Buttermilk makes biscuits rise and get fluffy
Tangy buttermilk's acids react with baking soda, creating carbon dioxide gas that makes biscuits rise into wonderfully fluffy, tender delights, a kitchen chemistry marvel.
Biscuits get their signature light texture from a clever chemical reaction. The lactic acid in tangy buttermilk mixes with baking soda, releasing carbon dioxide gas. This gas creates tiny bubbles that expand in the oven, making the biscuits dramatically rise. This quick-acting process, unlike yeast, has been a Southern American cooking staple since baking soda became widely available in the 1840s. Buttermilk also tenderizes the dough by breaking down gluten, resulting in softer, flakier biscuits. You can even mimic this acidity with milk and lemon juice if you're out of buttermilk!