Easy, perfect, fluffy Knott’s Berry Farm Buttermilk Biscuits from scratch!
These days most of my immediate family lives in Utah, but that wasn’t always the case. My parents and all eight of my siblings and myself (yes, there are nine of us – I know. craziness) were born in California. Besides a few stragglers out in Texas, all of my extended family is in California and ever since we moved to Utah when I was a little thing, we’ve made at least annual trips back to the coast. My family is still deeply attached to California, even though we are all hanging out in Utah now.
The list of reasons why we love Cali goes something like this…
1) Disneyland
2) Beach
3) Knott’s Berry Farm
4) Six Flags
5) Everything Else.
We have a thing for roller coasters.
Annnnnyway, number three on that list. Knott’s Berry Farm. Like I said, we love roller coasters, but we also love food and Knott’s is famous for their biscuits and boysenberry jam.
Somehow, some way, my mother got her hands on that recipe for Knott’s Berry Farm’s famous buttermilk biscuits and has been making them for decades. Decades people. Since before I was born for sure and I don’t remember a single holiday or major family dinner gathering when she didn’t make and serve them.
Usually my mother doubles or even triples the recipe because they disappear so darn quickly and my family has about zero self control when it comes to carbs. We just can’t get enough of their perfect fluffy golden goodness. And they are easy. Unlike most dinner rolls, they require no yeast or rising time so don’t let that stress you out. I begged my mother for the recipe so that I could share it with you just in time for the holidays!
Because I love you.
Knott’s Berry Farm Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon shortening
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- â…› teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- butter or jam - for serving (see note)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees and grease a 2 inch deep 9×13-inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Add shortening and mix well. (You can use a hand mixer for this or you can transfer to a food processor to blend in the shortening.)
- Add baking soda to buttermilk. Pour into flour mixture and blend well.
- Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Sprinkle dough with flour and knead a few times but do not over work the dough.
- Roll dough out 1/2 inch thick. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut dough into as many circles as possible. (You could also use a jar lid or drinking glass to cut circles).
- Dip the biscuits in the vegetable oil being sure to coat all sides, and place side by side in baking pan. (They should be touching each other).
- Bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot with butter and jam.
I have the Knotts Berry Farm Cookbook, now out of print, which I bought back in the 1970s or 1980s. And I assure you, this IS the recipe that is in the book. Delicious
As far as the oil, you pour the oil in the baking dish and then place the biscuit in the pan and flip the biscuit over so both sides are in oil covered. They bake in the oil remaining in the baking dish
Some of the best BUTTERMILK BISCUITS I have ever made. Made them tonight for the first time and was wonderful. I will be making again.
I made these for lunch today and they worked! I’m going to make them again using melted butter to dip them in instead of oil. Or maybe I might try a flavoured oil.
I see lots of possibilities. Thanks for the recipe.
A flavored oil would be soooo yummy! Maybe roasted garlic?? Great idea!
Everyone that says this recipe works is full of it. It does not create the consistency needed for dough. I only got crumbs. There is not enough shortening. After starting over and adding what usually goes into a biscuit recipe I was able to get biscuits.
Hi Lori, I’m sorry your biscuits didn’t turn out! But I definitely think it’s a user error – I’ve made these biscuits dozens of times, as has my mother and hundreds of my readers with positive results. I’d love to help you figure out where you might’ve made a wrong turn!
I made these this morning but they didnt raise at all. They tasted ok but maybe a little dry. Do you have a idea what I might have done wrong?
I made these biscuits this morning. I go by the recipe closely. THEY DIDNT RISE! They were flat and hard.