Buttermilk Pepper Biscuits
Submitted by beckyw
Buttermilk pepper biscuits with a generous hit of cracked black pepper, tangy buttermilk, and shortening for a soft, flaky pull-apart crumb. Hand-shaped, baked tight together, ready in under 30 minutes.
YIELD
14 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
10 minREADY
30 minThese biscuits lean savory thanks to a tablespoon of coarse cracked black pepper worked right into the dry ingredients. Tangy buttermilk and vegetable shortening keep the crumb tender and pull-apart soft, with that classic ragged top a Southern cook would recognize from across the room.
These aren’t rolled and cut, they’re hand-shaped. Pull off a piece of dough the size of a biscuit, dip the wet edge in flour, and pat into shape. Set them touching on the sheet pan so the sides stay soft while the tops crisp.
The oven runs hot at 450°F to 500°F (230°C to 260°C) so the leavening blasts the biscuits up fast and the bottoms set before the shortening melts out. Eight to ten minutes is all they need. Pair them with sausage gravy, a bowl of soup, or split warm with butter and honey.
Kitchen Tips
- Mix the dough only until it just holds together, overworking turns biscuits into hockey pucks
- Use cold buttermilk straight from the fridge so the shortening stays firm
- Place biscuits sides touching on the pan for soft pull-apart edges, or spaced out for crisper sides
- Coarse cracked pepper, not fine ground, gives you the visible flecks and bursts of heat
Variations
- Add 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar for cheese pepper biscuits
- Stir in 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives or scallions
- Swap half the shortening for cold butter for a richer flavor
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 450-500F.
Sift 2 cups of the flour with the baking powder, salt, pepper, and baking soda into a bowl.
Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or fork, or work it in with your fingers.
Add the buttermilk to make a soft dough, mixing just until the dough holds together.
Flour your hands. Pull off a piece of dough the size of a biscuit and dip the wet edge into the extra flour.
The roll or pat into a biscuit.
Place slightly touching, on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake until golden golden brown 8 to 10 minutes.
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