There’s nothing that says “come on in and sit down” quite like a pan of hot, golden biscuits fresh out of the oven, and that’s exactly the feeling behind this Hardee’s copycat biscuit recipe shared on the latest video. Here at Bobbi Jo’s, we believe biscuits shouldn’t be complicated or fussy—they should be the kind of simple, honest food that fills up a kitchen with good smells and brings everybody to the table. This recipe brings that classic fast-food biscuit taste home, using just a handful of pantry staples and a little bit of know-how.

What You’ll Need

This recipe keeps things simple, which is exactly how good Southern cooking ought to be:

• 4 cups self-rising flour
• 3/4 cup shortening (lard is used instead here, which makes all the difference in flavor)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 cups buttermilk, plus a little extra for brushing on top

Self-rising flour already has the leavening and salt worked in, so it does a lot of the heavy lifting here, which is part of what makes this such an approachable, no-fuss recipe for cooks of any skill level.

How It Comes Together

Cutting the fat into the flour is where the magic starts, since that’s what gives these biscuits their tender, flaky texture instead of turning out tough or dense. Once the shortening (or lard, as preferred) is worked in and the buttermilk is stirred through, the dough comes together quickly without a lot of kneading or fussing over it. After cutting the biscuits, the tops get brushed with a little extra buttermilk before they go in the oven, which helps them bake up with that beautiful golden-brown color everybody loves to see, just like the ones from the drive-through.

Baking Temperature Matters

The original method calls for baking at 500 degrees until the biscuits turn brown, but there’s a helpful tip for anyone using a cast iron skillet instead of a regular baking sheet. Cast iron holds and conducts heat differently than a standard pan, so it tends to brown the bottoms of the biscuits much faster than the tops, which can leave a burnt bottom and a pale top if you’re not careful. That’s why, for cast iron, it’s recommended to drop the oven down to 450 degrees and simply bake until the biscuits are golden brown all over, keeping a close eye on them rather than watching the clock.

Why Lard Instead of Shortening

One little swap that makes a big difference in this recipe is using lard instead of shortening. Lard brings a richer, more old-fashioned flavor to biscuits and helps create that tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb that folks remember from their grandmother’s kitchen table. It’s a small change, but it’s the kind of little tweak that turns a good biscuit into a great one—practical, tried-and-true wisdom worth passing along.