Southern Scratch Biscuits

Few foods conjure up my childhood memories quite like my momma's southern biscuits.  She, herself, was from Ohio and had never really eaten biscuits prior to marrying my dad.  She quickly learned that it was a southern staple he just couldn't live without!  (This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for full details.)

Southern Scratch Biscuits-The Unlikely Homeschool

My dad was the youngest of ten born to a poor Oklahoma farming family during the last few years of The Great Depression.  Apparently, what his parents lacked in finances, they made up for in frugal living.  Beans, rice, greens, and biscuits were cheap, could feed a crowd, and were easy for a busy farmer's wife to whip up in no time.  


Having grown up on these southern favorites, my dad insisted on having them at least once a week.  Nearly every Sunday morning for over two decades, he gathered our family of six around the breakfast table to enjoy a hot plate of biscuits and gravy.  

Now, as the meal maker for my own little troop of kiddos, I, too enjoy serving up my own version of these wonderfully fattening biscuits.  While I would love to carry on the Sunday morning tradition of gravy-smothered biscuits, my children do not care for milk gravy and my waistline doesn't either.  So, I usually use the biscuits as a substitute for toast topped with homemade jam or as the breading for a hearty breakfast sandwich.  

Up until recently, I had always used my mommas recipe whose base was Bisquick and a whole lot of veggie oil, but then I found a more simpler version in the budget-friendly book, Family Feasts for $75 a Week by Mary Ostyn.  With a little bit of tweaking to each, I've figured out what works for me and my...thighs {ahem!}. 

Biscuits can be kind of a putzy dish to make first thing in the morning.  So, like most of my breakfast meals, I double or triple the recipe, bake them up, and freeze them in meal-sized servings.  They thaw wonderfully and can be popped back in the oven for a few minutes to re-warm.

You will need:  

  • 3 c. all-purpose flour (I typically substitute wheat flour in most of my baking recipes, but I just can't bring myself to do it in this one.)
  • 1 1/2 T. sugar
  • 1 1/2 T. baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 c. really cold butter (1 stick)
  • 1 1/2 c. milk
  • additional butter, melted (optional)


Directions:

In a large bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients.  

Southern Scratch Biscuits-The Unlikely Homeschool

Using a pastry cutter or a food processor, "cut in" the butter.  (For years, I did not have a pastry cutter, and so I used a box cheese grater to shred the butter into little wisps.  You have to make sure the butter is really cold in order to do this effectively.)

Southern Scratch Biscuits-The Unlikely Homeschool

Gently mix the butter into the flour so that it still maintains a flaky consistency.  

Southern Scratch Biscuits-The Unlikely Homeschool

Slowly add the milk.  

Southern Scratch Biscuits-The Unlikely Homeschool

Using your hands or a wooden spoon, mix and knead the dough until it pulls away from the side of the bowl.  

Southern Scratch Biscuits-The Unlikely Homeschool

I only "knead" the dough about 5-10 times.  The key to a good biscuit it to NOT over-knead it!

Southern Scratch Biscuits-The Unlikely Homeschool

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.

Southern Scratch Biscuits-The Unlikely Homeschool

With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough until it is about 1 inch thick.  

Southern Scratch Biscuits-The Unlikely Homeschool

Lightly flour the top edge of a glass (or fancy biscuit cutter) and cut out biscuits.  Once you have cut out one whole spread of biscuits, gather up the dough remnants and re-roll the dough.  Remember, try not to over-work the dough.  

Southern Scratch Biscuits-The Unlikely Homeschool

Place biscuits on an un-greased baking sheet or a slightly greased baking dish.  

Now here's where "two roads diverged in a yellow road."  You CAN brush the top of each biscuit with melted butter.  This will give your biscuits that golden southern glow.  PLUS...let's face it, ANYTHING topped with butter is just, mouth-wateringly divine.  Nowadays, I choose to skip that step.  You can choose whichever "road" you prefer...it's between you and your thighs.  

Southern Scratch Biscuits-The Unlikely Homeschool

Bake at 425˚F for 12-16 minutes or until the top begins to brown.

Southern Scratch Biscuits-The Unlikely Homeschool

(Makes about 12 biscuits.)

30 comments:

  1. "Kneed", really? The word (misspelled not once, but THREE TIMES) is KNEAD! Hopefully your children will learn how to proofread their writing from someone else.

