Southern-Style Biscuits

When our plates arrived out at breakfast a few weeks ago, our eyes shifted immediately to the enormous biscuits. Lori (RecipeGirl) and I could not have been more eager to break ours open, explore the flaky layers and dollop on some mango preserves. Amanda (Kevin & Amanda), the Alabama girl that she is, took a more measured – yet equally pleased – approach to the biscuits. Coming from the South, biscuits are a standard for her. For Californians like Lori and I they’re a little more…exotic?

White Lily FlourRecently I’ve been hearing southern bakers rave about the flour for making the flakiest, most tender biscuits called White Lily. Of course, it’s only sold in the South and parts of the Midwest, but I did find it for sale online on the Smucker’s website. On a whim I decided to give it a try. With shipping, I probably paid 3x what the flour costs at any Publix in Atlanta but I just had to see what all the fuss was about. And, you know, they have a biscuit recipe right there on the self-rising flour package. 🙂

What can I say…my family loved the biscuits! They were incredibly tender, light and fluffy, just as promised. At two inches in diameter, they were also a bit smaller than others I’ve had. Just a two-bite treat…they seem far less indulgent that way. I made a few heart-shaped ones for Valentine’s Day. They’re even cuter with a dab of raspberry jam.

P.S. I did pick up another brand of self-rising flour here locally. Does White Lily really surpass all others? Stay tuned for a biscuit face-off!

Southern-Style Biscuits

 

 

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14 Comments

  1. There is nothing better than fresh homemade biscuits. White Lily isn’t readily available for me, either (except online). I will be interested in your biscuit bake-off.

    Posted 2.8.11 Reply
  2. Sharlene wrote:

    I’m eagerly awaiting this face-off before I spend a good chunk of my money on White Lily! These look so good!

    Posted 2.9.11 Reply
    • Kathy Schroeder wrote:

      I don’t know if you wee being funny, or not about spending a chunk of money on white Lily flour, I could not tell. But if you were serious, you are mistaken. Whitel Lily flour is relatively cheap. I believe it is double sifted before it is placed in sacks, so the end product is a much lighter biscuit. Try it , Also make it with another brand. You can tell the difference, it is not just a wive’s tale.

      Posted 2.10.13 Reply
  3. As a Southerner, White Lily has always been the best flour — we were given coupons for White Lily for winning cooking bake-offs in 4-H!

    I will be interested to see what happens with your bake off!

    Posted 2.9.11 Reply
  4. MojoMama wrote:

    I’ve never made biscuits before, so I’m amazed by how simple the recipe is! I can’t access White Lily readily either, so I’m also definitely looking forward to that bake-off before I run out and try to make it!

    Posted 2.9.11 Reply
  5. Memoria wrote:

    That’s funny. I just bought some White Lily (AP) flour yesterday with the primary purpose of making biscuits with it! Your biscuits look lovely.

    Posted 2.9.11 Reply
  6. Krissi Carson wrote:

    Okay, I don’t know all the science around it, but Southerners swear by White Lily flour because flour that comes from wheat grown in the south is very different from the wheat in the north and it bakes differently. Thus, Southern wheat works really well for biscuits and other pastries where as the northern stuff works better for breads. There are some types of baking that are really temperamental and the flour can make a big difference. Here a good info site: http://hubpages.com/hub/The_difference_between_cake_flour__all_purpose_flour_and_bread_flour_Which_do_you_need__and_why

    Posted 2.9.11 Reply
    • Kathy wrote:

      That’s pretty intriguing – I want to read more about that. Thanks for the link, Krissi!

      Posted 2.9.11 Reply
  7. I can’t wait to see the results of your bake off! I too have heard great things about White Lily flour but have never baked with it before.

    Posted 2.10.11 Reply
  8. Karen wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, did you go with buttermilk or skim, 1%, 2% or whole? I have also made pretty tasty biscuits with half and half but they do get a little heavier that way.

    Posted 2.11.11 Reply
    • Kathy wrote:

      I went with buttermilk. I feel like it helps with the rising?

      Posted 2.11.11 Reply
  9. Mandy wrote:

    I just made this with ap flour (added 1-1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt per one cup flour) and whole milk, and they turned out great. I tripled the recipe and made two dozen biscuits. They were flakey and delicious, especially with bacon grease milk gravy. Such a simple recipe, no one should ever buy canned biscuits!

    Posted 5.26.11 Reply
  10. Judy Konos wrote:

    500 degrees would be too hot for my cooking sheet so will reduce to 450 to see what happens. For those of you who asked where to get White Lily the website of walmart says they have it in local stores so I am off to wally world.

    Posted 11.25.13 Reply