Everyone Says "Butter Swim Biscuits" Are the Best They've Ever Had
I’m one of those bakers that gets easily intimidated anytime I need to bust out biscuits. There’s just so many factors to consider. Does it matter if I grate the butter or just cut it into cubes? Should I drop the dough directly onto a baking sheet or knead and cut it into rounds instead? Will it help if I place them close together to encourage their rise, or is it totally fine to space them apart? Every time I contemplate those questions, I’m left scratching my head.
The last biscuits I made were fab, but pretty involved. First, the recipe called for freezing the butter at least 2 hours ahead before grating it on a box grater. Once that was taken care of, I still had to make and knead the dough, do some quick lamination, cut it into squares, place the biscuits in the freezer, brush the tops with butter, and finally bake them off (phew!). All in all, it was a bigger undertaking than I really had the time for. And not to mention, it made a floury, sticky mess of my counter and my hands.
In my search for an all-around easier, just-as-delicious recipe, I stumbled upon what has become my forever biscuit. Meet: Butter-Swim Biscuits.
Get the recipe: Butter Biscuits
What Makes Butter Biscuits So Good
Butter-swim biscuits are pretty special. They come together in a single bowl, don’t require any fancy techniques (no kneading, laminating, or cutting here!), and come out perfectly tender every single time — with zero mess.
To start, melt a stick of butter (yes, you read that right!) and pour it into an 8×8 baking dish, swirling it around so that it coats the bottom and all four sides. Then, make the dough by whisking together all-purpose flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, kosher salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Pour in some cold buttermilk, stirring until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. Once that’s done, transfer the dough to the baking dish, pressing down so that it’s even in the pan. At this point, the dough will be “swimming” in butter (hence the name). Cut into squares and slide in a 400°F oven until puffed up and golden-brown.
With perfectly craggy tops, plenty of height, and a soft and fluffy interior, these extra-buttery biscuits are too good to be true. So if you’re like me, take all the guesswork out of biscuits this year, and bake yourself a batch of butter-swim biscuits. You’ll thank me later.
Get the recipe: Butter Biscuits
Further Reading
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