Did you know September is National Biscuit Month? Well, Brenda Gantt sure found out just in time to show us how to celebrate it the right way-with famous Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe! These biscuits are a Southern classic, and Brenda makes them look effortless with her tried-and-true technique.
For longtime fans, this recipe is like second nature. But for new folks just joining the Brenda Gantt train, don’t worry-she walks us through every step with charm, clarity, and a little kitchen wisdom. All you need is White Lily self-rising flour, real buttermilk, and a couple of scoops of saved grease.
So grab your bowl, warm up your oven, and let’s bake some of the flakiest, fluffiest biscuits this side of Alabama. Just like Brenda says-you can do this now!
What Does Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits Taste Like?
Brenda Gantt’s White Lily buttermilk biscuits taste just like home. They’re soft and fluffy inside with a golden, gently crisped exterior-perfect for splitting open and slathering with butter or preserves.
The buttermilk gives these biscuits a slight tang that balances the richness of the grease (Brenda’s secret ingredient!). And since there’s no butter in the dough, you get to enjoy a rich buttery finish fresh out of the oven when you slather it on top.
These biscuits aren’t overly salty or sweet. They’re classic, comforting, and taste like Saturday morning at Grandma’s house. One bite and you’ll see why people say Brenda’s biscuits are the best in the South.
Ingredients Required for Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Here’s the list of Ingredients you’ll need to make this Copycat Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
- 2 “egg-sized” scoops of saved cooking grease (like bacon or sausage grease)
- About 1½ cups real buttermilk (don’t skimp!)
- White Lily Self-Rising Flour (enough to fill your biscuit bowl)
- Butter (for serving)
- Homemade preserves (Brenda recommends pear preserves)
Kitchen Utensil You’ll Need
- Large biscuit mixing bowl
- Cast iron griddle or flat iron skillet
- Biscuit cutter (or cleaned can, like Brenda’s Chef Boyardee lid)
- Oven preheated to 500°F
- Flat surface for flouring and folding dough
- Spoon or fingers for mixing
- Tea towel or oven mitt
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8–10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: About 30 biscuits (can be halved for small batches)
Copycat Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Simply follow the steps given below to make your Brenda Gantts Style White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits at home
1. Make your flour nest
Start by filling your biscuit bowl with White Lily self-rising flour. Use your hand or spoon to create a well in the center-this is your little “bird nest” where the wet ingredients will go. The surrounding flour stays dry; you’ll pull it in as you go.
2. Add grease and buttermilk
Scoop in about two egg-sized portions of saved cooking grease (bacon or sausage grease works best). Then pour in your buttermilk-around 1½ cups. Don’t measure too strictly; you want enough to make the dough soft and moist, but not runny. Brenda’s rule: never skimp on the buttermilk!
3. Mix it gently
Use your fingers to gently mix the grease and buttermilk, slowly pulling in flour from the sides of the bowl. Don’t dig your whole hand in-just work the dough with your fingertips until it comes together. Avoid over-mixing. The goal is a soft, slightly sticky dough that holds its shape.
4. Shape the dough
Flour your work surface and hands. Turn out the dough and gently fold it over a few times. Pat it down to about ½-inch thick. This folding helps your biscuits puff up and keeps them tender inside.
5. Cut and arrange
Cut out biscuits using a biscuit cutter or even an old can like Brenda does. Place them on a greased cast iron griddle or baking pan with the sides just touching-this helps them rise nice and tall.
6. Bake and serve
Bake in a preheated 500°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the tops are just lightly golden. Once out of the oven, split one open, slather it with butter, and top with your favorite preserves. They’re best served hot and fresh!
Some Tasty Ways To Customize and Pair This Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits
1. With Real Butter and Pear Preserves
Oh honey, nothing beats a warm biscuit straight from the oven, split open, and slathered with real butter and homemade pear preserves-just like Brenda did. The sweet and salty combo melts in your mouth.
2. Smothered in Sausage Gravy
Now if you’ve got some sausage in the fridge, fry it up and make a creamy white gravy. Then pour it right over those biscuits. Trust us, it’s a Southern breakfast dream.
