. . . the best biscuits

There is something about a simple biscuit that is so comforting. I didn't grow up eating them, but they brought me joy in my college years when I left home at the tender age of 17 to see what the world had to share.  As it turns out, it had amazing biscuits to share at the diner down the street, and if I got there early, I could get a full breakfast including one of these biscuits for something to the tune of $3. 

The other day when I was feeling a bit nostalgic for those early wide-eyed days of exploration, I came across the recipe for those exact biscuits.  Needless to say, I had to make them right away.

Not only were they just as I remembered, but they were just the thing I needed to round out my menu for Thanksgiving.

A great recipe for the kids to help out with, they're perfectly imperfect and don't require any messy rolling or cutting and they're. . .

Oh. So. Very. Good.

 

The Best Buttermilk Biscuits

Recipe adapted from Dot's Diner in Boulder via Bon Appetit

Makes 6 large biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter (plus one additional tablespoon for the tops of the biscuits)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• kosher salt for the tops of the biscuits

Preheat oven to 425.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (apart from the kosher salt).  Add the 6 tablespoons of cold butter (I even like to put mine in the freezer for a bit) and work them in until you have something that resembles course meal.

Add the buttermilk* and stir until combined. It will be a bit crumbly, but that's ok.  Make sure not to overwork the dough. 

*If you don't have any buttermilk on hand you can make some by adding 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice to 1/2 cup milk and letting it sit for 5-10 min until it begins to thicken.

Use 1/3 cup of dough for each biscuit (if you'd like more moderate portions go with 1/4 cup) and drop onto a lined baking sheet. I left my dough a bit craggy until I pressed it gently into the measuring cup where it came together completely.

Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter and sprinkle a few crystals of salt on top of each.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Allow to cool for a little bit and serve warm with your favorite jam and butter (or whatever else your heart desires)

 

With the Kids: Invite the kids to help you measure the ingredients. Ask them to work the butter into the flour mixture with their fingers and form the biscuits on the baking sheet. While they are baking, come up with things you would like to try on a biscuit. Try mixing different flavors into butter (like honey, herbs, etc.) Or perhaps make some of your very own jam. Enjoy the biscuits fresh out of the oven before the day becomes full with the beauty and business of a holiday celebration.

 

~ Sarah

P.S. This lovely collection of Thanksgiving recipes from each of the 50 states is fun to look through if you find yourself in need of a bit of holiday recipe inspiration :)

*Last time in Recipes: 10 Thanksgiving Sides and Sweets