flaky buttermilk biscuits with honey bourbon strawberry jam
A mouthful to say, but a happy mouthful to eat.
I don’t biscuit very often, but when I do, the craving for a buttery ball of dough is intense. Last week the hankering was strong and I ended up baking two batches, then kind of deciding to share them because this recipe is my ride or die and it is worth showing the world.
These Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits are a nod to your southern grandma’s traditional bake-up, and the accompanying jam is deadly good. I like spooning extra over oatmeal or on a slice of peanut butter toast, or just swiping a mouthful on a random refrigerator drive-by.
The perfect recipe when you wanna get a little bit messy and channel your inner kid. Trust me, there’ll be flour everywhere, you’ll feel as though you’re playing chef except you actually are creating something more than edible in the end. As a matter of fact, you’ll probably want two, particularly when they’re steaming and hot from the oven. With a pat of melting butter…
Oh yes.
Come On and Slam
And welcome to the strawberry jam.
My version of jam is a lot more rustic than what you’d typically find in stores. I love the chunks of fruit, but if you don’t you are more than welcome to increase the simmering time on the stoven in order for the berries to break down more.
Also, because it’s kind of niche and I don’t can my jam (which lasts about 2 weeks in the fridge sans preservative), I omit fruit pectin. Again, this is a quick jam, not a canning recipe, so I don’t feel the need to run out for a special ingredient I’ll only use once in a decade. Maybe.
Anywho…In a sauce pan or a large skillet (I use my enameled bad boy for this), combine chopped strawberries, honey, bourbon, and a bit of lemon juice. Because I like the bourbon tinge, I use three tablespoons.
Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for about 12-15 minutes until the fruit is softened and starting to thicken. If you’d like a jammier jam, mix together equal parts corn starch and water to make a slurry, and pour into the jam. A few minutes in the heat will render a nicely cohesive jam.
Move the pan off the heat and let cool while you make the biscuits.
ShowBiz(kits)
Ready to get your hands messy?
First note: usually, in the morning or the night before or whatever, I’ll take my two sticks of butter called for in the recipe and grate them through a cheese grater. Cover the bowl with plastic and chill. You need COLD butter or else your biscuits will not rise properly. So give yourself some time for this step and make sure that butter is cool as a cucumber. Cooler, actually.
Ok. Messy time.
In a large bowl – and don’t underestimate large, you’ll need the biggest one you’ve got – sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Sifting through a fine mesh sieve ensures the dry ingredients are evenly distributed.
Cut in the grated butter using a pastry cutter, two forks (why people do this I don’t know, it doesn’t fucking work for me), or your clean hands, until bits no larger than a pea remain. Stir in cold buttermilk. I start at 1 3/4 cup and usually need a couple tablespoons more to achieve a shaggy but cohesive dough ball. It should adhere nicely, but should not be sticky.
Turn the ball onto a clean, floured surface, and flour your hands. Pat into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold one short end towards the center, then the second short end overtop. Apparently this is an envelope fold but I think that’s one fucked up envelope if so. Turn the dough clockwise and repeat the folding and patting one more time. This gives you those beautiful flaky layers once you bake the biscuits.
Grab a 3 inch biscuit cutter (you can use smaller if you want smaller biscuits, but the bake time might decrease by a couple minutes) and slice out your biscuits. Place on a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Pat and refold the dough to cut out more biscuits until all the dough is used. You will likely have one runt in the mix. Give him some love, too.
Pop the biscuits in the freezer for at least 15 minutes to harden the butter in the dough. After that time, pull the pan back out and brush the tops of the biscuits with heavy cream. The fat in the cream lends a wonderful golden layer.
Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Watch in awe as the biscuits pop and rise like balloons. Let cool at least a couple minutes until touchable before grabbing one or two, slathering with butter and jam, and enjoying while leaned against the counter with all your dirty dishes waiting patiently in the sink.
Yes, they can wait. Enjoy biscuits first. A good rule of life, really.
Biscuits keep well at room temperature for up to 5 days (humidity may take some of the flakiness out, keep in mind), the fridge for a week, or the freezer for a few months. Microwave reheat is perfectly ok, but I do prefer the oven at 350 for about 8-10 minutes to reclaim that lovely texture we all know and love in a biscuit.
Other ideas with leftovers? Biscuits and gravy, of course. “Bacon“, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwiches or wraps. Chili. So many options. These guys will never go to waste, I promise.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Risk it for these biscuits:
flaky buttermilk biscuits with honey bourbon strawberry jam
Ingredients
buttermilk biscuits
- 2 sticks butter, grated, COLD
- 2 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 3/4-2 cups buttermilk, cold
- 2 tbsp heavy cream, for brushing
honey bourbon strawberry jam
- 4 cups strawberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2-3 tbsp bourbon (use to taste)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tbsp corn starch, mixed with 1/2 tbsp water, to thicken (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or grease lightly with oil or butter.
- Make the jam. In a large skillet or sauce pan, combine the chopped strawberries, honey, bourbon, and lemon. Bring to a simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries are broken down and, well, jammy. Smash the berries with a wooden spoon as they cook to further release all that sweet goodness. if you desire a thicker jam, stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer a few minutes. Remove the jam from the heat and let cool.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder (yes, that does read 2 tablespoons and yes, that's accurate), and salt. Using two forks, a pastry cutter, or your non-filthy fingers, cut in the grated butter until pieces no larger than a pea remain. Use a wooden spoon to stir in 1 3/4 cup of the buttermilk until a shaggy but cohesive dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time to achieve the desired texture.
- Form the dough into a ball and drop onto a clean floured surface. With floured hands, pat into a roughly 1 inch thick rectangle. Fold one of the short sides of the rectangle towards the center, then the other short side overtop. See photos in the post to reference. Turn the dough clockwise and repeat the patting and folding, ending with another 1 inch thick rectangle.
- Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter, slice out the biscuit rounds. Place onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the folding and patting with the remaining dough until it is all used up. You will achieve 9-10 biscuits.
- Place the baking pan in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to chill. When ready to bake, remove and brush the tops of the biscuits with the heavy cream. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden and TALL! Serve immediately with strawberry jam and extra butter.
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