Buttermilk Biscuits
For someone who lives in the Northeast, I have an unhealthy obsession with biscuits. In my opinion, the gold standard is a fresh, warm Cracker Barrel biscuit. You can judge me all you want, but they are the shit. They’re buttery and salty and I can eat six of them in one sitting. My version is inspired by those heavenly pillows, but I’ve added a personal touch. Firstly, I like to add folds to get some beautiful layers. Secondly, I prefer to cut the biscuits into squares so that you don’t need a cutter and don’t waste any of the dough!
Because it’s hard to word, here’s a visual example of how to fold the dough…
Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) European-style butter, frozen
- ¾ cup buttermilk, plus more for brushing
- 1 tablespoon vodka, chilled
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt until well combined.
- Using the largest holes of a box grater, grate the butter into the bowl.
- Using your hands, quickly toss the butter with the dry ingredients, just until evenly incorporated.
- Add the buttermilk and vodka and stir with a wooden spoon or a Dutch whisk until a dough begins to come together.
- Dump the mixture onto a clean work surface and, with your hands, gently knead the mixture until all the flour is incorporated. Try not to overwork the dough.
- Using a rolling pin, and adding a sprinkling of flour as needed to limit sticking, roll the dough into a 10-inch by 7-inch rectangle.
- Fold one of the short sides of the rectangle towards the center, then fold the opposite side of the dough over that to create three layers.
- Rotate the dough, then repeat the process two more times, rolling and folding the dough to create additional layers.
- Using a rolling pin or your hands, shape the dough into an 8-inch by 4-inch rectangle, about ¾-inch in thickness.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into eight 2-inch by 2-inch squares.
- Place the biscuits onto a parchment paper-lined sheet pan, leaving at least 2-inches between each to account for spreading.
- Refrigerate for 20 minutes, meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425-degrees.
- Brush the tops with buttermilk and top with a light sprinkling of flaky sea salt.
- Place the biscuits into the oven and drop the temperature to 400-degrees.
- Bake until puffed, golden brown around the edges, and cooked through, about 16 minutes.
- Serve hot or at room temperature. They’re best when eaten the same day they’re baked, however, you can rewarm them the next day. To do so, wrap them tightly in foil and place them in a 250-degree oven for 6 minutes to steam. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for a few minutes more.
Notes
Because biscuits are so buttery, it can sometimes be hard to tell if they’re fully cooked. To make sure that they are not doughy, I use a thermometer to check the interior temperature. For perfectly cooked biscuits, you’re aiming for 200-degrees F.
