Buttermilk Black Pepper Drop Biscuits

If there’s bread in heaven, there will be biscuits on the table! In their truest form, biscuits should be light in texture with a “melt in your mouth” quality. With a hint of sweet and a dash of spice from black pepper, these gems rise tall in the pan, ready to stand proudly on their own or hold a schmear of butter and a spoonful of jam.

We’ve got more than one favorite biscuit recipe. This most closely resembles my memory of the biscuits my Grandmother Tassie made, a tender crust and unbelievably fluffy inside! The basic components for these biscuits will sound familiar though the process is a little different. They start with flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and a touch of sugar. Butter is cut into the mix followed by cold buttermilk for a tender bite and a generous rise. We add just a touch of freshly ground black pepper for an oh, so subtle undertone of spice.

This recipe is virtually foolproof and does not require rolling or cutting out. Start the dough in your food processor, making quick work of the first steps. Finish up by hand, stirring in the buttermilk leaving you with a slightly “wet” dough. If you don’t have a food processor, not to worry, whisk the dry ingredients then simply cut the butter in by hand with a pair of knives, a forks or a pastry blender.

A few tips for success. It’s important to use the recommended pan size because when the biscuits touch, they help each other rise. Use cold butter and cold buttermilk. The small pieces of cold butter cut into the dough will melt in the oven, giving the biscuits that lift as they bake.

Grab the butter, your favorite jam, and get ready to partake in some warm, comforting goodness!

Buttermilk Black Pepper Drop Biscuits

2 cups flour, plus ¾ cup for dusting the biscuits
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ½ if you like a bit more spice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into ¼-inch cubes, plus 2 tablespoons melted and cooled slightly
1-½ cups cold buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450-degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan, place the extra flour in a separate bowl, and set both aside. In a food processor combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper then toss in the cubed butter.

Pulse about 8 to 12 times until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

Transfer flour mixture to medium-size mixing bowl. Pour in the buttermilk and stir until the dry ingredients are just blended together, taking care not to over mix. The dough will be wet and slightly lumpy.

Using a ¼ cup dry measuring scoop, drop rounds of dough into the flour you set aside. Sprinkle some of the flour over the dough then toss gently in your hands to shape it into a loose ball, shaking off extra flour as you go.

Place the rounds of biscuit dough in the prepared cake pan.

Gently brush the tops of the biscuits with the 2 tablespoons melted butter.

Bake at 450-degrees for 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 425-degrees. Continue baking for an additional 15 to 16 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown. Watch biscuits the last 5 minutes; if they begin to brown too quickly, simply cover loosely with foil.

Makes 12 biscuits.

My Mom always kept buttermilk on hand and like her, we almost always have some in our fridge. If you find yourself with leftover buttermilk, don’t toss it – freeze it. Just measure it out then pour it into freezer-proof containers.