Name: Flaky High Altitude Biscuits - Fail-Proof Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour; 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1/3 cup shortening; 3/4 cup milk

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This easy recipe promises the best biscuits that are golden brown with flaky layers and melt in your mouth perfection. With a few simple ingredients your kitchen will soon have the amazing aroma of freshly baked homemade biscuits.

5 flaky high altitude biscuits with melted butter brushed on top

Baking at high altitude presents its unique challenges, but fear not, for I’ve developed a fail-proof recipe tailored to conquer those tricky atmospheric conditions at higher altitudes. Picture this: golden brown biscuits, light as a mountain breeze, with a tender crumb that defies gravity. Join me on this culinary adventure as we elevate your biscuit game to new peaks with this high altitude biscuit recipe.

Whether your enjoy warm biscuits with a drizzle of golden honey, dollop of jam, or a hearty breakfast of biscuits and gravy, I promise this great recipe with become your favorite recipe for fluffy homemade biscuits.

I bake these biscuits at 8,000 feet of elevation.

a high altitude biscuit broken in half with honey being drizzled over top

Check out these other high altitude recipes for delicious breakfast ideas!

Fluffy Homemade Waffles

Easy Homemade Crepes

Fluffy Pancakes – 6 tips to make boxed pancake mix better

Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Sugar Topping

High Altitude Moist Sour Cream Banana Bread

Recommended tools:

Large bowl – I love the stackable mixing bowl set below, it has every size I need for any recipe

Measuring cup and spoon

Pastry cutter – (or pastry blender) the fat needs be cut up into little pieces to help achieve the most flaky layers as possible. A food processor can be used also but I prefer a simple tool that is easier to wash.

Rolling pin – I use my trusty wood rolling pin for all my baking

Biscuit cutter – don’t worry about buying a special tool, I use a round cookie cutter. Or a simple knife can be used to make square biscuits for less waste.

Cookie sheet – I love my insulated cookie sheet for all my baking

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5 Ingredient Biscuits:

Flour – I use all purpose flour for light and fluffy biscuits

Baking powder – I try to always use aluminum-free baking powder. This recipe has the perfect amount for a good rise

Salt – a little bit of salt works wonders to enhance the flavors

Vegetable shortening – this is a biscuit recipe without butter. The shortening acts as the fat that creates beautiful flaky layers when the high temperature of the oven hits it.

Milk – I use whole milk for an extra richness in the biscuits

OPTIONAL: unsalted butter – melted butter can be used to brush the tops of the biscuits when you take them out of the oven

5 biscuit ingredients in glass bowls with labels of the ingredients

How to make homemade biscuits:

1. Combine the dry ingredients

Preheat the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) together in the mixing bowl and combine.

a glass bowl with flour, baking powder, and salt mixed together with a pastry cutter

2. Add the shortening

Add the vegetable shortening to the flour mixture and use the pastry cutter to break the shortening up into small pieces.

a glass bowl with shortening cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter

3. Add the milk

Slowly add the milk and stir with a fork just until a dough forms and it starts leaving the side of the bowl.

high altitude biscuit dough ingredients all mixed together in a glass bowl with a fork

TIP: too much milk makes the dough too sticky, not enough milk makes the biscuits dry

4. Lightly combine the dough

Place the biscuit dough on a lightly floured surface. Lightly combine or gently knead with your hands just until the dough is no longer sticky.

high altitude biscuit dough on a lightly floured surface ready to be kneaded, with a wood rolling pin and mixing bowl beside it

TIP: do NOT knead more than 10 times

5. Roll and cut the dough

Roll the biscuit dough to 1/2 inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter to form the biscuits. Place the unbaked biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet.

high altitude biscuit dough with a cookie cutter in the dough, a cookie sheet with 2 cut out biscuits, and a wood rolling pin on a lightly floured surface

TIP: Place the biscuits 1 inch apart for crusty sides or touching for soft sides

6. Bake the biscuits

Bake the biscuits for 10-12 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits turn golden brown.

Optional: while the biscuits are still hot, brush tops of biscuits with melted butter

a stack of 6 high altitude biscuits on a white plate with a stick of butter and jar of honey

TIP: do not open the oven door while the biscuits are baking

Buttermilk Biscuits

Make these flaky biscuits with buttermilk instead of milk to create an even better biscuit. The buttermilk creates taller, fluff biscuits. There are a few simple ingredients that need changed:

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup of buttermilk – if the buttermilk is thick, it may be necessary to add slightly more

HOW TO MAKE BUTTERMILK AT HOME:

Buttermilk is incredibly easy to make at home. All you need is milk and white vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Grab a measuring cup.
Pour 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into the measuring cup.
Pour the milk into the measuring cup until it measures 1 cup.
Stir the milk and lemon juice or vinegar then let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. This will allow the milk to become acidic and can be used in place of buttermilk.

Buttermilk can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

a high altitude biscuit cut in half with sausage gravy poured over it on a white plate

FAQs:

Can you freeze biscuit dough?

Yes! Freezing biscuit dough can help to create lighter, fluffier biscuits. After cutting the biscuits out, place them in an airtight container and freeze. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake.

Can you freeze biscuits?

Yes. To prevent the biscuits from drying out allow the biscuits to cool completely after baking. Wrap the room temperature biscuits in aluminum foil or plastic wrap then place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

How to reheat biscuits?

Reheat leftover biscuits in the microwave with a damp paper towel or dish towel. This will warm the biscuits without drying them out. Wrap individual biscuits in a damp towel and heat for 30 seconds, followed by 15 second intervals until the biscuit has reach the desired warmth.

What to eat with biscuits?

Here is a list of classic dishes to pair with biscuits:

Fried chicken and biscuits
Sausage gravy and biscuits
Bacon, egg, cheese, and biscuit sandwich
Top warm biscuits with jam, apple butter, butter, or honey

bacon, egg, and biscuit breakfast sandwich on a white plate

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Pinterest image with a stack of high altitude biscuits on a white plate with the words flaky high altitude biscuits on the picture

Try these other delicious high altitude recipes:

High Altitude Cutout Sugar Cookie with Icing Recipe

Best High Altitude Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

High Altitude Oatmeal Cookies

Delicious Fudgy Chocolate Cookies with 3 Ingredients

High Altitude Strawberry Pie

High Altitude Pecan Pie

Strawberry Fluff Recipe with Jell-O and Cool Whip

Rich and Fudgy Chocolate Espresso Brownies

Flaky Pie Crust – 4 Ingredients

Easy Strawberry Shortcake – Perfect for High Altitude