While cleaning out a kitchen cabinet, I ran onto some square-shaped biscuits cutters, that I bought years ago, but never used. Why did I need square biscuits rather than round ones? Beats me. But finding the cutters was enough to inspire me to make a batch of biscuits.

Besides, I had earlier bought some Lingonberry jam, a European delicacy, that goes well with the Akea Swedish meatballs I have in the freezer. In Europe the cranberry-like jam is served with meat courses, stews, potato cakes, and even oatmeal. I like it on biscuits because it’s not overly sweet.  

White Lily for Southern-Style Biscuits

Drats! I didn’t have any White Lily, the go-to flour in Southern kitchens when making biscuits. Their self-rising flour has less protein than most brands and that makes for lighter biscuits. Undeterred, I soldiered on, using the Gold Medal version, that I had on hand. (Recipe for White Lily Biscuits, using milk or buttermilk)

Happily, the recipe on the back of the flour bag had a mere 3 ingredients. (Self-rising flour already has baking powder and salt included.) In no time at all, I had a tray of squarish biscuits in the oven.

Despite the ease with which this recipe comes together, there’re a few tips worth noting to ensure success.

Tips for Puffy, Flaky Biscuits

1. Make sure both milk and butter are cold. This is critical for light, fluffy biscuits. Frozen butter is even better.  Grate frozen butter with a box grater into the flour mixture. If you’re really serious, put a metal mixing bowl of flour in the fridge the night before making the biscuits and you’ll have chilled ingredients ready to go.
2. Alternatively, you can cut the cold butter (or shortening) into the flour with a fork or pastry cutter until it’s the size of peas. Over mixing keeps biscuits from becoming flaky.
3. If possible, use White Lily self-rising flour for best results. Because self-rising flour contains leavening, make sure flour isn’t outdated.
4. Only work with dough on a cold surface. Remember cold dough makes flaky biscuits! Use a metal fork to mix. Heat from your hands warms the dough. 
5. After rolling the dough, cut it in half and stack it, that is cut, stack, roll. Do this 3 times if you want to give biscuits a layered look.
6. Don’t twist the biscuit cutter. Cut straight down and lift up.
7. For soft-sided biscuits, arrange each in a pan so that edges touch slightly.  Being close helps them to rise taller.
8. Brush tops with butter during last several minutes of cooking for crispier, browner tops.
9. Reheat bakes biscuits in toaster oven or wrap loosely in foil and warm in oven.