Old Fashioned Bacon Grease Biscuits Recipe

If you’re craving the most fluffy, flavorful homemade biscuits, you’re going to love this bacon grease biscuits recipe! A blend of bacon fat and butter gives these buttermilk biscuits amazing flavor, and a simple folding technique gives them layers and layers of deliciousness!

If you haven’t tried biscuits made from rendered bacon grease, you’re in for a treat! These biscuits are so fluffy and flaky, with just a hint of smoky bacon flavor you’ll love.

Just like Grandma made them, I like to bake these biscuits in a cast iron skillet to golden brown perfection. You will love them served warm from the oven with butter and honey, topped with bacon gravy, or served with crispy bacon and fried eggs for a hearty breakfast.

If you’re a biscuit fanatic like I am, be sure to check out these wonderful recipes from my talented blogging friends: Easy Homemade Biscuits from Kathleen at The Fresh Cooky, Butter Swim Biscuits from Nikki at Soulfully Made, and Strawberry Buttermilk Biscuits from Sheila at Life, Love and Good Food.

Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

Here’s what you’ll need to make this biscuit recipe:

All-purpose flour – I love White Lily brand flour for this recipe. It’s made from soft winter wheat, and is known for baking up the best Southern biscuits. You can use regular all purpose flour, too!

Baking powder – The most important thing is that your baking powder is fresh, to insure that your biscuits rise well. I’m partial to non-GMO Rumford Baking Powder.

Baking soda – Just a small amount reacts with the acid in the buttermilk and helps with leavening.

Salt – Regular fine table salt will incorporate throughout the dough to flavor the biscuits evenly.

Sugar – Adds just a touch of sweetness for even better flavor.

Frozen butter – Freezing and grating the butter isn’t difficult at all, and it makes a huge difference in baking the flakiest biscuits.

Frozen bacon grease – You’ll need to freeze 2 tablespoons of bacon grease for at least 3-4 hours for best results. Here’s how to render bacon fat, and how to strain and store bacon grease.

Buttermilk – you can use commercial buttermilk, or make your own alternative version (see tip below).

How to Make Buttermilk Substitute

If you don’t have buttermilk, or don’t want to buy a whole carton just for the 1 cup needed for this recipe, no problem! You can make your own buttermilk alternative with these easy directions:

1. Measure 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into a liquid measuring cup.
2. Add in a little less than a full cup of milk and fill it up to the 1 cup mark.
3. Give it a good stir and let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.

Equipment Needed

Here’s what you’ll need to prepare these homemade biscuits:

• Mixing bowl
• Measuring spoons
• Whisk
• Box grater
• Parchment paper
• Cutting board
• Sharp knife
• Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
• 3-inch biscuit cutter
• 10-inch cast iron skillet
• Pastry brush
• Clean dishtowel – to cool the hot biscuits

Step by Step Instructions

NOTE: Get the complete recipe in the printable recipe card below!

Step 1 | Prep Oven

Preheat the oven: Set the oven rack in the middle and turn the temperature to 450 degrees F.

Step 2 | Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set it aside.

Step 3 | Grate the Butter

Place a box grater on a small piece of parchment paper. Grate 2 tablespoons of the frozen butter on the large holes of the grater.

PRO TIP: I find it easiest to grate 2 tablespoons from a full stick of butter. If you look closely at the photo below, you can see that I made a little mark where I need to stop grating.

Step 4 | Chop the Frozen Bacon Grease

Quickly cut the solid fat in 1/4 inch pieces using a sharp knife.

Step 5 | Add Butter, Bacon Grease to Dry Ingredients

Use the parchment paper to transfer the grated butter to the dry ingredients. Sweep the chopped bacon grease into the dry mixture.

Use your fingers to mix the butter and bacon fat into the flour until there are no large clumps. (If you prefer, you can use a pastry cutter for this step.)

The mixture should have the consistency of coarse meal.

Step 6 | Mix in the Buttermilk

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour in the buttermilk, and stir it in with a spatula or wooden spoon until the dough comes together and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.

