Southern Biscuit Muffins

 

Happy First Day of Fall. While it might be 96 degrees here today in Southern California, that won’t stop me from making these Southern Biscuit Muffins. What goes better with the first day of fall than a warm biscuit in the shape of a muffin alongside some homemade soup?

I am NOT, and I repeat, NOT a cook. I am a baker. I wish I could cook better than I do, but alas, sometimes we just need to accept the inevitable: I am not, nor will I ever be, A COOK.

With that being said, I do love to bake things that go along with cooked items. This is where I need to get a bit adventurous and actually try to cook something, or ask my husband to grill. With the first day of fall, as well as every Halloween, the adventure calls my name as the biscuits are a must have for these two occasions. My go to with the biscuits on these days is always Kartoffelsuppe (German Potato Soup): a thick and creamy potato soup that warms the belly and the soul! Since my mother is from Germany, we were raised on a lot of German food (yes I know I still have no idea why I don’t know how to cook…I think all of the talent went to my sister) and this soup was a mainstay at our house. So no surprise, when I found these biscuits, the soup was the first thing to come to my mind.

These biscuit muffins are like nothing I’ve ever had before. I found this recipe about 20 years ago, courtesy of a wonderful family friend, and I haven’t let them go since. For those of you who love both a good flaky, buttery biscuit but also the moist tenderness of a muffin – then this recipe is for you!

Not only can you use this as a side to soups, but it makes the perfect muffin base for BBQ cups (toss some ground beef or turkey in with some bbq sauce, through this on top of the muffin dough in the muffin tin and top with cheese – YES PLEASE!)

So let’s stop making our mouths water and get to baking!! Full recipe at the end.

First things first – gather the ingredients. NO need to sift your flour here. These are no-fail!

1. Gather together your dry ingredients into a bowl:

   

   Using a spatula or pastry blender, mix these together till fully combined.

2. Cut up 3/4c. cold butter (make sure it is cold, right from the fridge) into cubes and add to mixture:

   

   Using a pastry blender (as pictured above) cut in the butter till the mixture resembles coarse crumbs:

3. Make a well in the center of your flour/butter mixture and pour in the 1c. milk. Since our family cannot have a lot of diary, I use Lactaid and it works amazingly. I have also used vanilla Flax Milk to make a sweeter version. Any milk, or milk alternative will work. Buttermilk makes a delicious and luxurious biscuit if you so wish to venture out a bit!

   

 

Once you’ve added the milk, use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix together just until moistened and combined:

5. Separate dough out equally into a prepared muffin tin. I usually spray my tin with Baker’s Joy flour spray, but any spray will do just fine. Do not using paper baking cups so that the bottoms and sides brown nicely.

6. Bake at 400 degrees (f) for about 20 minutes. If you choose to use convection like I do, bake for about 15-18 minutes. It is really important that you get to know your oven. How it cooks and for how long depending on convection or conventionally. Never take the recipe as the exact measurement of time and degrees. I bake these in convection for 16 minutes and turn half way through.

7. ENJOY!!! You are now ready to enjoy your mouthwatering biscuit muffin!!! Eat them with Jam or honey for breakfast, alongside soup, or add in bacon/cheese or cinnamon and spice for something nice! I enjoy these biscuits warm. Too reheat…just place in your oven on a cookie sheet at 350 for a few minutes. Just like new!

As always, baking is an adventure. Take time to play around and find what you like!

 

SOUTHERN BISCUIT MUFFINS (yields 12 muffins)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup cold butter
• 1 cup cold milk

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (f). Grease 12 muffin cup tin.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder in a large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk just until flour mixture is moistened. Spoon evenly into prepared muffin cups.

Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan. Cool on wire wrack.