Buttermilk Biscuits
Servings: 10 to 12 biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surfaces
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced, plus 3 Tbsp for brushing
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 thyme sprigs
- 2 tsp honey
- Flake salt, to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425°. Place an 8-inch cast iron skillet in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt and pulse until mixed.
- Add the 4 tablespoons cold, diced butter and pulse until the butter is about the size of peas.
- Place the mixture in a large mixing bowl. Fold in the buttermilk until a soft dough is formed.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and form it into a ½-inch thick rectangle.
- Fold the left side into the center, and then fold the right side over it. Gently pat it down until it’s a ½-inch thick again, and then repeat the folds.
- Pat the dough down a final time, until it’s an inch thick. Using a lightly floured ring mold or circular cookie cutter, cut the dough into biscuits. Be careful not to twist the cutter while cutting — just press straight down, and then twist to release. Gather any leftover dough together and cut out the remaining biscuits.
- Lightly spray the chilled cast iron skillet with cooking spray and arrange the biscuits in the pan so they are touching on all sides.
- Bake the biscuits for 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the thyme and honey. Brush the butter mixture over the biscuits and bake for an additional 7 minutes or until golden brown.
- Sprinkle with flake salt and serve warm.
These biscuits are perfect with a simple slathering of butter. But you could smear on some apple butter (see page 92), or make biscuits and gravy, eggs benedict, a sausage breakfast sammie — whatever floats your yolk.