine :o)

Anyone had tomato gravy before? It's often served over biscuits. I have only had it once and didnt like it but apparently some people just love it.

Definite difference in chocolate syrup and gravy. And bigger difference in gravy and mole. In Alabama anyway, we know our gravy. And mole ain't gravy, and you probably shouldn't advertise it as such if you want repeat customers. What a surprise that would be!

Never had tomato gravy

So it's come to this, Amy. Two grown women fighting over a straw. Tsk, Tsk.

You keep the straw, I'll take the gravy boat!

I have never heard of tomato gravy either - I need to get out more often!

Not sure I would like it; I often find cooked tomato too strong or maybe it's too acidic. I add beef broth and/or beef gravy to tomato based sauces such as spaghetti sauce to tone down the tomato.

I had forgotten all about tomato gravy! I am not a gravy fan at the best of times though.

Beaten biscuit is supposed to be a southern favorite and though I have lived in just about every southern state I never ran into it. traditionally beaten for over an hour and people were supposed to have a stump in the yard where they beat the dough with an ax handle or some such thing until the dough blistered with air. With the internet I at least know what it is supposed to look like. Somehow using a food processor is supposed to speed up the process so you only beat for ten or fifteen minutes.

I made biscuits last night to go with pot roast. Grating the butter makes very good sense.

Dawn, if you think I am too dignified to tackle another woman to get that gravy boat, then by all means, try to make off with it. It's a risk I wouldn't advise though. :)

Maybe we should just make a bigger batch and share. I'll be the one to divide it between us. ;)

Oh no you don't, amylou! I'll share, but I'm going to be there to supervise that so called dividing.

patriciae, thank you for that very vivid description of beating biscuits. Now I'm trying to stifle the giggles before hubby thinks I've lost it! I shouldn't laugh as I imagine it was and is serious business to those who make beaten biscuits.

Cute pic, Glenda! I think a food fight may be where this thread is heading...

What?!??! You dont TRUST me?!?!?!??!

That hurts. (Sniffle)

I think you should make it up to me by forfeiting your share of the goods....