Making the Dough

• Whether you plan to freeze biscuits for later or bake them right away, use a light hand when making biscuits and keep ingredients, such as cream, butter or shortening, cold. Starting with cold butter or shortening ensures that the fat will form little pockets in the flour. These pockets fill with steam during baking so the biscuits rise and turn out tender and fluffy. Another trick is to use pastry flour, although all-purpose flour works too. Biscuits need fresh baking powder and baking soda to rise properly, which is especially important if you're freezing them. Roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thick and cut it with biscuit cutters. Another option is to form it into a square and cut the square into 2-inch pieces.

Into the Freezer

• Once you've formed the biscuits, place them immediately on a baking sheet covered with a sheet of parchment paper or silicone liner. Put the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze for up to two hours, or until the biscuits are firm. Now it's time to pack the frozen biscuits in freezer bags or plastic containers. Date them and store them at 0 F. Use frozen biscuits within four weeks. They'll keep indefinitely, but the quality begins to decline after this.

Just in Time for Dinner

• One of the best things about frozen biscuits is that you can make only as many as you need. Whether you need a dozen or just a couple, frozen biscuits offer a lot of flexibility. Preheat the oven to 475 Fahrenheit, and pull the biscuits from the freezer. Set them on a baking sheet, spaced 2 inches apart. Bake the biscuits for 8 minutes. At this point, they probably won't be completely done. Turn off the oven and bake an additional 5 to 8 minutes, or until they're golden brown and flaky.

New Ideas

• Biscuits don't contain preservatives so they turn stale and hard within a few hours of making them. This is just another reason why freezing them is such a good idea. If you have leftovers, though, wrap them in plastic and reheat them in a microwave for 20 seconds to improve their flavor. Use them within a day or two. Baking powder biscuits with a dab of butter or honey are heaven on their own, but experiment with other flavorings, as well. Add sharp, grated cheese, dried blueberries or dill or rosemary, depending on your meal. Brush biscuits with cream, melted butter or an egg wash made by whisking egg together with a bit of water. These additions take just a minute but improve both the taste and appearance of biscuits.