Description
Delicious pumpkin spice biscuits perfect for fall, featuring warm spices and a tender, flaky texture.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 Tbsp (113 g) unsalted butter, cold
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin without additives)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold buttermilk or cream
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp (12 g) baking powder (ensure fresh)
- 1 tsp (6 g) salt
- 1 tsp (4 g) sugar
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat Your Oven: Set your oven to 450°F (232°C) and allow it to warm up completely before baking. Using an oven thermometer is recommended to ensure accurate temperature for proper biscuit rise.
- Step 2: Cut in Cold Butter: Slice the cold unsalted butter into small cubes. Keep the butter cold throughout this step to ensure a flaky and tender biscuit texture rather than dense or tough.
- Step 3: Mix Pumpkin and Buttermilk: In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and cold buttermilk or cream until smooth. This aerates the mixture, adding lightness to help the biscuits rise.
- Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse just enough to combine evenly (approximately 4–6 pulses). If mixing by hand, whisk all dry ingredients together thoroughly.
- Step 5: Add the Butter: Add the cold butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Pulse about 20 times or until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with visible pea-sized pieces of butter. This creates the flaky layers essential to tender biscuits.
- Step 6: Incorporate Pumpkin Mixture: Slowly add the pumpkin and buttermilk mixture to the flour and butter mixture. Pulse or stir gently as you go, just until the dough comes together. Avoid over-mixing; the dough should be moist but not sticky. If too dry, add an extra tablespoon of buttermilk as needed.
- Step 7: Shape the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into an 8-inch (20 cm) diameter disc. Keeping the dough thick allows for higher, tender biscuits.
- Step 8: Minimal Kneading: Knead the dough only a couple of times if necessary to bring it completely together. Over-kneading will toughen the biscuits.
- Step 9: Cut Out the Biscuits: Using a 2 1/2 inch (6.35 cm) biscuit cutter, press straight down into the dough without twisting. Twisting can seal edges and prevent proper rising. Place each biscuit on a baking sheet.
- Step 10: Chill the Cut Biscuits: Refrigerate the cut biscuits for about 20 minutes before baking. Chilling helps maintain flakiness and the shape of the biscuits during baking.
- Step 11: Bake Until Golden: Bake biscuits in the preheated oven at 450°F (232°C) for 12 minutes or until golden brown and risen. They should feel firm to the touch but not hard. For even baking, rotate the baking sheet 10 minutes into baking if edges brown too quickly.
Notes
- Room Temperature: Store biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days to retain softness.
- Refrigeration: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 7 days to maintain moisture and freshness.
- Freezing: Wrap each biscuit individually in plastic wrap or foil, and place in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- If dough is sticky during shaping, dust hands with all-purpose flour, approximately 1 tablespoon as needed.
- Use fresh baking powder, ideally within 6 months of purchase, to ensure proper rise.
- Ensure the buttermilk or cream is cold and measured at 1/2 cup (120 ml) to avoid dense or flat biscuits.
- Refrigerate cut biscuits for 20 minutes to prevent spreading during baking, helping biscuits hold their shape.
- If biscuit edges brown too quickly, rotate the baking tray halfway through baking.
- Press biscuit cutter straight down without twisting to avoid sealing edges, which inhibits rising.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 biscuit
- Calories: Not explicitly provided
- Sugar: Not explicitly provided
- Sodium: Not explicitly provided
- Fat: Not explicitly provided
- Saturated Fat: Not explicitly provided
- Unsaturated Fat: Not explicitly provided
- Trans Fat: Not explicitly provided
- Carbohydrates: Not explicitly provided
- Fiber: Not explicitly provided
- Protein: Not explicitly provided
- Cholesterol: Not explicitly provided