    I think it's hilarious that the holier-than-thou homeschool mombies who are constantly bashing public schools and REAL teachers are the ones who make the biggest grammatical and spelling errors, uusually while they write to tell their readers how pathetic the public schools are. Look in the mirror and use spell check, you filthy hypocrites.

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    1. We choose to teach our children our values instead of letting the corrupt government force their corrupt values into our kids, warping their brains into the progressive (communist) thinking styles of their choice. Making this choice does not mean that we, as parent-teachers are perfect, it simply means that our priorities are placed into molding our children with family values. Before judging someone else's choices, proofread your own work and your own life for errors (we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God, not a one of us is perfect), i.e. usually is spelt with only one "u" at the beginning.

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    4. Anonymous, so sorry for my error. I guess it just goes to show you that while I am a REAL, degree holding teacher with many years of traditional classroom experience, I am also still human. Got it fixed, now.

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    5. Dear Ann> It seems to me by your vicious comment that you would be the one who is "holier-than-thou". I have a note from a "teacher" stating we needed to write a "not executing my child" for her missed school days. If all you have to do with your time is attack and belittle others you need to take a closer look at your sad life and see what changes you can make. NO ONE-including you, is perfect!
      Have a wonderful day, and next time when you have such a strong opinion, Share Your Name, I am sure someone with such a perfect knowledge would like others to know who you are so we can all aspire to be like you...not.

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    6. We are all filthy hypocrites and we are fully aware of it. That's why we run directly to the feet of our Christ every day. That's why he died for us and paid for those sins.

      He also rose again, and called us to love our enemies. So regardless of how angry and snotty you want to be behind your "Anonymous" post... we forgive you, even if you are not asking for it. We extend the same grace and love our savior gives to us on to you. Just following Romans 12:17-21.

      Signing off... The Husband of the writer of this blog. ;)

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    7. Dear Anonymous,

      I can't be as nice as the previous posters. Sorry (yes, said with sarcasm).

      1. "Kneed" is correct when using a spell check program.
      2. In a post, where you are espousing the use of spell check, it would make quite a bit of sense to do it yourself. "uusually" Or, in your words, "Look in the mirror and use spell check, you filthy hypocrites."

      Angie

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    8. Wow, anonymous. I can't imagine how crappy you must feel inside to so viciously attack someone for misspelling something on her blog. If her kids manage to make it to adulthood not knowing how to correctly spell "knead", yet they know how to treat others with love rather than spew hate (for any reason), then Jamie will be worlds more successful at raising kind, compassionate human beings than your parents apparently are.

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  2. Looks great! I'm going to try this recipe for sure!
    An added note...I don't understand why a non-homeschooler would be on a homeschoolers page, except for the purpose of leaving their hate messages. Guess they get a kick out of it. It's sort of like a Democrat lurking around a Republican forum. I would hate to not having anything better to do.

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  3. Wow, that was totally uncalled for. There are a lot more important things in life than spelling, and being a "real" teacher does not have anything to do with where or who you teach. I am pretty sure Albert Einstein was a crappy speller, in fact he was a crappy student. Good thing God gave each of us different strengths and weaknesses so we would rely on others for support. Don't let the immature bullying of insecure people get to you, you are doing a great ministry with your blog and the recipe looks fab whether you kneed, need or knead the dough ;)

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  4. These look yummy!! I live in the south, where homemade biscuits are a staple of life!!!

    **And what a pathetic life some people must lead to come on a homeschooling blog and bath on the author, when obviously said person had some anger towards homeschooling. Get a life, dude!! I've seen plenty of "real" teachers who can't spell words, or who couldn't teach their way out of a paper bag. **

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  5. If you take any time to become familiar with Jamie's blog, you will find that she is a humble woman seeking to love Jesus by the way she serves her family. She is far from holier than thou. We all make mistakes, even much worse than spelling mistakes. Huge mistakes, mistakes that offendooffend our maker. Mistakes that hurt others. Mistakes that can only be "fixed" by the blood of Christ. This is why we need the cross, and His resurrection from the dead, so we can have the same. I pray the author of the above comment can know the one who loves him or her and died for him or her....hopefully I didn't mispell anything :)

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    1. *offend. *misspell...see we all do it :)

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    3. I have never read a post where you chose to belittle or condemn anyone. I hope you are not discouraged, Jamie!

