Blissfully simple and speedy to prepare, cream biscuits also happen to be almost unbelievably fluffy, soft, and rich. They make a truly ethereal breakfast or tea time treat, served with your favorite jam of course. I strongly recommend White Lily flour for this recipe, but please don't deprive yourself of biscuits solely on account of any lack of availability in your area when it comes to this particular flour. (Personally speaking, I can't find it in my local grocery store, but the magic of online shopping always delivers.) This recipe is a wonderful antidote anytime you're feeling a little world weary...just pull out a chair, pour a cup of something steamy, and split open one of these small golden goodies fresh from the oven. Let's call it the cream biscuit cure.
This is one of those recipes that comes in particularly handy when you are really busy, but still want something quick, satisfying, and from scratch. (For instance when you're preparing a big holiday meal and just need a few quiet moments with some uplifting sustenance to keep you going.)
Ingredients for Cream Biscuits
- all purpose flour (use White Lily for the best results)
- baking powder
- sugar
- kosher salt
- heavy whipping cream
- unsalted butter
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Heat the oven to 425℉. In the meantime, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the heavy whipping cream all at once.
With a silicone spatula, stir the cream into the flour mixture very briefly, or just until moistened into large clumps.
Turn the dough out onto a slightly floured surface and quickly press it together.
Pat the dough into a flat round roughly 8 to 10 inches across and about ½ inch high.
Using a round cutter, cut the dough into biscuit shapes and place them on an ungreased baking sheet. Press the scraps together and cut out the remainder.
Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until puffed and golden.
Brush the biscuits with melted butter and serve immediately with your favorite jam.
Hint: You will want to be sure that there is some good jam in your pantry when serving these biscuits. The small amount of sugar added to the dry ingredients is only for purposes of browning and does not lend any detectable sweetness to the end result.
Variations
For a simplified variation, cream biscuits can also be made with self-rising flour. (I prefer White Lily Unbleached Self-Rising Flour here.) If using self-rising flour, simply omit the baking powder and salt when you combine the dry ingredients.
Equipment
A fluted biscuit cutter makes for very pretty edges on these biscuits, but use whatever you prefer or have on hand.
Storage
Cream biscuits are by far the best when eaten practically straight out of the oven and certainly still warm, but most folks won't complain about a room temperature biscuit.
Top tip
This is one of those recipes where the ingredients are simple and the variation in your results may be significant depending on the specific flour that you choose. Should you really go out of your way to procure a bag of White Lily flour for this recipe? Yes, it makes a very noticeable (and heavenly) difference in the ultimate flavor and texture. Will you still enjoy these biscuits if you simply can't get your hands on this particular flour? Yes, homemade cream biscuits are always better than no biscuits.
📖 Recipe
Cream Biscuits
Equipment
- large baking sheet
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour (White Lily strongly recommended)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted for brushing)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425℉. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the heavy whipping cream all at once.
- With a silicone spatula, stir the cream into the flour mixture very briefly, or just until moistened into large clumps.
- Turn the dough out onto a slightly floured surface and quickly press it together.
- Pat the dough into a flat round roughly 8 to 10 inches across and about ½ inch high.
- Using a round cutter, cut the dough into biscuit shapes and place them on an ungreased baking sheet. Press the scraps together and cut out the remainder.
- Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until puffed and golden. Brush the biscuits with melted butter and serve immediately with your favorite jam.
Leave a Reply