Best Cream Biscuits

Old-school cream biscuits the traditional way, leavened with cream of tartar and baking soda instead of modern baking powder. The two react in the oven exactly like commercial baking powder does, but the biscuits pick up a slightly cleaner, more refined rise.

Heavy cream is the magic. It does double duty as the liquid and most of the fat, which means less butter cutting and a faster, less fussy mix. The cream’s higher fat content also produces a tenderer biscuit than buttermilk versions, with a soft crumb that practically pulls itself apart in layers.

Don’t overwork the dough. Stir just until the cream pulls everything together, turn it out onto a floured board, and pat or roll gently. Excess kneading develops gluten and gives you tough, flat biscuits that won’t rise tall.

Press the cutter straight down without twisting. Twisting seals the cut edge and stunts the lift; a clean down-and-up cut lets the biscuit’s layers separate and climb in the oven.

Pro Tips

• Use cold butter, cubed small. Cold fat creates pockets of steam in the oven that lift the biscuit into flaky layers.
• Brush the tops with cream or melted butter before baking for golden-brown color.
• Cluster the biscuits close together on the pan (touching is fine) for taller, softer biscuits with split-apart sides.
• Serve warm. These lose their texture fast as they cool; reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes if needed.

Variations

• Add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the dry mix for sweet biscuits to pair with strawberry shortcake.
• Stir in a half-cup of grated sharp cheddar and a teaspoon of dried chives for savory cheese biscuits.
• Use buttermilk in place of cream and increase the butter to half a cup for traditional Southern buttermilk biscuits.