Happy Sunday to you all! I actually have gotten a moderate amount of things accomplished this weekend, which is good. I finally picked all of the courses I’m registering for (spring registration is THIS week! :0 ) and checked a couple other items off my to-do list. Tomorrow I’ll be spending the first part of the day training with my local voting registrar–I’m going to be an election official this November! I’m really glad I decided to do it because I really care about the election process but haven’t been as good as I should be about getting involved or even voting myself. 😛 So this week is going to be a busy one. Even more of a reason to have a big Sunday breakfast treat!

This biscuit recipe has been a long time coming. I wanted to share a biscuit recipe with you, but could never get my biscuits perfect. But I’ve finally gotten my ideal biscuit (taste-wise…they’re still not the prettiest things! :P), and since it’s Soul Food Sunday it seemed like the perfect time to show you. Because this has been such a journey for me, I wanted to share the most important rules of a perfect tasting biscuit that I’ve learned from other bakers.

1. Don’t overmix. Biscuit dough is not meant to be kneaded, but mixed just until the dough comes together.

2. Use very cold butter, you don’t want it to melt until it hits the oven.

3. Don’t roll the dough out with a pin, just gently use your hands.

3. Cut the biscuits thick, and don’t twist before you release the cutter.

4. Bake the biscuits close to eacother(so that they touch) in the top half of a very hot oven.

It seems like  lot to remember, but most of it just involves really following directions closely. It took me so long to perfect this recipe and technique, I’m so glad I can finally share it with you! I have a traditional version and a vegan version that both make delicious biscuits. They may not be glamorous looking, but that’s because they’re too busy tasting amazing.

Whole Wheat Southern Style Biscuits

• 1 c. all-purpose flour (White Lily brand is best if you can find it)
• 1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 2 t. salt
• 2 t. sugar
• 6 T. butter, cold
• 1 c. buttermilk, cold

-Preheat oven to 450 degrees

-In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.

-Cut the butter into slices and then dump the slices into the dry mixture in the food processor. Pulse until the butter is chopped into coarse crumbs.

-Add the buttermilk and pulse the mixture a few times, just until it all comes together in one mass.

-Remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it out with your hands to about 1/2″ thickness. Fold the dough over itself twice, then pat it all out to 1″ thickness.

-Cut out 6 large biscuits using a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass, and remove the biscuits to an ungreased pan so that they are gently touching each other.

-Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the biscuits are light golden brown.

-Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then use a knife to separate the biscuits from each other and enjoy! Makes 6 large biscuits.

Whole Wheat Southern Style Biscuits (vegan)

• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 2 t. salt
• 2 t. sugar
• 6 t. Earth Balance buttery baking stick or shortening
• 1 c. plain soymilk
• 1 T. vinegar

-Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

-In a small bowl, combine the soymilk and vinegar and let sit on the counter for 10 minutes while you make the rest of the dough.

-In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.

-Cut the Earth Balance into slices and then dump the slices into the dry mixture in the food processor. Pulse until the buttery sticks are chopped into coarse crumbs.

-Add the soymilk mixture to the food processor and pulse a few times, just until it all comes together in one mass.

-Remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it out with your hands to about 1/2″ thickness. Fold the dough over itself twice, then pat it all out to 1″ thickness.

-Cut out 6 large biscuits using a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass, and remove the biscuits to an ungreased pan so that they are gently touching each other.

-Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the biscuits are light golden brown.

-Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then use a knife to separate the biscuits from each other and enjoy! Makes 6 large biscuits.

Of course, these are the perfect vehicle for crockpot apple butter…

And, a personal favorite of mine, a drizzle of honey…

I’m so glad I finally figured these out because no true southern girl can be without her go-to biscuit recipe. Also…I took all these pictures in manual!!! WOOHOOO!!! After my little photography confessions yesterday, I’m excited to keep learning and hopefully keep improving. I think I’m already doing better than yesterday! 🙂

I’m off to do my meal planning of the week and get some homework done. The highlight of my day (besides these biscuits) will definitely be escaping the house to do my grocery shopping.

Thanks for reading!

-Lauren