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  6. I'm so sorry you were hashed first thing today. I'm sure it's not the first time, but it's hard whenever we are criticized for our personal choices.

    People who use anonymous can be awfully "brave," I've noticed.

    I {heart} homemade biscuits, but usually make the pop-a-can kind cause I'm intimidated by the homemade recipes!! Lol Reminds me of my Granny, though, who made THE BEST biscuits and gravy!!

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  7. People can be so cruel. There are many reasons to homeschool and I don't believe any of your reasons promote a holier-than-thou POV. A small set back in your day I'm sure, but on the bright side your biscuits look amazing! I think I'll try them out tomorrow!!

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  9. Well the recipe looks delicious. My father, also from the South, taught us how to make a proper fried chicken.Thanks to you I can add proper biscuits to my proper fried chicken! Ummm I chose to ignore the tempest that raged earlier. :)

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  10. See, your recipe doesn't look anything like the "roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-a-towel-to-catch-the-sweat" recipe I remember my great-grandma using.

    I'll have to give this one a try!

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  11. Goodness! I am shocked that anyone would be so harsh about a misspelled word. Seems to me like the author has issues with homeschoolers and is looking for any excuse to spew nasty words. Also, why would a non-homeschooler even be reading a homeschooling blog? Very weird.

    So, one of my biggest pet peeves are teacher notes sent home from teachers in public schools. My oldest daughter attended public school for several years before homeschooling and I could not believe the amount of misspelled words/grammatical errors in the notes that the teachers sent home. Nobody is perfect. It has nothing to do with whether or not your are a certified school teacher...we all make mistakes. I certainly hope nobody judges the author of that comment as harshly as she has judged the author of this blog.

    Anyway....I love your blog! Love your ideas! Keep up the great job!

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  12. Dear Anonymous, We are homeschool mommies, not homeschool mombies! And just like you we do the best we can to raise our children. Nobody is perfect an I would rather my child make mistakes in spelling than to be a rude person! I love your blog Jaime, an you have helped this mom a lot!

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  13. I make biscuits with a similar recipe, although with buttermilk and not milk. The best part is that I pre-heat a cast iron skillet in the oven while I'm making them, then lightly coat the hot skillet with oil before putting the biscuits in. They bake up with a delicious crispy bottom!

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  14. I am homeschooling my grandchildren, because of the negative impact public school had on their behavior. My grandson who is 6 told me he wanted to go back to his regular school so he could do what he wanted it to. He was bullied, because he is a big 6 year old and we have taught him not to hit back, to go tell the teacher and she would tell him to go set down. She was constantly telling me of the problems she had in class, maybe I should have told her go set down.
    I come to your homeschooling site for ideas to help my grandchildren with their education. I do not come for the recipes, those are just icing on the cake. I appreciate all the tips you give and the hard work it takes to keep this site going and homeschooling your own children too! Please don't let others discourage you. Tell them may God BLESS you and press on.

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  15. You are an amazing person Jamie. I'm so blessed to have found you on social media. You have definitely helped me in the homeschooling world and inspired me greatly. Despite the negative person who had to add their two cents, just remember you have the rest of us mommies who have your back and follow your every word. You provide wonderful advice and tips and I am forever grateful!! ♡♥♡

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  16. Thank you so much for this and all your recipes and resources, Jamie! I love following your blog and your page on Facebook, and I recommend your blog to all my friends! I have found so many truly helpful ideas, advice, and know-how on your site, and your beautiful and gracious spirit shines through in all your posts. I'm always telling my husband about what "my favorite blog lady" says and we've gotten books and curriculum based on your recommendations. You are such an encouragement to me.

    I look forward to making these biscuits and other things like yogurt and bread; I've got a stack of paper in front of me to write down all these great recipes you've posted.

    I hope you have a joyful day, and be encouraged to know that other homeschool mommas have been uplifted by you for a long time! We appreciate you, Jamie!

    Love,
    Jodi at http://happybookdork.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words, Jodi. What a lovely message to get to read today. I hope you enjoy the biscuits as much as we do!

      I checked out your blog. It looks like we share a love of books!

      Thanks for reading.

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  17. Took a chance and made these today. Honestly, the best biscuits I've ever made and I've made a lot. I didn't need quite as much milk and I made six huge ones as opposed to 12. Thank you for a new keeper. I'm loving your blog!

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