
Virginia Willis’ Buttermilk Biscuits
6 of our fluffiest, flakiest Southern biscuit recipes
What could be more quintessential to Southern cooking than the almighty biscuit? They can come in every shape from tall and flaky to tender and crumbly, and everything in between. Loaded with herbs, filled with savory country ham, or good old fashioned buttermilk — any way a biscuit is made, we'll surely scarf it down.
Here are 6 of our favorite biscuit recipes for Biscuit Week.
Virginia Willis' Buttermilk Biscuits
These classic, flaky buttermilk biscuits from award-winning cookbook author Virginia Willis are the epitome of Southern baking. After baking up a batch, you'll see what kind of magic these few ingredients — butter, buttermilk, leavening and soft White Lily flour — can make with the proper technique. A light hand with mixing and just a couple turns of the dough yields light-as-a-feather flakes and a tender crumb that's perfect for slathering with butter and homemade jam.
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Cheddar Cheese-Poppy Seed Biscuits
These easy as can be biscuits will be your go-to brunch item for your next weekend spread. Simply roll and cut the biscuits the night before and assemble on a cookie sheet and cover tightly with plastic wrap. The next morning, remove the wrap, brush the biscuits with the egg wash, and bake to golden biscuit perfection. Serve with some sweet Apple Cider-Bourbon Jelly.
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Buttermilk Cathead Biscuits
Named for their extra-large size, cathead biscuits are said to be, well, as big as a cat's head. Unlike the layered, flaky biscuits above, cat head biscuits are pillowy and fluffy. While they don't have distinct layering, they've got tender crumb in spades and require even less work than a rolled flaky biscuit. Make these ultra-quick breads when you're craving a hearty breakfast sandwich or smothered in some homemade sausage gravy.
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Virginia Willis' Herb and Cheese Drop Biscuits
Drop biscuits are the no-fuss key to biscuit heaven without worrying about overworking the dough or doing any complicated steps—this recipe gets a nice kick of flavor thanks to some fragrant herbs and sharp cheddar cheese. Up your drop biscuit game by use a small ice cream scoop for dividing your dough for perfectly portioned biscuits everytime.
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Make-Ahead Easy Cream Biscuits
Looking for a biscuit recipe you can make even before you've had your morning coffee? The flour mixture for these cream biscuits can be made far in advance and then just mixed up with a bit of butter and cream when you're ready to serve. Because there's no buttermilk involved, the sweet cream of the butter really stands out in these easy breakfast gems. Serve them sans toppings for best results.
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Ham and Peach Biscuits
Sweet and savory, this twist on a classic biscuit recipe celebrates a flavor match made in Southern cooking heaven: ham and peaches. With a healthy slather of warmed peach preserves, this makes for a satifying nosh or a light and flaky mid-day lunch.
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Photo credit (Cathead Biscuits): Ramona King
Photo credit (Herb and cheese drop biscuits): Virginia Willis
Photo credit (Make-Ahead Easy Cream Biscuits): Neil Conway/Flickr (license)