If you’re craving that classic taste of Southern comfort food, nothing quite hits the spot like homemade buttermilk biscuits. And when it comes to reliable, delicious recipes, Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman herself, is a trusted name in kitchens across America. For those of us who appreciate a warm, flaky biscuit, her recipe is a true gem. While I’ve experimented with various buttermilk biscuit recipes – even trying the acclaimed version from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home cookbook which was indeed delicious – I must say, the Pioneer Woman’s recipe stands out for its simplicity and consistently excellent results. Watching these biscuits rise to golden perfection in the oven is a baking joy!
Close-up of freshly baked Pioneer Woman buttermilk biscuits, showcasing their golden-brown tops and flaky layers.
To help you achieve biscuit-baking success, let’s explore some essential tips inspired by years of biscuit making and refined by the wisdom of cooks like the Pioneer Woman.
Key Tips for Baking Fluffy Pioneer Woman Buttermilk Biscuits
Creating perfect buttermilk biscuits is a balance of technique and understanding your ingredients. Here are crucial tips to ensure your biscuits are light, fluffy, and utterly irresistible:
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Keep Your Dough Cold and Don’t Overwork It: This is biscuit baking rule number one! Overworking the dough develops the gluten, leading to tough, dense biscuits. Handle the dough gently and mix just until combined. Think tender, not tough.
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The Straight Cut Biscuit Cutter Technique: When cutting out your biscuits, resist the urge to twist the cutter. A straight down cut is crucial. Twisting seals the edges, preventing the biscuits from rising to their full, glorious height. A sharp biscuit cutter also makes a clean cut, essential for that perfect rise.
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Cold Butter is Your Best Friend: Cold butter is the secret weapon for flaky layers. As the biscuits bake, the cold butter creates steam, which in turn creates pockets of air and those signature flaky layers we all adore. For extra insurance, consider chilling your mixing bowl in the freezer for a few minutes before you begin.
A plate of warm Pioneer Woman buttermilk biscuits, ready to be served with butter, jam, or honey.
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Brush Off Excess Flour: Too much flour on the biscuit tops and bottoms can result in dry biscuits. Before baking, gently brush off any excess flour to ensure a moist and tender crumb.
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Choosing Your Butter Cutting Method: You can use either a food processor or a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter into the flour. Both methods work effectively. For this particular Pioneer Woman recipe, a pastry cutter is perfectly sufficient and offers a more hands-on baking experience.
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Flour Power: Protein Matters: The type of flour you use significantly impacts biscuit texture. For the lightest, fluffiest biscuits, opt for flours with lower protein content. In the South, White Lily flour is a beloved choice for biscuits and quick breads due to its lower protein percentage. Remember this rule of thumb: Lower Protein = Better for biscuits and quick breads; Higher Protein = Better for yeast breads.
Pioneer Woman Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe
Ready to bake? Here’s the recipe inspired by The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook, guaranteed to bring smiles to your breakfast or dinner table.
Recipe Source: The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 1/3 cup cold butter (5 1/3 tablespoons), cut into small pieces
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Baking Directions:
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Preheat Oven: Set your oven to a high heat of 450°F (232°C).
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Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until well combined.
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Incorporate Fats: Add the shortening and the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening and butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You should still see small pieces of butter – this is key for flakiness!
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Add Buttermilk: Pour in the buttermilk and gently mix with a fork just until everything is barely combined. The dough will be sticky, which is exactly what you want. Avoid overmixing!
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Shape the Biscuits: Lightly flour a clean work surface. Turn the sticky dough out onto the floured surface and gently roll or pat it to a ¾-inch thickness. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out rounds, pressing straight down without twisting. Place the biscuit rounds onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
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Bake to Golden Perfection: Bake in the preheated oven for 11-14 minutes, or until the biscuits are beautifully golden brown on top. Ensure they are baked through – underbaking can result in doughy centers.
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Serve and Enjoy: Serve these warm, delightful Pioneer Woman buttermilk biscuits immediately. They are perfect split and topped with butter, your favorite fruit preserves, honey, or jam. Enjoy the taste of homemade goodness!
