How to Make Simple Homemade Biscuits

Updated September 2026 with tips for fluffy biscuits, a rolled-biscuit method, substitutions (including dairy-free), storage, and answers to common questions.

I love making grandma’s biscuits. I’m also all about easy recipes and this has to be one of the easiest. I don’t know many people who could mess this up!

Preheat Oven to 500°. Spray pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Ingredients

2 Cups Self-rising White Lily Flour
1/4 cup of Crisco Shortening
3/4 cup of milk or buttermilk
Dash of sugar (browns better)

A bag of White Lily self-rising flour on the counter A stick of Crisco shortening and a knife on the counter Flour and shortening in a mixing bowl with a pastry cutter Golden homemade biscuits in a towel-lined bowl on the stove

Measure all DRY ingredients into a bowl (leaving out milk) and cut with a pastry cutter or two knives until crumbs are the size of peas. Blend in the milk.

You can either roll these out or just drop them by the spoon onto the pan. I prefer the drop onto pan method. I’m lazy.

Bake for 10-12 minutes on 500°.

This is the most simple homemade biscuit recipe that I’ve ever tried. It’s really easy and pretty quick. Give it a shot!

This recipe is a variation from the original recipe on the back of the White Lily Flour bag.

Tips for fluffy, tender biscuits

This recipe is hard to mess up, but a few small things make a big difference:

Keep the fat cold. Cold shortening makes little pockets of steam in the oven, and that’s what gives you flaky layers.
Measure the flour gently. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off. Scooping straight from the bag packs it down and makes dry, heavy biscuits.
Don’t overmix. Stir the milk in just until the dough comes together. It should look shaggy and a little sticky. Overworking it makes biscuits tough.
Watch the oven. 500º is hot, and every oven runs a little different. Start checking at 8 minutes. They’re done when the tops are golden and the bottoms are lightly browned.
Bake them close together if you like soft sides, or spread apart if you like crispy edges.

This recipe makes about 8 to 10 drop biscuits, depending on how big you make them.

Rolled biscuits vs. drop biscuits

I still prefer the drop method because it’s fast, and I’m still lazy. But if you want the classic tall, round biscuit, here’s how to roll them out. Turn the dough onto a floured counter, pat it about 3/4 inch thick with your hands, and cut straight down with a floured biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass. Don’t twist the cutter, because that seals the edges and keeps them from rising as high.

No buttermilk? No problem

If a recipe calls for buttermilk and you only have regular milk, stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring cup and add milk until you reach 1 cup. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then measure out the 3/4 cup you need.

How to serve and store them

Serve biscuits warm with butter and honey, jam, or sausage gravy. They’re also great split for breakfast sandwiches with eggs and sausage or bacon.

Biscuits are best the day they’re baked. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two, and warm them in the oven for a few minutes before eating.

A note about the link above: White Lily’s website has changed since I wrote this, so that old recipe page may not load anymore. The classic biscuit recipe is usually printed right on the flour bag.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of self-rising flour for biscuits?

Yes. For each cup of all-purpose flour, whisk in 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, then use it in place of self-rising flour. White Lily is a soft wheat flour, so biscuits made with regular all-purpose flour will be a little less tender.

Can I use butter instead of Crisco?

Yes. Use the same amount of very cold butter, cut into small pieces. Butter gives more flavor, and shortening gives a slightly softer, more tender biscuit. Many bakers use half of each.

Can I make these biscuits dairy-free?

Yes. Crisco shortening has no dairy, so just use an unsweetened, unflavored plant milk in place of the milk or buttermilk. Oat and soy milk both work well. For a buttermilk-style tang, stir a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar into the plant milk and let it sit a few minutes.

Can I freeze homemade biscuits?

Yes. Drop or cut the unbaked biscuits onto a lined tray, freeze until firm, then move them to a freezer bag for up to about three months. Bake from frozen at the same temperature and add a few minutes. Baked biscuits also freeze well; reheat them wrapped in foil in a warm oven.