Recipes

Baking Powder Biscuits

Recipe No. 26 from the U.S. Army's WWII cookbook — Breads. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Army TM10-412 · Breads

Serves 25 pounds mixture, 212 biscuits, each 2½ inches diameter
View source — TM 10-412 Army Recipes (War Department, 1944) ↗

Recipe No. 26 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Breads. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

  • Flour, sifted — 12 pounds (12 No. 56 dippers)
  • Baking powder — 10 ounces (½ mess kit cup)
  • Salt — 3 ounces (6 mess kit spoons)
  • Shortening — 3 pounds (1½ No. 56 dippers)
  • Milk, evaporated — 4¼ — 14½-ounce cans
  • Water (for milk)* — 2½ quarts (2½ No. 56 dippers)

Directions

Key ingredients

Baking Soda & Baking Powder · Evaporated Milk

  1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add shortening; stir until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  2. Mix milk and water. Add to dry ingredients, mixing only enough to combine dry and liquid ingredients.
  3. Place dough on floured bread board and knead lightly. Roll ¾ inch thick; cut dough into biscuits with floured biscuit cutter.
  4. Place in baking pans. Bake in hot oven (450° F.) about 15 minutes.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Flour, sifted — 15⅓ oz Baking powder — ¾ oz Salt — about 1½ tsp Shortening — 3¾ oz Milk, evaporated — ½ can (14½ oz) Water (for milk) — 12¾ tbsp

The amount of water will vary according to the type of flour used. Biscuits may be brushed with melted shortening or milk before baking.

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 26, Breads. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.