Step 7 | Shape the Dough

Transfer the dough to a well-floured cutting board. Sprinkle a little more flour on the top of the dough to prevent sticking. Pat the dough into a rough rectangle about 1 inch thick. Sprinkle a little more flour on the top of the dough to prevent sticking.

Step 8 | Fold the Dough

Fold the dough in half from top to bottom, then pat it back down into its original shape.

Step 9 | Repeat the Folding

Keep folding the dough, alternating from each side, the bottom, and the top.

PRO TIP: The dough may be slightly sticky for the first few folds, and it may help to use a knife or dough scraper to lift and fold the dough (see photo below).

Repeat this a total of 8 times, dusting the dough with flour as needed. These folds will create lovely flaky layers in your biscuits!

Step 10 | Cut the Biscuits

Pat the dough into a 6- by 9-inch rectangle. Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut out 6 biscuits.

If you don’t get 6 biscuits at first, fold and pat down the remaining dough and cut more as needed.

Step 11 | Bake the Biscuits

Arrange the biscuits in a 10-inch cast iron skillet so that they touch each other but not the sides of the pan. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and brush the tops with half the butter.

Place the skillet in the hot oven and increase the temperature to 500 degrees F. Bake until the biscuits are golden brown, about 14 to 18 minutes.

Step 12 | Brush with Butter and Enjoy!

Take the skillet out of the oven and brush the tops with the remaining melted butter.

Immediately transfer the biscuits from the pan to a clean dishtowel. Cool briefly and serve warm.

How to Store Leftovers

Biscuits may be stored at room temperature, tightly covered or in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.

How to Reheat Biscuits

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and arrange the biscuits on a baking sheet. Bake until the biscuits are heated through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Keep an eye on them to prevent over-browning.

Can You Freeze Cooked Biscuits?

Yes! Make sure the biscuits are completely cooled before freezing. If you try to freeze warm biscuits, condensation could form which could result in <<shudder>> soggy biscuits!

I like to wrap the biscuits individually in foil or Press n Seal wrap to protect them from freezer burn. Then put them in a freezer bag or sealed container and freeze up to 2 months.

Thaw the frozen biscuits on the counter for an hour or two, and reheat following the directions above.

What to Serve with Bacon Fat Biscuits

Here are some of our favorite spreads for fluffy biscuits:

• Butter
• Honey
• Bacon Butter
• Jam, jelly or preserves
• Apple Butter
• Devonshire Cream

These are some of our favorite accompaniments to freshly baked biscuits:

• Maple Candied Bacon (the BEST combination!)
• Fried chicken
• Thinly sliced ham
• Pulled pork
• Meatloaf
• Fried fish
• Barbecued ribs
• Chili or stew
• Soup (so good with Navy Bean Bacon Soup!)

What to do with Leftover Biscuits?

Here are 4 creative ways to use leftovers:

Biscuit Breakfast Sandwich: Slice the biscuits in half and use them as a base for a delicious breakfast sandwich. Fill them with scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, cheese, and any other desired toppings.

Biscuit French Toast: Dip the biscuits in a mixture of beaten eggs, milk, and vanilla extract, then cook them on a griddle or skillet until golden brown. Serve with syrup, fresh fruit, or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Biscuit Strawberry Shortcakes: Slice the biscuits in half, and fill them with a scoop of your favorite ice cream. Add fresh strawberries and whipped cream for a delightful dessert.

Biscuit Monte Cristo Sandwich: Layer sliced ham, turkey, and cheese between biscuits. Dip the sandwich in beaten eggs, then cook in a skillet until the cheese melts and the biscuits are golden brown. Serve with a side of jam or maple syrup.

Recipe Card

Here’s the full, printable recipe:

Got questions? Just ask! I’m happy to help.

If you post your creations on social media, tag #BENSABaconLovers so I can share! Thank you for your support. – Eliza

Nutrition Disclaimer: All nutritional information shared on this site is an approximation. I am not a certified nutritionist, and any nutritional information should be used as a general guideline.

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