I grew up in the Deep South where biscuits are everywhere. Old grannies there swear by White Lily flour and there’s arguments over whether shortening or butter makes the best biscuits. Raised by New Yorkers, I did not learn to make biscuits during my time below the Mason-Dixon line…I believe my mom used Bisquick for her “biscuit dough pizza” - shocking both biscuit loving Southerners AND pizza loving NYers everywhere! During the pandemic, I’ve tried my best to figure out baking my favorite breakfast food, from biscuits to muffins.
This is my version of Sally’s Baking Addiction’s buttermilk biscuits - it makes a ton and is flexible enough for when you don’t have buttermilk on hand. You can make them your own - add honey to the dough, or not; brush the tops of the biscuits with plain buttermilk or heavy cream, or, add a tsp of (real) maple syrup and a pinch of salt to a few tablespoons of cream.
Ingredients
5 c. flour, plus extra for dusting
4 TB baking powder
2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed and very cold
2 c. cold buttermilk or ¼ c. white vinegar and 1 ¾ c. milk
Extra buttermilk or heavy cream to brush the tops of the biscuits
Optional: 2-4 tsp honey
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Place the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large food processor. Pulse until combined. Add the cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients by pulsing several times in the processor. Cut/pulse until coarse crumbs form (pea sized). Pour the mixture into a large bowl.
Make a well in the center of the mixture. Pour 1 cup buttermilk (and drizzle honey on top - if using). Fold everything together with a large spoon or rubber spatula until it begins to come together. Do not overwork the dough. The dough will be shaggy and crumbly with some wet spots.
Pour the dough and any dough crumbles onto a floured work surface and gently bring together with generously floured hands. The dough will become sticky as you bring it together. Have extra flour nearby and use it often to flour your hands and work surface in this step. Using floured hands or a floured rolling pin, flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle as best you can.
Fold the top third down to the middle, then the bottom third up over (like folding a letter in thirds). Turn the dough horizontally. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle again. Repeat the folding again. Turn the dough horizontally one more time. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle. Repeat the folding one last time. Flatten into the final 3/4 inch thick rectangle.
Cut into 2.5 or 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. (Tip: Do not twist the biscuit cutter when pressing down into the dough– this seals off the edges of the biscuit which prevents them from fully rising.) Re-roll scraps until all the dough is used - you can also bake the weird shaped pieces that look like dinosaurs and bananas. You should have about 16+ biscuits.
Place the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper.
Brush the tops with remaining buttermilk, cream, or salty maple cream.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown. (Mine take about 17 minutes)
They freeze well and toast up nicely!
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