🧈 Dolly Parton’s Biscuits
Tender, buttery, flaky, and wonderfully Southern, Dolly Parton’s Biscuits are the kind of homemade biscuits that belong on every breakfast table. Made with self-rising flour, shortening, buttermilk, and melted butter, these biscuits are simple, comforting, and delicious straight from the oven.
Serve them warm with butter, honey, jam, sausage gravy, or alongside a hearty Southern breakfast.
⏱️ Recipe Information
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 12–15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8–10 biscuits
Difficulty: Easy
Method: Oven-Baked
🛒 Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising flour (about 240 g), plus extra for shaping
- ¼ cup shortening (about 45 g)
- ¾ cup buttermilk (180 ml), cold
- 2 tablespoons butter (28 g), melted, for brushing
Optional for Serving
- Softened butter
- Honey
- Strawberry or blackberry jam
- Country gravy
- Sorghum syrup
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
Lightly grease a cast-iron skillet or baking pan, or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
For especially tender biscuits, keep the shortening and buttermilk cold until you’re ready to use them.
2. Combine the Flour and Shortening
Place the self-rising flour in a large mixing bowl.
Add the shortening.
Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
A few small pieces of shortening remaining in the flour are perfectly fine—they help create a tender, flaky texture.
3. Add the Buttermilk
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
Pour in the cold buttermilk.
Using a wooden spoon or your hands, gently mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
Do not overmix. The dough should come together without being worked excessively.
If the dough seems unusually dry, add a small splash of buttermilk, about 1 tablespoon at a time.
4. Turn Out the Dough
Lightly flour a clean work surface.
Turn the dough onto the surface and gently bring it together with your hands.
Avoid kneading the dough like bread dough. Instead, lightly press it into a rough rectangle.
5. Fold for Flaky Layers
Gently fold the dough in half, then press it down.
Repeat this folding motion 2–3 times.
This simple technique creates layers without making the biscuits tough.
Finally, gently pat the dough to about ¾-inch (2 cm) thick.
6. Cut the Biscuits
Dip a round biscuit cutter into a little flour.
Cut straight down through the dough without twisting the cutter.
Twisting can seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising properly.
Place the biscuits close together in the prepared skillet or baking pan for softer sides, or slightly apart for more golden, crisp edges.
Gather any remaining dough scraps and gently press them together to make additional biscuits.
7. Brush With Butter
Brush the tops of the biscuits generously with the melted butter.
For an extra buttery finish, reserve a little melted butter for brushing over the biscuits immediately after baking.
8. Bake
Place the biscuits in the preheated oven.
Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and the biscuits have risen beautifully.
Keep an eye on them during the final few minutes because oven temperatures can vary.
9. Finish and Serve
Remove the biscuits from the oven and immediately brush the tops with any remaining melted butter.
Let them cool for 3–5 minutes before serving.
Split them open while they’re still warm and serve with plenty of butter, honey, jam, or your favorite Southern breakfast topping.
⭐ Chef’s Tips
Keep the ingredients cold: Cold buttermilk and shortening help produce tender, flaky biscuits.
Don’t overwork the dough: Mix and fold just enough to bring everything together. Too much handling can make biscuits dense.
Don’t twist the cutter: Press straight down and lift. This helps the biscuits rise higher.
Bake hot: A properly preheated 450°F oven gives the biscuits the strong initial heat they need for a good rise.
Place biscuits close together: For softer-sided biscuits, arrange them so they’re nearly touching in the pan.
Use a cast-iron skillet: It gives the bottoms a beautiful golden crust while keeping the centers tender.
🥛 Easy Variations
Honey Butter Biscuits
Mix softened butter with a little honey and spread it over the warm biscuits.
Cheddar Biscuits
Fold ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese into the dough before shaping.
Herb Butter Biscuits
Add 1 teaspoon dried herbs such as thyme, rosemary, or parsley to the flour.
Sausage Gravy Biscuits
Split the warm biscuits and spoon homemade sausage gravy over the top for a classic Southern breakfast.
Sweet Breakfast Biscuits
Add 1–2 tablespoons sugar to the flour and serve the finished biscuits with berries, whipped cream, or jam.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
These biscuits are delicious served warm alongside:
- Scrambled or fried eggs
- Crispy bacon
- Breakfast sausage
- Country ham
- Sausage gravy
- Fried chicken
- Honey butter
- Blackberry or strawberry jam
- Peach preserves
They’re also perfect for making breakfast sandwiches with eggs, cheese, bacon, or sausage.
🧊 Storage
Store completely cooled biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Rewarm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–8 minutes for the best texture.
❄️ Freezing
Freeze Baked Biscuits
Allow the biscuits to cool completely, then wrap individually and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat from frozen in a 350°F (175°C) oven until warmed through.
Freeze Unbaked Biscuits
Cut the biscuits as directed and arrange them on a parchment-lined tray.
Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag.
Bake directly from frozen, adding several extra minutes to the normal baking time.
🧈 Final Result
These Dolly Parton’s Biscuits are wonderfully simple Southern comfort food—golden and buttery on the outside, tender and flaky inside, and perfect for serving warm.
With just four basic ingredients, you can turn out a batch of homemade biscuits that are ideal for breakfast, brunch, dinner, or simply eating straight from the oven with a little butter and honey. 🧈🥛✨