Sorghum and Butter Biscuits

This is distinct from cold biscuits with sorghum — this is a biscuit where the sorghum was baked directly into the dough. The result was a slightly sweet, dark-tinted biscuit with a molasses depth throughout every bite. Eaten plain, these biscuits were complete without any topping. They stayed moist longer than plain biscuits and were a favorite for long workdays when the lunch pail couldn’t be opened until mid-afternoon.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt

½ cup cold lard, cubed

• 2 tbsp sorghum molasses
• ½ cup cold buttermilk (approximately — adjust as needed)

Directions

1. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt.

Cut cold lard into flour until pea-sized.

1. Stir sorghum molasses into cold buttermilk to combine.
2. Add the sorghum buttermilk to the flour mixture. Mix only until the dough just comes together — it will be stiff and slightly sticky.
3. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Fold 3 times, then pat to ¾ inch thickness.
4. Cut into rounds. Place on a greased cast iron skillet or unlined baking sheet.
5. Bake at 425°F for 13–15 minutes until the tops are a deep golden brown — slightly darker than plain biscuits due to the sorghum.
6. Cool completely. Pack for the lunch pail.

Notes

Sorghum biscuits were made when the white sugar ran out but the sorghum crock still had plenty — which was often. The sorghum adds a complex, mineral sweetness and keeps the biscuits moist for longer. They are excellent with slices of country ham, which plays off the sweetness beautifully.