’ll be the first to admit that although I love warm, from-scratch biscuits, they are quite fussy. From cutting the butter into the flour to rolling, folding and cutting out the dough, homemade biscuits are not found in the “quick and easy” category. But butter swim biscuits are.
Instead of cutting the butter into the dough (as you would for a pie crust), the butter is melted in the pan and the biscuit batter is patted right on top. Everything bakes together, and the butter slowly infuses into the fluffy biscuits while caramelizing the outsides with beautifully golden brown, crispy edges—not far from a focaccia.
The biscuits look as if they’re swimming in butter (hence the name), which makes it seem like there’s a lot of butter, but there isn’t any more than the amount you’d find in other biscuit recipes. It’s simply just a different—and far quicker—way to make homemade biscuits for a weeknight dinner or when the craving strikes on a whim.
Butter Swim Biscuit Ingredients
- Butter: Buy a good quality butter brand for this butter swim biscuits recipe. It’s the most important ingredient, and the better the quality, the better the biscuits will taste.
- All-purpose flour: If you’re still sticking your measuring cup into the bag of flour, I’m here to tell you that it’s not too late to kick old habits. Doing this packs too much flour into the measuring cup. Instead, measure flour the right way with the spoon and scrape method.
- Sugar: Don’t worry, these butter swim biscuits aren’t sweet. A single tablespoon of sugar will just help them brown on top and cut any saltiness.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Leavening agents help the biscuits achieve their signature tall, pillowy rise. It’s important that these ingredients are still strong and potent, so test the baking powder and baking soda if yours have been sitting in the cabinet for a while.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk kickstarts the baking soda, plus its natural acidity tenderizes the gluten and adds a pleasant tangy flavor.
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