3. Stacked with Fried Chicken
We’ve done it more times than we can count-slice that biscuit in half and sandwich in a crispy fried chicken thigh. Maybe add a little honey or hot sauce. Whew, it hits every time.
4. With Scrambled Eggs and Cheese
When we’re in a hurry, we whip up some scrambled eggs, toss on a slice of cheddar, and make ourselves a quick biscuit breakfast sandwich. It’s fast, filling, and oh-so-good.
5. Drizzled with Honey or Cane Syrup
A drizzle of golden honey (or real cane syrup if you have it) over a hot biscuit? That’s pure comfort food, especially with a hot cup of coffee on the side.
6. With Country Ham or Bacon
Sometimes we’ll fry up a few slices of country ham or crispy bacon and tuck it into a warm biscuit. Simple, salty, and satisfying-it never disappoints.
7. Topped with Apple Butter
Apple butter’s a fall favorite around here. Spread it thick on a biscuit and you’ve got a sweet, spiced treat that makes your kitchen smell like home.
8. Served with Chicken Stew or Gumbo
If you’ve got a pot of chicken stew, gumbo, or even beef stew simmering on the stove, these biscuits are perfect for dipping and soaking up all those rich juices.
9. Turned Into Mini Biscuit Sliders
We love slicing the biscuits open and filling them with pulled pork, barbecue chicken, or meatloaf slices. They make perfect little sliders for parties or lazy Sunday lunches.
10. As a Dessert Biscuit with Berries and Cream
Yup, we’ve even made dessert with them! Split a biscuit, add a spoonful of macerated strawberries, and a dollop of whipped cream. It’s like Southern strawberry shortcake-and it’s divine.
Some Tips on This Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
1. Use cold grease.
Keep your saved grease cold. It mixes better and helps your biscuits stay soft inside.
2. Don’t skip the buttermilk.
Real buttermilk makes a big difference. Don’t use plain milk or water-it won’t taste the same!
3. Use White Lily self-rising flour.
This flour is light and fluffy. You don’t need to add salt or baking powder. It’s all in there already!
4. Make a little flour nest.
Make a hole in the middle of your flour bowl, like a bird’s nest. That’s where your grease and buttermilk go.
5. Use your fingers, not a spoon.
Mix the dough with your fingers, just like Brenda. It helps you feel when it’s ready.
6. Keep the dough soft.
Don’t add too much flour. The dough should feel soft and a little sticky, not dry.
7. Don’t press too hard.
When you pat the dough flat, do it gently. About half an inch thick is just right.
8. Use a can as a cutter.
No biscuit cutter? No problem! Use a clean can, just like Brenda does.
9. Cook at 500°F.
That hot oven makes the biscuits rise fast. They stay soft inside and get a light golden top.
10. Eat them fresh!
Biscuits taste best when they’re warm. Add some butter or jelly and enjoy every bite!
How to Store Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits Properly
Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for 4 days. Reheat in a toaster oven or 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes to bring back that fresh-baked texture.
Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 “egg-sized” scoops of saved cooking grease like bacon or sausage grease
- About 1½ cups real buttermilk don’t skimp!
- White Lily Self-Rising Flour enough to fill your biscuit bowl
- Butter for serving
- Homemade preserves Brenda recommends pear preserves
Instructions
- Start by filling your biscuit bowl with White Lily self-rising flour. Use your hand or spoon to create a well in the center-this is your little “bird nest” where the wet ingredients will go. The surrounding flour stays dry; you’ll pull it in as you go.
- Scoop in about two egg-sized portions of saved cooking grease (bacon or sausage grease works best). Then pour in your buttermilk-around 1½ cups. Don’t measure too strictly; you want enough to make the dough soft and moist, but not runny. Brenda’s rule: never skimp on the buttermilk!
- Use your fingers to gently mix the grease and buttermilk, slowly pulling in flour from the sides of the bowl. Don’t dig your whole hand in-just work the dough with your fingertips until it comes together. Avoid over-mixing. The goal is a soft, slightly sticky dough that holds its shape.
