When you have a Southern grandmother born and raised in Mississippi, you learn a thing or two about how to make biscuits, and these Angel Biscuits are ready to impress just about anybody you make them for. They are insanely light and airy almost like pillows. The yeast in this angel biscuit recipe creates a softness that can’t be duplicated. Bake these addictive golden pillows of dough up and see what the fuss is about.
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Okay y’all, I’m serving up a batch of hot and fresh angel biscuits today! A basket of warm biscuits on the breakfast table was a decadent treat my family looked forward to. These are super special because they have two unique textures going on: flaky and airy.
If you’ve never had an angel biscuit, you’re in for a real treat boo! Light, airy, and buttery, each of these biscuits are absolutely irresistible.
What are Angel Biscuits?
Angel Biscuits have been all the rage in Southern kitchens for decades. Somewhere between a yeast roll and a biscuit, they are as airy and light as, well, angel wings. They’re simply scrumptious y’all!
The Lowdown of This Angel Biscuit Recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern classic
Primary Cooking Method: Baking!
Dietary Info: Can be made Gluten-free or Vegan with ingredient swaps
Key Flavor: Buttery, Flaky, Beyond Light and Fluffy
Skill Level: Intermediate
Unique Fluffy Texture
These biscuits are light and airy, practically melting in your mouth. It’s got the fluffiness of yeast rolls and the buttery richness of classic Southern biscuits. It’s the best of both worlds, and your taste buds will be thanking you!
Simple Straightforward Instructions
Simple ingredients and simple prep equal maximum yum y’all. They’re ideal for brunches, breakfasts, or dinner sides.
Beyond Versatile
Perfect on their own, mind-blowing with some honey or jam, and an absolute dream with gravy. These angel biscuits don’t just fly; they soar no matter how you want to serve them up boos.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Homemade Angel Biscuits
- Active Dry Yeast, All-Purpose Flour, Baking Soda, and Baking Powder: These biscuits require 3 different leavening agents to achieve their iconic texture. Instant yeast ensures a quick rise. Baking powder and baking soda reacts with the buttermilk to create a tender, tangy biscuit.
- Granulated Sugar: Just a little sugar adds a touch of sweetness that makes these biscuits all the better.
- Kosher Salt: Salt enhances the overall flavor.
- Butter-Flavored Shortening: I bet you’re wondering why I’m choosing to use shortening over butter, so let me explain y’all! Shortening contains almost 50% less saturated fat than regular butter. Less fat results in a higher rise during baking.
- Buttermilk: There’s nothing in this world like a buttermilk biscuit! Tangy and full of flavor, it adds an extra layer of decadence to this recipe.
How to Make Angel Biscuits
What to Serve These With Southern Angel Biscuits
- With a Spread: Whether you keep it simple and serve it with strawberry preserves for breakfast or go Southern and smear on some pimento cheese, it’s a hit.
- With Gravy: From white gravy and brown gravy to sawmill gravy, you can use your angel biscuits to sop it all up.
- Build a Breakfast Sandwich: Grab some honey glazed ham and layer on some eggs and cheese or make a fried chicken biscuit.
- Weeknight Dinner: Serve up the best meatloaf, sour cream mashed potatoes, creamed corn, creamed spinach and these biscuits.
- Comfort Food Supper: Throw up this Southern baked chicken, corn spoonbread, okra and tomatoes and these.
Recipe Substitutions
- Buttermilk: Make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk then let it sit for about 5-10 minutes to thicken up a bit before using.
- Shortening: If you don’t want to use the crisco, use unsalted butter instead.
- Granulated Sugar: You can use brown sugar in place of this for a little molasses flavor in the mix.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Vegan: Shortening is plant-based so you are good there. You just need to replace the buttermilk with a plant-based option.
- Add Garlic: Add a little garlic powder to the dry ingredients then brush the tops of the biscuits with the simple garlic butter from my cheddar bay biscuit recipe.
- Cornmeal it Up: Replace some of the flour with a little cornmeal to give a nice Southern gritty texture remix.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Don’t Overwork: Once you add all your dough ingredients together, don’t continue to mix it once it comes together. We don’t want to overactive that gluten and make tough biscuits instead of super light ones.
