Make Ahead

Uneeda Biscuit

by:
April 24, 2011
4.7
3 Ratings
  • Makes 12 Biscuits
Author Notes

Like cuisine, Hands are neither inherently good nor inherently bad. It is what we do with them that make them that way. My hands make biscuits. I will be remembered by the generations that both precede and proceed me for the crisp flaky exterior ultra-tender buttery interior of the biscuit that has become the reflection of my soul. Whether you choose to glaze them with Black-pepper honey butter in the style of a fine sticky bun or place a slab of seared country ham on it with a smothering of red-eye gravy. These biscuits are the best you ever had and it is because of my hands that they assume their rightful superiority among the baked goods. It is because of these biscuits that my family, both young and old, will always remember the warmth and care of my hands.- davebr —davebr

Test Kitchen Notes

With pantry staples you are likely to have, and requiring only your hands as the primary kitchen tools, davebr’s Uneeda Biscuit recipe comes together quickly, with excellent results. I made these on Mother’s Day, with two extra pairs of hands (my two children) to help measure, mix, and pour my way to feather soft biscuit dough. With a brush of whole milk-egg wash, twenty minutes in the oven, and you are on your way to biscuit perfection. Get ready for fragrant, golden brown, flaky biscuits with a fluffy, buttery-soft interior. We enjoyed them hot out of the oven, drizzled with honey and tried not to burn ourselves. My family will be enjoying these for years to come. - gingerroot —gingerroot

Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
  • 2-3 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 2 tablespoons Baking Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
  • 2 tablespoons Sugar
  • 1/2 pound Unsalted Butter
  • 1 cup Whole Milk
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/2 cup Whole Milk
Directions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Combine 2 cups of the flour with the baking powder, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl.
  3. Cube the chilled butter and place it into the flour mixture. Break the cubes up with your hands until the butter resembles that of the size of a pea.
  4. Form a well into the center of the flour-butter mixture and pour 1 cup of the milk into the well. Mix with you fingers until the four has absorbed the milk. Add any extra flour as needed to bring the mixture together until it resembles a dough that can be easily handled out of the bowl.
  5. Sprinkle some flour out onto your counter and place the dough onto the floured surface. Press the dough down with your hands until a uniform thickness is achieved of about 2 inches. Cut the dough into 12 uniform biscuits. Place the biscuits with their sides touching one another on a parchment paper or foil lined baking tray.
  6. In a small bowl whisk together the egg with the 1/2 cup of milk and brush the egg wash over the top of the biscuits. Place the biscuits into the oven on the center rack and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and prepare for immortality.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

10 Reviews

Linda O. November 22, 2015
Can I roll and form these biscuits in the am, refrigerate til just before dinner, and then bake them after the turkey comes out?
davebr November 23, 2015
Definitely! You may need an additional 2-3 minutes of baking time. Just watch the browning of the bottoms.
Emyline June 8, 2015
I tried these yesterday and they were perfect! Have you tried any variations on them like a sweet potato or maybe a cheddar biscuit? I'm just wondering how I might use this recipe as a base and then make variations every now and then b/c these are my favorite biscuits I've ever made.
davebr June 8, 2015
Thank you!!!
Yes I have tried some variations. You can substitute whole wheat flour evenly and get great results. I have done a sweet potato for the Governator in California. Roast the whole sweet potato until soft. Then scoop out the pulp when cool. Add a 1c of pulp or more with the milk. You will need more flour but I can't say how much since every potato has a different amount of natural water. For cheese/chives/bacon/cracklins/jalapeño just add after cutting the butter and before the liquid.
Hope that helps!
davebr November 5, 2013
Thanks for all the great comments! Im glad my love and care has reached your family.
ori November 2, 2013
The biscuits were a huge success, all the biscuits were gone by the end of the day.
thank you the the recipe!!
marynn April 25, 2011
Your/my biscuits are in the oven looking and smelling like dinner ought to. Love this recipe and LOVE your attitude. It is all about the hands of the maker. (My husband just caught a whiff, came in from the other room, and said, "Oh, those are smelling good, Mary!")

Great technique and no rolling, re-rolling waste or overwrought dough.

Biscuits. Simple pleasure. Thank YOU!

davebr April 25, 2011
I hope you love them! For more good luxurious recipes with an attitude of self culinary entitlement check out my blog: www.TheRooterToTheTooter.com
hardlikearmour April 24, 2011
I'd love one of your biscuits slathered with black pepper honey butter!
davebr April 24, 2011
Thanks! I'd mail you one but it would loose too much in the hands of the postal service.HAHAHA