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Light and airy, angel biscuits are small, delicate, and perfectly tender! Leavened with baking powder, baking soda, and yeast, these special biscuits are a delicious cross between traditional Southern buttermilk biscuits and soft yeast-raised dinner rolls.
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There’s a little country market near our house that sells trays of homemade angel biscuits, often purchased alongside the shop’s country ham, both of which are used to assemble traditional ham biscuits. Definitely a staple here in Virginia! I’ve tested a handful of different angel biscuit recipes over the years in an attempt to recreate the Yoder’s version in my own kitchen, and I’m happy to report that I’ve finally landed on a winner. In fact, I think these are even better!
This recipe, slightly adapted from James Villas’ book, The Glory of Southern Cooking, is about as classic as it gets. Whether you offer them for breakfast with butter and honey, turn them into ham biscuits for your next snack or party appetizer, or add them to the bread basket at dinner alongside a jar of homemade apple butter, I hope that these little gems will soon become a regular in your home as well!
What are angel biscuits?
Think of angel biscuits as a beautiful combination of traditional buttermilk biscuits and yeasted dinner rolls (or Parker House rolls). They include three different leavening agents: baking soda, baking powder, and yeast, which gives them a light, airy texture. Angel biscuits taste like they were heaven-sent!
The Secret to Fluffy Biscuits
Angel biscuits should be light, tender, and fluffy. Remember to keep the buttermilk, shortening, and butter cold, and don’t overwork the dough. Stir and roll just enough to bring the dough together, and then stop! Overworking the dough activates the gluten, which can result in dense, tough, or dry biscuits. The yeast as an additional leavening agent also creates a lighter, more delicate texture.
Ingredients for Old Fashioned Angel Biscuits
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for the best angel biscuits recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step directions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Active dry yeast: the secret ingredient that makes angel biscuits special. It adds a subtle unique flavor to the dough, and works with the other leavening agents to help the biscuits rise.
- Warm water: to dissolve and activate the yeast. Make sure that it’s not too hot and not too cool — somewhere in the range of about 110˚-115˚F is ideal.
- All-purpose flour: I prefer an extra-fine soft winter wheat flour made by White Lily. This low-protein, low-gluten flour gives Southern biscuits that perfectly crisp-on-the-outside, light-on-the-inside texture.
- Sugar: just enough to feed the yeast, but not so much that the biscuits will taste sweet.
- Baking powder and baking soda: additional leavening agents that help the biscuits rise.
- Salt: enhances the other ingredients.
- Shortening (or lard): for puff! The shortening gives angel biscuits a lighter, airier quality than you get with butter alone.
- Butter: for that rich flavor!
- Buttermilk: for its acidity, as well as its fat and liquid content. In conjunction with the leavening agents, the acidity helps the biscuits rise. The buttermilk also gives the biscuits a nice, subtle tanginess and a tender crumb. Keep the buttermilk nice and cold before adding it to the dough.
Buttermilk Substitutes
Don’t have buttermilk? No problem! In a pinch, you can make your own buttermilk at home to use in this recipe. To do so, pour either 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice or 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into a large measuring cup. Add enough milk to equal 1 cup of liquid. Give it a stir, let it sit for about 5 minutes, and then use it in the recipe as directed.
How to Make Angel Biscuits
While they require a bit more resting time than traditional Southern biscuits (thanks to the yeast), these old fashioned angel biscuits are well worth the wait! I’ve included the detailed instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Activate the yeast in warm water.
- Stir together the dough in a large bowl, using a pastry blender to cut the shortening into the dry ingredients.
- Chill the dough for at least a couple of hours (or a couple of days)!
- Roll out the dough with a rolling pin. Cut out the biscuits, arranging them in a cast iron pan, or on a baking sheet.
- Chill again while you preheat the oven.
- Bake, brush with melted butter, and serve!
Serving Suggestions
These easy angel biscuits are suitable for just about any meal, at any time of day. Serve them on their own for breakfast with honey butter, jam, or apple butter. Add eggs on the side, or stir up a skillet of sausage gravy. In Virginia, country ham biscuits are a classic snack!
On the dinner table, here are some entrées that go well with the old fashioned angel biscuits:
- Crispy Fried Chicken, Oven-Fried Chicken Breast, Cornflake Chicken, or Pecan-Crusted Chicken
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Oven-Baked Pork Tenderloin, Cider Braised Pulled Pork, or BBQ Pork
- Ham and Beans or Appalachian Soup Beans
- Oven BBQ Chicken Breast or Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast
- Egg Salad or Chicken Salad
- Shrimp and Grits
- Crock Pot Ribs or Baked Baby Back Ribs
- Crab Cakes or Crab Imperial
- Shrimp Creole
- Dutch Oven Beef BBQ, Cast Iron Skillet Filet Mignon, Grilled New York Strip Steak, Steak Salad or Bourbon-Glazed Beef Tenderloin
- Classic Beef Chili, Crock Pot White Chicken Chili, Buffalo Chicken Chili, “Good Luck” Southern Chili, Easy White Bean Chicken Chili, Crock Pot Chili, Ground Turkey Chili, or Texas Chili
- Beef Stew, Chicken Stew, or Brunswick Stew
- Southern Fried Catfish
- Frogmore Stew
- Grandmother’s Hamburger Soup, Corn Chowder, Tomato Soup or Split Pea Soup
- Ranch Style Beans, Southern Lima Beans, Slow Cooker Cowboy Pork and Beans or Black Eyed Peas with Bacon
- Rosemary Oven Roasted Chicken
Preparation and Storage
- Make Ahead: Chill the dough (covered) in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days) before rolling and cutting. You can even cut the biscuits out in advance, arrange them in the pan, and keep them in the fridge for a couple of days. Then just bake them off when you need them!
