Everyone that knows me or reads my blog knows I am a huge fan of baking and cooking. I’m usually pretty good about following recipes… unless I’m missing ingredients like those amazing peanut butter cupcakes I made several months ago.

Today is my younger brother’s birthday bash and my contribution is biscuits. I made them for Thanksgiving and they were a huge hit. Well, I was under the impression that I had plenty of ingredients. I started off doubling the dry items in the KitchenAid and when I went to grab my single stick of butter, I realized my mistake. All my years of baking and today I totally forgot that it takes 2 sticks to equal 1 cup. Dammit. (I was tripling the recipe and thus needed a full cup.)

So I started Googling and crossing my fingers that oil was an acceptable substitute. As is, I was already using butter instead of shortening (lard/Crisco) and they were perfect. Turns out that, yes, oil is a perfectly acceptable substitute in biscuits, but I had to modify the other wet items.

Which I did. And they were totally delicious! Perfect, slightly dense, and super yummy. Although next time, I’m adding some baking soda as well bc they resemble little rocks and aren’t big and fluffy.

Without further ado… the recipe with my modifications in green:

J.P.’s Big Daddy Biscuits from AllRecipes.com
Prep Time: 30 Min (not even 15 minutes by my watch)
Cook Time: 15 Min (see below)
Ready In: 45 Min
Servings: 6 huge biscuits (or 10-12 small biscuits)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/3 cup shortening (or unsalted butter or 1/3 cup vegetable oil)
• 1 cup milk (if using oil, max out at 2/3 cup)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
3. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. (I dumped the oil straight in and used the paddle attachment until it resembled coarse meal.)
4. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. (This took less than the full amount. With the dough hook attachment, I drizzle in about half and then slowly added the rest every 30 seconds or so.)
5. Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead 15 to 20 times. (Or leave in the KitchenAid and keep using the dough hook for about another minute until it forms a ball.)
6. Pat or roll dough out to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits with a large cutter or juice glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet. (I pull off roughly equal sizes chunks, roll into little balls and place with all sides touching in a baking dish lined with parchment paper.)
7. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown. (For my oven this takes about 18 minutes, then I turn the oven off and let it sit for another 5-6 minutes.)