- Don’t Twist: Most folks don’t know that when you cut your biscuits, you shouldn’t twist the cutter. It can seal the edges of the biscuits preventing them from rising. Just push straight down instead.
- Freeze That Dough: Don’t skip this extra step boos! It helps solidify that shortening again so it creates flaky layers y’all.
How to Store and Reheat Angel Biscuits
Add cooled down leftovers to an airtight container or in a freezer bag. If properly stored, they will keep for 1-2 days at room temperature. If you need them to last longer, pop them in the fridge. You can easily reheat them in the microwave or add to a 350F oven for about 5-10 minutes or until warmed through.
How long does this angel biscuit recipe last in the fridge?
You can keep them in the fridge for up to 6 days. Just bring to room temp before serving for the best flavor and soft airy texture.
Can I freeze ?
Absolutely boos! I like to individually wrap them in plastic wrap then add to a freezer bag. And don’t forget to add a label with the date. They can last in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can reheat them straight from being frozen in the oven at 350F for about 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep you absolutely can boos but you have to experiment a bit with your gluten-free flour. It should be a 1:1 ratio baking flour. The texture and even the rise could be affected but they should still taste delish.
There are two rise agents that must work effectively in this recipe. First, check your leavenings. Make sure the baking soda and baking powder are fresh. Secondly, make sure your yeast is fresh and not expired. You also want to make sure you don’t overheat your liquid when activating. If you don’t notice your dough rising during rest periods, it could definitely be the yeast boos.
Yep for sure! Just make the dough a day in advance and let it rise slowly in the fridge. In fact, those flavors will develop even more and make super tender biscuits. Remember to let the dough come back to room temperature before rolling and cutting.
Y’all I know I have a plethora of biscuit recipes hanging out on my website but this angel biscuit recipe is special boos. You gotta give it a try. It is the perfect hybrid of Southern biscuits and fluffy dinner rolls. Who knew you could have the best the both worlds in one recipe? Well now you can. Get into it!
Best Biscuit Recipes
- Sour Cream Biscuits
- Drop Biscuits
- Sweet Potato Biscuits
- 7 Up Biscuits
- Butter Swim Biscuits
- Honey Butter Biscuits
- Flaky Biscuits
Angel Biscuits
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Ingredients
For the Yeast Mixture
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
For the Biscuit Dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 12 tbsp butter-flavored shortening cut into cubes, we used Crisco
- 1 cup buttermilk plus 2 tbsp, divided
- flaky salt for garnish
Instructions
- Gently heat ¼ cup buttermilk in small bowl in microwave until between 105 and 110F. Add yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar and mix with a fork until both are dissolved. Let sit until mixture is very foamy, about 5-6 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Using a pastry cutter, cut shortening into flour mixture until pea-sized crumbs develop.
- Pour in yeast mixture and 1 cup buttermilk and stir with spatula or wooden spoon until a shaggy dough develops.
- Transfer biscuit dough onto a floured work surface and knead gently just to combine, but do not overmix.
- Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place in warm spot (around 85-90F) until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Remove dough and roll into a ½ inch thick round using a rolling pin. Cut into 2 ½ inch round cutter (do not twist when cutting biscuits) and place biscuits in greased cast iron skillet.
- Cover biscuits with a kitchen towel and place back in warm spot until almost doubled in size, about 30-40 minutes.
- Place biscuits in freezer for 25-30 minutes to rechill the shortening.
- Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375F. Place oven rack in middle position.
- Brush biscuits with 2 tablespoons buttermilk and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, then bake until lightly golden brown, about 25-28 minutes.
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This recipe is delicious. Thanks you.
thank you, I love biscuits, haven’t had angel biscuits before, so a nice change, I like that they’re not too complicated and light, thank you!
How do you reheat these? Are they best eaten warm or room temp?
These were so easy to make and delicious, too! Definitely will be making again! 🙂
Would love to make this! Thanks for sharing! Will definitely make this for my family!
Can’t wait to try these biscuits to impress everyone at the table.
These angel biscuits are great to make up a big batch to have with honey or jam on the weekends and then have more to serve alongside soups or casseroles throughout the week.
Delicious biscuit recipe! Thank you! I’ll keep coming back to it! bookmarked!