Light and Fluffy Biscuits with Cheddar and Scallions
By America's Test KitchenPublished on July 22, 2011
Time
45 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling
Yield
Makes 12 biscuits
Ingredients
Before You Begin
If you don’t have buttermilk, there is no need to run to the store. Make a substitute by stirring 1 tablespoon plus 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1¼ cups milk. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 10 minutes until thickened.
Instructions
- CHILL FAT Cut butter and shortening into ½-inch pieces and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
- MIX DOUGH Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in food processor until combined. Add chilled butter and shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheddar and scallions.
- KNEAD DOUGH Transfer flour mixture to large bowl. Stir in buttermilk until combined. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly, 8 to 10 times, to form smooth, cohesive ball. Roll dough into 9-inch circle, about ¾ inch thick.
- CUT BISCUITS Using 2½-inch biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut out rounds and arrange upside down on prepared baking sheet. Gather remaining dough and pat gently into ¾-inch-thick circle. Cut rounds from dough and transfer to baking sheet.
- BAKE BISCUITS Bake until biscuits begin to rise, about 5 minutes, then rotate pan and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.
- Cut rounds can be refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap, for 1 day. To finish, heat oven to 450 degrees and proceed with step
make ahead
Time
45 minutes, plus 30 minutes chillingYield
Makes 12 biscuitsIngredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For our Light and Fluffy Biscuits with Cheddar and Scallions recipe, we combined the dry ingredients with the butter and shortening in the food processor; otherwise, our warm hands melted the fat, resulting in greasy biscuits. Kneading was a necessary step to activate the gluten in the flour and helped the biscuits rise, but we took care not to overdo it; otherwise, we wound up with tough biscuits.
Before You Begin
If you don’t have buttermilk, there is no need to run to the store. Make a substitute by stirring 1 tablespoon plus 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1¼ cups milk. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 10 minutes until thickened.
Instructions
- CHILL FAT Cut butter and shortening into ½-inch pieces and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
- MIX DOUGH Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in food processor until combined. Add chilled butter and shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheddar and scallions.
- KNEAD DOUGH Transfer flour mixture to large bowl. Stir in buttermilk until combined. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly, 8 to 10 times, to form smooth, cohesive ball. Roll dough into 9-inch circle, about ¾ inch thick.
- CUT BISCUITS Using 2½-inch biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut out rounds and arrange upside down on prepared baking sheet. Gather remaining dough and pat gently into ¾-inch-thick circle. Cut rounds from dough and transfer to baking sheet.
- BAKE BISCUITS Bake until biscuits begin to rise, about 5 minutes, then rotate pan and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.
- Cut rounds can be refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap, for 1 day. To finish, heat oven to 450 degrees and proceed with step
make ahead
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