Yogurt Biscuits

It’s Friday. Let’s start this weekend off with some biscuits!

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Biscuits are a way of life in this family.

Nick’s dad, a.k.a Biscuit Bob, has been known to whip up a batch of biscuits in no time. He never has a recipe to give you, but the biscuits are always delicious. Every batch is made differently – different flours, sweeteners, toppings, everything.

I’ve had biscuits with gravy, biscuits topped with jam, and good old flaky biscuits smeared with butter. Sourdough, whole wheat, flaxseed, vanilla, walnut. you name it and we’ve probably had it.

He has quite the biscuit resume. And the best (and most frustrating) thing about him is that he makes biscuits by feel. He learned how to make biscuits from his dad, and he makes them up as he goes along, knowing what the dough needs to feel like to turn out well.

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After a few lessons in the kitchen and a lot of practice on my part, I’m getting better at making my own biscuits.

But no matter how many times I’ve made them in the past, I always have this moment of panic when I’m adding the liquid to the dough. My heart starts racing and I start thinking that there’s no way this dough will turn out and then I get worried. About biscuits. I am weird.

I’m not sure why this happens every time, but I’m going to keep making biscuits. Because even my worst batches of biscuits were still delicious.

I had to put my creative juices to the test last weekend.

My original breakfast plan didn’t turn out, we were out of milk, and I didn’t have enough butter to make a batch of biscuits.

What to do?

Pull out the shortening and yogurt.

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Yup. Yogurt.

The best biscuits, I think, are made with buttermilk, but when you don’t have any on hand, plain yogurt will work just as well. It has the tang you want from the buttermilk and a thicker consistency than skim or lowfat milk.

I had some Stonyfield Whole Milk Plain Yogurt in the fridge – best idea ever.

And I don’t cook with shortening very much, but it does make some amazing biscuits. Since it’s already at room temperature, it’s easier to cut it into the flour – and less work! And I’m always up for less work on Saturday mornings when I’m shuffling around the kitchen in my pajamas making breakfast.

Make a special breakfast this weekend – your friends and family will thank you.

And if you start to panic when mixing your dough, don’t worry – they’ll be delicious.

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Yogurt Biscuits

Makes 8-10 biscuits

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 heaping Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 4 Tbsp shortening
  • 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp whole milk yogurt
  1. Preheat oven to 425.
  2. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  3. Cut shortening into flour mixture with hands, forks, or pastry cutter until mixture resembles cornmeal.
  4. Stir in yogurt just until a shaggy dough forms.
  5. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead 4-5 times until it holds together.
  6. Pat or roll out until 1/2” thick (about the thickness of your biscuit cutter).
  7. Push cutter straight down and bring it straight back up (don’t twist it!), and lay biscuits on baking sheet or stone.
  8. Bake 11-12 minutes or until golden on top.

29 comments

  1. I can remember my grandma very vividly making biscuits in her tiny kitchen. she always made them by hand and they were always delicious!

  2. I have been using yogurt in baked goods for years and I love it! But my biscuits always seem to come out, well, less-than-flaky. Maybe it’s the butter/shortening debate…

  3. ooh biscuits is one thing i have yet to try. my great grandma supposedly had a really famous recipe that my 2nd cousin sent me–must give it a try! :)

    happy weekend!

  4. I LOVE biscuits!! Though I’ve never thought of adding yogurt in… Sounds like a fabulous idea! I’m not generally a fan of using shortening, but I bet it does make a nice biscuit!

  5. I’ve never met a biscuit I didn’t like! This recipe looks so simple and fail free, I’m going to give these a try!

  6. I was beginning to wonder if you would ever share a biscuit recipe. Nick’s dad sounds like he’s got some mad biscuit making skills. You should have him to a video post about making biscuits!

  7. Haha, reading this made me sad, because I’m pretty sure the only biscuits I’ve ever had came out of a KFC takeout box in like the 3rd grade! For some reason, my family wasn’t really biscuit people! :( That said, I think I’d like to try these!

  8. I don’t think there are too many things in life that are better than biscuits with butter & jam! Although those Cookie Dough Balls rank up there! I made them on Wednesday and can’t stop eating them!! :)

  9. Love these. I also like making biscuits with creme fraiche or sour cream. Yums.

  10. These look amazing! I’m actually thinking about trying out this recipe over the weekend :)

    I just found your blog today, and I have to say – it’s quite refreshing to see a healthy food blog with biscuit posts!

    I’m a fan!

  11. Subbing buttermilk for yogurt is a great idea! I never ever have buttermilk on hand but sometimes crave a plain ole’ buttermilk pancake or biscuit. These look great, too! So moist!

  12. I guess if I made biscuits often enough, I could go by feel, but I typically measure all my ingredients – my favorite biscuits (and my daughters!) are mile high biscuits – so good! I am so behind in blog reading – I love your new layout! :D

    http://mybizzykitchen.com/2010/11/26/picnic-ham-pork-roast/

  13. Not to gender stereotype, but why is it that the men always make the biscuits? Same goes for my family and Pea Daddy’s! You never hear, “My grandpa made the best meringues!” but you always hear about the biscuits.

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  15. Not sure when you did the site redesign, but I love it! So fresh & clean! Also, those biscuits look super good. I’ve never thought of using yogurt, but I guess they’re kinda like mayonnaise biscuits (which are super addicting). Happy beautiful Saturday!

  16. oooh yum! Those sound really good. I never have buttermilk on hand but always have yogurt.

  17. I bet these were heavenly!!! I usually try to stay away from all things with shortening, but these look like they’d be worth it :-)

  18. Yum! The only biscuits I’ve attempted to make were from this really old WW recipe from years ago for “1 pt. biscuits” — it called for self-rising flour and I think yogurt. Trust me, they’re not going to be anywhere near as good as the ones you made.

  19. I love your new layout! Yum! yogurt is really healthy…. tha’s totally true.. try it….. what a healthy biscuit for my kids… look great, too! So moist!….

  20. Yummy….a healthy biscuit for everyone, kids will love it.. I love homemade biscuit..

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  22. So my girl made the wheels churn with the yogurt. Couldn’t let her one up me here so when they were here last week the gauntlet had been tossed out. I love my DIL and love making biscuits with her. Followed the basic recipe Bran used but….added some buttermilk powder (really convenient and keeps for a long time), used a small container of Oikos yogurt with honey and just a touch of vanilla. needed just a couple of tablespoons of 2% milk to get the right feel of the dough then melted some butter in a cast iron skillet and lightly coated the biscuits. Important to let them “rest” a few minutes before baking makes em flakier. Bran had made some blueberry jam and the combo was OoTW. Love you girl.

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