Mayonnaise Is The Secret Ingredient For A Tangier Biscuit

Especially in the South, the dinner table isn't complete without a basket of fresh, buttery homemade biscuits. However, if you want your biscuits to be the star of the show at your next meal, you might want to consider incorporating mayonnaise into your biscuit batter. While mayo may be an unconventional choice, it's also the right move — especially for deliciously tangy biscuits — so put your mayophobia aside. 

The vinegar in mayonnaise is what makes the most pronounced difference in taste. Since mayonnaise is typically made with egg yolks and cider vinegar, incorporating it into biscuit dough creates a fluffier, tastier biscuit. Acetic acid is the main component of vinegar and lends the solution its sour taste and smell. However, after being combined with the egg yolks in mayonnaise and other biscuit ingredients, it imparts a milder twang. 

Mayonnaise is also an emulsifier and can replace fat, like butter, in your biscuits, meaning you can skip adding a stick; the oil in mayonnaise can replace this ingredient entirely. This is why mayonnaise is sometimes used in chocolate cake as well. 

Mixing mayonnaise into your biscuit recipe is a relatively simple process. Mix mayonnaise with flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to form a clumpy mixture. Depending on your recipe, you'll either add milk or buttermilk to complete the dough. To give your biscuits an added zest, feel free to lightly coat the tops of each biscuit in mayo as well. Alternatively, to make milder-tasting biscuits, baste them in milk. 

Choosing the right kind of mayo is also vital for this ingredient swap. While, in theory, all types of mayo should be created equal, each brand has its own take. Ideally, you want to pick one like Duke's mayo, which is tangier than other brands. Alternatively, you could go with Hellmann's if you're looking for a mellower biscuit that retains a fluffy, tender consistency. 

Ultimately, the choice depends on your and your dinner guests' tastes. However, you will want to avoid low-fat or light mayonnaise, as the lessened fat content will make a poor substitute in your biscuit recipe — and we don't want to sacrifice flavor. Finally, consider using a muffin tin for even simpler biscuit baking; this handy vessel will make molding and forming a breeze.