- Flour your work surface and hands. Turn out the dough and gently fold it over a few times. Pat it down to about ½-inch thick. This folding helps your biscuits puff up and keeps them tender inside.
- Cut out biscuits using a biscuit cutter or even an old can like Brenda does. Place them on a greased cast iron griddle or baking pan with the sides just touching-this helps them rise nice and tall.
- Bake in a preheated 500°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the tops are just lightly golden. Once out of the oven, split one open, slather it with butter, and top with your favorite preserves. They’re best served hot and fresh!
Video
Notes
Common Queries on This Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Here, we’ve got you covered with some common questions about the Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits that people often ask.
1. What is the best White Lily flour for Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits?
From our kitchen to yours-we always reach for White Lily Self-Rising Flour when making biscuits. It’s what Brenda Gantt swears by, and for good reason. It’s made with soft winter wheat, which gives your biscuits that tender, airy texture you just can’t get with regular all-purpose flour.
2. What is White Lily Foods famous for?
White Lily is legendary in the South for making light, fluffy biscuits. They’ve been around since the late 1800s, and their flour has been a pantry staple ever since. Folks especially love them for their low-protein, soft wheat flours, which are perfect for delicate baking like biscuits, pancakes, and cakes.
3. What are the most delicious biscuits?
We’ve tasted a lot of biscuits, and hands down-Brenda Gantt’s buttermilk biscuits made with White Lily are at the top. They’re light, fluffy, and full of flavor. That combo of real buttermilk and saved cooking grease creates a depth you just can’t beat.
4. Can I use all-purpose flour instead of White Lily?
You can, but we wouldn’t recommend it if you’re after that classic Southern biscuit texture. All-purpose flour has more protein and makes a denser biscuit. If White Lily isn’t available near you, look for any soft wheat, self-rising flour as a second-best option.
5. What kind of grease does Brenda use in her biscuits?
Brenda usually uses saved bacon or sausage grease, and that’s what we do too! It adds a smoky, savory flavor that butter or shortening just can’t replicate. Just make sure the grease is clean and strain out any food bits before using.
6. Why does Brenda not use butter in her biscuit dough?
She likes to keep it simple and traditional-using grease in the dough and adding butter on top after baking. That way, you get a rich finish without worrying about butter melting unevenly during mixing. Plus, it’s exactly how her mama did it.
7. Can I use milk instead of buttermilk for Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe?
We don’t recommend it. Buttermilk adds that tangy flavor and helps with the rise. If you’re in a pinch, you can sour regular milk with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice, but real buttermilk gives the best results every time.
8. Why bake biscuits at 500°F? Isn’t that too hot?
Not at all! That high heat gives your biscuits a fast rise and golden top while keeping them moist inside. Brenda always says cooking them slow dries them out-and she’s right. 500°F for 8–10 minutes is biscuit perfection.
9. How do I keep my Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits dough from getting tough?
Be gentle with it-don’t overmix or knead too much. Brenda always says to just fold the dough over a couple of times, then pat it out. Keep your hands light and work fast. That’s the secret to tender biscuits.
10. Can I freeze the Brenda Gantts White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits or the dough?
Yes! We’ve frozen both baked biscuits and unbaked rounds. If freezing dough, cut your biscuits out, freeze on a tray, then store in a zip bag. Bake straight from frozen at 500°F and just add a minute or two. Baked biscuits can also be frozen and reheated in the oven.
Whether you’re new to biscuit-making or have Brenda Gantt’s voice echoing in your kitchen already, this White Lily buttermilk biscuit recipe is foolproof and full of heart. Make a batch this National Biscuit Month and share the love-there’s just nothing like a homemade Southern biscuit.
Try it today, and happy biscuit making, y’all! Feel free to share your experience with this recipe by trying it out. Don’t forget to drop a comment and provide your feedback on the blog for us to read.
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Wow! The pictures alone made me hungry. Thanks for sharing such a mouthwatering recipe