How Chick-Fil-A Makes Its Breakfast Biscuits So Fluffy

Some fast food menu items get more pomp and circumstance than others, but that doesn't mean the simple ones aren't beloved. This is especially true of Chick-fil-A's biscuit. Sure, it is tough to resist Chick-fil-A's waffle fries, but these golden on the outside, flaky and soft on the inside pieces of baked dough are among this quick-service restaurant's most ordered foods. In fact, in 2018, the company shared that it sold 133 million of these babies. They're just that good. And if you are wondering what the secret is to achieving the pillowy texture of a Chick-fil-A biscuit, it's all in the folding. 

In a video demonstration with Southern Living, Chick-fil-A Culinary Expert Wing Lau shared that after flattening out the dough, he incorporates a few folds. But how he folds it is worth taking note of. Lau uses what is known as a letter fold.  He starts by creating a rectangle with his dough, and then, starting horizontally, he folds a third of the dough over the center and then the remaining third over that to create a tri-fold of dough. After this, he repeats the method, only he turns the dough vertically. Simple, right?

What does folding do? First, it eliminates kneading, but this technique does two other very important things for the eating experience. It makes for a consistent dough, and it incorporates air, which will help the biscuit develop those flaky layers and texture as the biscuit bakes. But when Wang Lau folds the dough, he is also careful not to be heavy-handed. He uses an essential kitchen tool, AKA the bench knife or scraper, to help make the folds. This way, it isn't being overly handled and naturally warmed up from the human touch.

Of course, there is one other secret that you may want to adopt. Chick-fil-A uses White Lily flour. This flour acts more like a pastry flour. It contains less protein than all-purpose flour, which means less gluten develops, allowing for the dough to become light and fluffy. So, whether you are making a buttermilk biscuit, Southern-style biscuits, or a copycat Chick-fil-A biscuit, make certain to fold your dough and use White Lily flour for the best results.