Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 2/3 cup milk

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans. Put the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a bowl. Cut the shortening into the flour with two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the milk all at once and stir just until the dough forms a ball around the fork. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead 14 times. Pat until 1/2 inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 2-inch cookie cutter. Place touching each other in the cake pans and bake for 15-20 minutes.
2. Crusty Baking Powder Biscuits. Roll biscuits to 1/4 inch thick and place 1 inch apart. Bake in a 450° F oven for 12 minutes. This will yield almost twice as many biscuits.
3. Roll biscuits to 1/4 inch thick and place 1 inch apart. Bake in a 450° F oven for 12 minutes. This will yield almost twice as many biscuits.
4. Buttermilk Biscuits. Use 2/3 cup buttermilk instead of sweet milk and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, cutting the amount of baking powder in half, to 2 teaspoons.
5. Use 2/3 cup buttermilk instead of sweet milk and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, cutting the amount of baking powder in half, to 2 teaspoons.
6. Cheese Biscuits. Add 1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese to the dry ingredients.
7. Add 1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese to the dry ingredients.
8. Drop Biscuits. Add an additional 1/3 cup milk and drop by teaspoonfuls onto a buttered baking sheet.
9. Add an additional 1/3 cup milk and drop by teaspoonfuls onto a buttered baking sheet.