Never-Fail Biscuits

Recipe by PJ Hamel
126 Reviews 4.5 out of 5 stars

The. Easiest. Biscuits. Ever. Simply mix equal parts (by weight) self-rising flour and heavy cream; scoop biscuits onto a baking sheet, and bake until golden brown. Ultra-tender, super-rich, they're the fastest/easiest biscuits you'll ever bake. And there are lots of ways to take them from simple to sublime — stir in the additions of your choice: berries, cheese cubes, crumbled bacon or diced ham, chopped scallions, chocolate chips, dried fruit... use your imagination! Find our favorite variations in "tips," below.

Prep
5 mins
Bake
10 mins
Total
15 mins
Yield
12 biscuits
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Never-Fail Biscuits

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F, with a rack in the top third.

  2. Mix the flour and cream until smooth and cohesive.

  3. For standard-sized biscuits, scoop 1-ounce balls of dough onto an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet; a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here. Leave a couple of inches between them. Not into scooping? Pat the dough 3/4" thick and cut biscuits with a cutter instead, if desired.

    For larger biscuits, simply scoop the dough into 1 1/2-ounce balls, to make 8 biscuits; or 2-ounce balls, to make 6.

  4. Brush the tops of the biscuits with cream, milk, or water; this will help them rise.

  5. Bake the biscuits for 10 minutes, until they're light golden brown on top. Bake larger biscuits a minute or so longer, or until they're baked all the way through; break one open to make sure.

  6. Remove the biscuits from the oven, and serve warm, or at room temperature. Store, well-wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Tips from our Bakers

  • Want to make these biscuits gluten-free? Substitute Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour for the all-purpose flour; and stir 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder and 3/8 teaspoon salt into the flour before adding the cream. 

  • Join King Arthur baking instructor, Libby Treadway and her son as they bake Never-Fail Biscuits together from start to finish. Watch Baking Never Fail Biscuits With Kids now.

  • This recipe is ridiculously easy to scale up (or down). Simply use equal amounts of flour and heavy cream, by weight; each biscuit uses about 1 ounce of dough. So if you use, say, 4 ounces of flour and 4 ounces of cream, you'll make 8 biscuits. Or 12 ounces (3 cups) of flour, 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) of cream — 24 biscuits.
  • To make now, serve later, place shaped/unbaked biscuits close together on a small baking sheet; place the sheet in the freezer, and freeze until solid. Transfer the biscuits to an airtight container (plastic bag, etc.) When you're ready to serve, there's no need to thaw the biscuits; remove them from the freezer and bake as directed above, adding a few minutes to the baking time.

  • These biscuits are a blank palette, just waiting for you to stir your favorite additions into the dough.

    • To make Self-Rising Cream Shortcakes: Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon vanilla.
    • To make Never-Fail Biscuits with Herbs: Add 3 tablespoons fresh herbs.
    • To make Easy Bacon-Cheddar-Chive Biscuits: Add 1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon, 3/4 cup chopped sharp cheese, and 3 teaspoons snipped chives.
    • To make Easy Pumpkin Pie Spice Biscuits: Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.
    • To make Easy Sausage and Apple Breakfast Biscuits: Add 3/4 cup each cooked, crumbled sausage and peeled, cored, diced apple; plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

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