Biscuits are an all American classic. They’re perfect for breakfast with bacon and eggs, or turned into sausage and cheese breakfast sandwiches. And who doesn’t love biscuits and gravy, strawberry shortcake, or peach cobbler? Biscuits also go great with a bowl of hot soup. They’re wonderful piled warm into a basket and served with butter and honey. And let’s not forget they’re the quintessential ingredient in monkey bread. However you like to eat biscuits, this recipe is tasty and really easy to prepare. The secret is to handle your dough as little as possible. The more you handle your dough, the tougher your biscuits turn out. Biscuits are best served warm from the oven the same day they’re made, but these ones will keep in an airtight container for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
For soft sides like these, bake biscuits in the pan with their sides touching each other.
BASIC BISCUITS
(Makes 6-8 biscuits)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. sugar
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ½ cup cold butter, cut in pieces (can substitute margarine or shortening)
- ¾ cup milk or buttermilk (you might need a little extra)
- extra flour for kneading
- 2 Tbsp. melted butter, for brushing on top (optional)
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease bottom of cast iron skillet or baking sheet.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.
- Using 2 knives or a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs.
- Stir in milk just till mixture comes together. You’ll have a soft, sticky dough.
- Turn dough out onto a floured work surface, sprinkle a little more flour on top, and pat it with your hands into a rough rectangular shape.
- Knead dough by folding it in half towards you and lightly pressing it together.
- Turn the dough a quarter turn and fold it in half towards you again, lightly pressing together.
- Repeat till you’ve done this 4 or 5 times. Don’t over knead your dough!
- Pat dough to desired thickness (I like about an inch thick).
- Cut with a sharp biscuit cutter dipped in flour using a straight down and up motion. Don’t twist the cutter or your biscuits won’t rise properly. Dip the cutter in flour between each cut.
- Arrange biscuits in pan. If you want crusty sides, place them an inch apart. If you want soft sides, place them in the pan touching each other.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- Take biscuits out of oven and immediately brush tops with melted butter, if desired.
NOTE: To make make biscuits using a food processor, place dry ingredients in work bowl and pulse a few times to combine. Pulse cold butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in milk or buttermilk and pulse until just combined. Then continue with Step 5.
TO MAKE HERB BISCUITS: Add ¼ cup dried herbs, such as basil, oregano, thyme, savory, parsley, etc., to the dry ingredients. You can use a single herb or a combination of 2 or more herbs.
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