For anyone who appreciates classic Southern comfort food, buttermilk biscuits are a staple. These aren’t just any biscuits; we’re talking about the kind that are light, fluffy, and melt in your mouth with buttery goodness. And when it comes to reliable recipes for down-home deliciousness, Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, is a trusted name. Her buttermilk biscuit recipe is particularly celebrated for its simplicity and consistently delightful results. If you’ve been searching for the perfect recipe to impress at brunch or complement a cozy dinner, look no further than the Pioneer Woman Biscuits.
Mastering Buttermilk Biscuits: Tips for Success
Creating homemade buttermilk biscuits that rival bakery versions is achievable with a few key techniques. Here’s how to make sure your Pioneer Woman biscuits turn out perfect every time:
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Avoid Overworking the Dough: The secret to tender biscuits is gentle handling. Overmixing develops gluten, which leads to tough, dense biscuits. Mix just until the dough comes together.
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Sharp Biscuit Cutter is Key: When cutting out your biscuits, press straight down with a sharp cutter. Avoid twisting, as this seals the edges and hinders their ability to rise fully. A clean, sharp cut promotes a high rise and those desirable flaky layers.
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Keep Ingredients Ice Cold: Cold butter is crucial for creating steam in the oven, which is what makes biscuits rise and become flaky. Some bakers even chill their mixing bowl and flour for extra insurance. Cold ingredients prevent the butter from melting too early, ensuring those pockets of butter stay intact until baking.
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Mind the Flour: Too much flour on your work surface or biscuit tops can lead to dry biscuits. Lightly flour your surface and brush off any excess flour from the biscuits before baking to ensure a moist, tender crumb.
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Choosing Your Fat: The recipe calls for both shortening and cold butter. This combination is intentional. Shortening contributes to tenderness, while butter adds flavor and flakiness. Using both creates a balanced biscuit.
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Protein Content in Flour Matters: For the fluffiest, lightest biscuits, opt for a lower protein flour. Southern bakers often swear by brands like White Lily, which is known for its lower protein content, perfect for biscuits and other quick breads. Higher protein flours are better suited for yeast breads where structure is key.
Pioneer Woman Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
This recipe, inspired by The Pioneer Woman Cooks, is your ticket to homemade biscuit bliss.
Yields: Approximately 12 biscuits
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 11-14 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter (5 1/3 tablespoons), cut into small pieces
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Equipment:
- Large mixing bowl
- Pastry blender or food processor
- Fork
- Biscuit cutter (round, about 2-2.5 inches)
- Baking sheet
Instructions:
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Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to a high temperature of 450°F (232°C). This high heat helps the biscuits rise quickly and become golden brown.
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Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Ensure these dry ingredients are well combined for even leavening.
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Incorporate Fats: Add the shortening and cold butter pieces to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the fats into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. You should still see small pieces of butter throughout – this is what creates flaky layers. If using a food processor, pulse briefly until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Be careful not to over-process.
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Add Buttermilk: Pour the cold buttermilk into the bowl. Using a fork, gently mix until just combined. The dough will be sticky, and that’s perfectly normal. Avoid overmixing at this stage.
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Shape and Cut Biscuits: Lightly flour a clean work surface. Turn the sticky dough out onto the floured surface. Gently pat the dough into a ¾-inch thick rectangle. Use your biscuit cutter to cut out rounds, pressing straight down without twisting. Re-roll scraps gently to cut out more biscuits, but be mindful that re-rolled dough may result in slightly less tender biscuits.
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Bake: Place the biscuit rounds onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 11-14 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top. Keep a close eye on them to prevent over-browning, especially if your oven runs hot.
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Serve: Once baked, remove the Pioneer Woman biscuits from the oven and let them cool slightly on the baking sheet. Serve warm with butter, jam, honey, or alongside your favorite Southern dishes.
Enjoy the delightful taste of homemade Pioneer Woman buttermilk biscuits – a simple recipe that brings a touch of Southern charm to any table.
