This will be blasphemy to some but I would recommend using Bisquik and whole milk until you get your biscuits down pat.  It makes good biscuits and if you use that combination you will know it is something you are doing wrong as compared to the ingrediants.

I'm 49 and have been making good biscuits since I was ten years old.

One of these cast iron spiders is the best thing I've ever used to bake them on.  Bake fairly hot, 450 for medium thick ones like in the picture.

Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a try.

Jim K

My Mother made bisquik biscuits for many years and I loved them.  I have also made them many times...and the little cinnamon swirl recipe cake that is on the box ...or used to be.  I think one problem is that many people over work the dough...They require very little in the way of kneading.  Just bring the dough together.  I also like a wet dough...flour the board and pour the sticky mess on the board and moosh around in the flour  just enough to get it to a workable consistency...

Baking is always as much an art as it is a science.  The key to making biscuits is to recognize what the dough is supposed to look and feel like before baking.

It sounds like you need to add a bit more liquid.  I also find that I use my fingers to incorporate the fat (I use butter) into the flour and baking powder before adding the liquid (milk or buttermilk, depending on what I have on hand) makes all the difference when you are learning.

Also, is your baking powder fresh?  If it's old, it won't rise, which also may account for your dense dough.

I sometimes roll, sometimes drop my biscuits, but the dough feels "alive" to me.  It's light and airy....but that's how I perceive it.

It took me a while to get the hang of it, but I did eventually, and so will you.  You'll know immediately if it'll work.

Thanks to all for the sugestions.  I finally got a batch today to turn out like they were supposed to.  Like all else, practice practice practice.

Jim K