America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Cornmeal Drop Biscuits with Green Chiles

By Ashley Moore

Published on August 11, 2015

Time

50 minutes

Yield

Makes 12 biscuits

Cornmeal Drop Biscuits with Green Chiles

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (7 ½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour ½ cup (2 ½ ounces/71 grams) stone-ground cornmeal ¼ cup canned diced green chiles, patted dry3 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk, chilled8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Before You Begin

Be sure to chill the buttermilk so the butter clumps when the two are combined.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, cornmeal, chiles, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Stir buttermilk and melted butter in separate bowl until butter forms clumps.
  2. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated. Using greased 1/4-cup dry measuring cup or equal-size portion scoop, drop scant 1/4-cup scoops of batter 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared sheet (use spoon to free batter from cup if necessary).
  3. Bake until biscuit tops are golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer biscuits to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. (To refresh day-old biscuits, heat them in 300-degree oven for 10 minutes.)
Cornmeal Drop Biscuits with Green Chiles

Cornmeal Drop Biscuits with Green Chiles

Save

Time

50 minutes

Yield

Makes 12 biscuits

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (7 ½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup (2 ½ ounces/71 grams) stone-ground cornmeal
¼ cup canned diced green chiles, patted dry
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, chilled
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (7 ½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup (2 ½ ounces/71 grams) stone-ground cornmeal
¼ cup canned diced green chiles, patted dry
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, chilled
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (7 ½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup (2 ½ ounces/71 grams) stone-ground cornmeal
¼ cup canned diced green chiles, patted dry
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, chilled
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

A 1:3 ratio of cornmeal to flour gives these easy buttermilk drop biscuits a light texture while retaining the earthy flavor of stone-ground cornmeal. We added sugar to balance the flavor of the cornmeal and a combination of leaveners to keep the biscuits light and tender. Diced canned green chilies add a savory bite to the biscuits.

Before You Begin

Be sure to chill the buttermilk so the butter clumps when the two are combined.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, cornmeal, chiles, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Stir buttermilk and melted butter in separate bowl until butter forms clumps.
  2. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated. Using greased 1/4-cup dry measuring cup or equal-size portion scoop, drop scant 1/4-cup scoops of batter 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared sheet (use spoon to free batter from cup if necessary).
  3. Bake until biscuit tops are golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer biscuits to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. (To refresh day-old biscuits, heat them in 300-degree oven for 10 minutes.)

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

This is a members' feature.