Sources of fat in traditional recipes include bacon or chicken fat, lard, butter or vegetable shortening. Sometimes oil is used. Though it does not contribute to flakiness, oil can produce a tender product. All fats contain 9 calories per gram and have certain attributes in baking. Some bakers applaud the use of lard, an animal fat.
Butter imparts a distinct flavor, while vegetable shortening produces flakiness.
There are several types of biscuits, including a drop biscuit made from a thick batter and a rolled one made from dough lightly kneaded, then rolled and cut. Since the drop biscuit contains more liquid, the percentage of calories from fat is often lower than its rolled cousin. In a review of biscuit recipes over recent decades, Adams says most recipes called for two tablespoons of fat per cup of flour. At Mother's in New Orleans, a restaurant famous for great biscuits, chef-owner Jerry Amato doesn't experiment with new recipes. The one he has used for 60 years calls for vegetable shortening, buttermilk and all-purpose flour.