Basic Buttery Biscuits

There is an easy reader series that Luke really liked last fall about a dog named Biscuit.  And every single time Luke read one of those books to me I would think about how much I wanted to eat a biscuit.  TO BE CLEAR, not the dog.  I am perfectly fine not touching a dog for the rest of my life (sorry, dog lovers) and that includes in my mouth.  But, I do love a good biscuit.

Then I happened to come across this biscuit recipe and made them once when we were having soup or chili or something.  And I liked them.  I made them again when my parents came over for dinner on Christmas Day.  I made them semi-regularly, mostly to slowly eat by myself.  Then quarantine happened and since March I have ALWAYS had a batch in the freezer, and in the rare occasion I don't have a batch in the freezer it's because I have one in the oven or on the counter cooling off.  

 
Quarantine meant still getting up very early most days because Matt was going into work super early 4 days a week.  On these days I'd workout, take a shower and get around and then still, usually, have at least an hour before the boys would wake up.  I always waited to eat breakfast with them but I would be HUNGRY.  Enter these biscuits.  I started having one almost every morning while reading or working and waiting for them to wake up for breakfast.  (Except for a glorious few days where I had perfectly fresh peaches and I ate one of those instead.  I will trade a perfectly fresh peach for almost any other food item.)

These days I no longer have an hour while waiting for my breakfast.  I still get up early with Matt, work out, shower, and then it's time to get the boys up and out the door.  BUT my biscuit time has transitioned to the start of Sam's nap.  I LOVE those 30ish minutes where I have my hot tea, a biscuit, a sleeping baby, and I just get to read.  It is quite literally my favorite moments of the entire day and is so life giving for me.  

The biscuits are super simple and I think are delicious.  I recently started making a double batch and realized that's perfect because I can't over mix them without ruining my mixer and therefore, they turn out almost perfectly soft and buttery and amazing.  Plus, it's longer before I have to make another batch.  Sam LOVES cutting these out with me and also sneaking way more dough than he should.  

These helped get me through the two months of intense quarantine and are a delightful treat for my reading time.  

Note: I usually make a double batch now, freezing all but what we've eaten immediately in a gallon ziploc bag.  The recipe below is a single batch.  I have a "Artisan" series KitchenAid mixer with a 5 quart bowl (I'd love for someone to buy THAT through my affiliate link! Hah.) and the double batch just perfectly fits in there.

 
Basic Buttery Biscuits
yield: around 15 biscuits

Ingredients
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 TB baking powder
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp sugar
-1 stick (i.e. 8TB or ½ cup) butter, cold and diced
-¾ cup half and half (or ½ cup heavy cream and ¼ cup milk, or ¾ cup heavy cream, depends on what you have on hand and how rich you want these to be!)

Instructions
Mix all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, sugar) in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Add the butter, a few chunks at a time.  Mix on low speed until the mixture is like course sand.  Add the heavy cream/milk/half and half and mix just until combined.  Do NOT over mix!

Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gentle roll out to about ½ inch thick.  Cut out circles with a 2-3 inch circle cookie cutter and place on ungreased cookie sheet (I think I usually use my silicone baking mats but they aren't needed.).

Bake for 20-22 minutes, until the tops are just lightly brown.  Let cool and either devour or freeze!  They would keep sealed at room temp for at least a few days as well.

Source: Everyday Reading

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