- Storage: While they’re best served warm, straight from the oven, leftover biscuits will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Reheat day-old biscuits by placing them on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes.
- How to Freeze: Allow the baked biscuits to cool to room temperature, then wrap tightly in an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter overnight or in the microwave for a few seconds.
Recipe Variations
- Swap out the shortening for lard or extra butter. The shortening (or lard) gives the biscuits a more delicate, puffy texture than they would have with just butter alone.
- Make your own buttermilk using the instructions provided above (a combination of milk and either vinegar or lemon juice).
- Angel biscuits are typically smaller and more delicate than classic Southern buttermilk biscuits. I use a 2-inch biscuit cutter to keep them on the smaller size. Feel free to use a juice glass or a larger cutter if that’s what’s available.
- To prepare a larger batch of biscuits, double all of the ingredients. Bake on a large baking sheet or in two separate cast iron skillets.
Tips for the Best Angel Biscuit Recipe
- Use warm water when preparing the dough — not too hot and not too cold. You want the water to feel like warm bath water (about 110˚-115˚F). If it’s too hot you will kill the yeast; too cold and the yeast will not be activated.
- Dip the biscuit cutter in flour before you cut out each biscuit. This will prevent the angel biscuit dough from sticking to the cutter.
- Don’t twist the round cutter. Firmly press the cutter down into the dough, and then pull it straight back out. Twisting the biscuit cutter seals off the edges of the biscuits and they therefore will not rise as high.
- Arrange the biscuits close together. Place the biscuits in the skillet or on the baking sheet so that their sides are touching. This will help them “climb,” rather than spread, in the oven.
- Brush with melted butter. A quick swipe of melted butter adds a ton of rich flavor and buttery taste to the warm biscuits.
More Biscuit Recipes to Try
Angel Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 (0.25 ounce) packet active dry yeast (about 2 ¼ teaspoons)
- ¼ cup warm water (110°F – 115°F)
- 2 ½ cups White Lily all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup shortening, diced into small pieces and chilled (or sub with lard)
- ¼ cup salted butter, diced into small pieces and chilled
- 1 cup whole buttermilk, well shaken
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the yeast and the warm water. Set aside and let it proof until bubbly and foamy, about 5-10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the shortening and butter. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the shortening and butter into the flour mixture until incorporated. The mixture should resemble coarse meal. You will still see flakes of shortening and butter throughout, which is good!
- Add the yeast mixture and the buttermilk, stirring with a wooden spoon until a soft, sticky dough forms. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
- Once the dough is chilled, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll out to about ½-inch thickness. The dough will be fairly sticky, so flour your hands, if necessary, to prevent it from sticking. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out rounds (I use a 2 -inch cutter). Firmly press the cutter down into the dough, but do not twist. Twisting the biscuit cutter seals off the edges of the biscuits and they therefore will not rise as high. Roll the scraps and continue to cut more biscuits.
- Arrange the biscuits with sides touching in a 12-inch cast iron skillet, or on a baking sheet. Cover and place the pan in the fridge to chill for about 10-15 minutes while you preheat the oven.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Bake the biscuits, uncovered, in the center of the oven until golden brown, about 15-17 minutes.
- Brush the warm biscuits with melted butter. Serve!
Notes
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- Use warm water when preparing the dough — not too hot and not too cold. You want the water to feel like warm bath water (about 110˚-115˚F). If it’s too hot you will kill the yeast; too cold and the yeast will not be activated.
-
- Dip the biscuit cutter in flour before you cut out each biscuit. This will prevent the angel biscuit dough from sticking to the cutter.
-
- Don’t twist the round cutter. Firmly press the cutter down into the dough, and then pull it straight back out. Twisting the biscuit cutter seals off the edges of the biscuits and they therefore will not rise as high.
-
- Arrange the biscuits close together. Place the biscuits in the skillet or on the baking sheet so that their sides are touching. This will help them “climb,” rather than spread, in the oven.
-
- Brush with melted butter. A quick swipe of melted butter adds a ton of rich flavor and buttery taste to the warm biscuits.
- Recipe adapted from James Villas’ book, The Glory of Southern Cooking.
