If you’ve ever stood in your kitchen torn between the flakey, buttery layers of a Southern biscuit and the soft, pillowy rise of a dinner roll, you’re basically the reason Trisha Yearwood angel biscuits exist. They are the ultimate culinary "why not both?"
Most people think a biscuit has to be one specific thing. They think it’s either a heavy, leavened-by-powder brick or it’s a yeast roll that takes three hours to proof. This recipe flips that. It uses three different leavening agents—yeast, baking powder, and baking soda—to create something so light it literally earned the name "angel."
I’ve seen people mess these up by overthinking the yeast. Honestly, the yeast here isn't doing the heavy lifting for the "rise" like it does in a baguette. It’s mostly there for that fermented, nostalgic flavor and to give the crumb a specific, stretchy softness that a standard buttermilk biscuit lacks.
The Science of the "Angel" Rise
The magic of the Trisha Yearwood angel biscuits recipe isn't just in the ingredients; it's the chemistry. By combining yeast with chemical leaveners, you get a double-acting lift. The baking powder kicks in the moment it hits the oven's heat, but the yeast provides a structural "loft" that keeps the biscuit from feeling crumbly.
Trisha’s version, often shared on her Food Network show Trisha’s Southern Kitchen, is a tribute to her family roots in Georgia. It’s a "refrigerator dough." This is the best part for busy people. You can mix this dough, shove it in a bowl in the fridge, and it stays good for up to a week.
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Need three biscuits for breakfast? Pinch off a bit. Need a dozen for Sunday dinner? Roll it out. It's incredibly forgiving.
What You’ll Need
- All-purpose flour: About 5 cups. Don't use bread flour; it's too high in protein and will make your "angel" feel like a "bodybuilder."
- Vegetable shortening and Butter: Trisha often uses a mix or focuses on shortening for that classic Southern texture. I personally like cold, cubed unsalted butter for flavor.
- Buttermilk: 2 cups. It’s gotta be cold.
- The "Triple Threat": 1 package of dry active yeast, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 tablespoon baking powder.
- Sugar and Salt: Just enough to wake up the yeast and season the flour.
Why Most People Get the Texture Wrong
The biggest mistake? Over-handling.
You’ve probably heard this a thousand times, but with Trisha Yearwood angel biscuits, it’s fatal. Because there is yeast involved, people start treating it like pizza dough. They knead it. They punch it.
Stop. You want to "cut" the fat into the flour until it looks like small peas. If the fat melts because your hands are too warm or you’re working the dough too long, you lose the steam pockets. No steam pockets means no flakes. You’re left with a flat, greasy disk.
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Another pro tip: when you use your biscuit cutter, press straight down. Never twist. If you twist the cutter, you "seal" the edges of the dough, and the biscuit can't rise upward. It’ll just bulge awkwardly in the middle.
The "Make-Ahead" Secret
Trisha often talks about how her mom or Grandma Lizzie would have dough ready to go. The beauty of this specific dough is the cold fermentation.
When you let the dough sit in the fridge, the flour fully hydrates. The yeast also works slowly, developing a complex flavor that you just don't get with a 20-minute "emergency" biscuit.
- Mix the dry stuff.
- Dissolve the yeast in a tiny bit of warm water with a pinch of sugar.
- Cut in the fat until crumbly.
- Stir in the buttermilk and yeast mixture.
- Cover and chill. It’s that simple. You don't even have to let it rise on the counter if you don't want to, though 20 minutes of "tempering" before it hits the oven helps.
Serving Suggestions That Actually Make Sense
Don't just put butter on these. I mean, do, but also think bigger.
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Because Trisha Yearwood angel biscuits have that slightly sweet, yeasty profile, they are the perfect vessel for salty country ham. Trisha often pairs them with a "shaved" ham or uses them as the base for a mini-breakfast sandwich with a fried egg.
If you're feeling fancy, try her "Pear Maple Biscuits" variation, where she incorporates freeze-dried pears into the dough. It sounds weird. It tastes like a 5-star brunch.
Troubleshooting Your Batch
If your biscuits came out hard, you likely used too much flour during the rolling process. The dough should be sticky. If it’s not sticking to your fingers at least a little bit before the final fold, it’s too dry.
If they didn't rise, check your yeast. Even though there's baking powder in there, "dead" yeast will leave the dough heavy. Test your yeast in the warm water first—if it doesn't foam up in five minutes, throw it out and start over.
Actionable Next Steps
To get the perfect batch of Trisha Yearwood angel biscuits tomorrow, start tonight.
- Chill your bowl: Put your mixing bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes before you start. Cold tools keep the fat solid.
- Grate your fat: Instead of "cutting" butter with a fork, use a box grater to shred cold butter directly into the flour. It distributes perfectly without over-mixing.
- The "Book Fold": Once the dough is out, pat it into a rectangle, fold it in thirds like a letter, and repeat twice. This creates the "Sky-High" layers Trisha is famous for.
- High Heat: Bake at 400°F to 425°F. You need that immediate "blast" of heat to activate the steam and the baking powder.
Once they come out, brush the tops with melted butter and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. It changes everything.