Biscuit Basics Recipe

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a non-stick baking mat, or grease liberally with softened butter, and set aside.
2. 2
   In the bowl of a food processor, combine all of the dry ingredients. Pulse a few times to evenly distribute.
3. 3
   Add butter and pulse until butter is finely dispersed throughout dry ingredients, yielded a mixture with the texture of fine couscous.
4. 4
   Add cream cheese and pulse to distribute, leaving a few small, pea-sized pieces of cheese in tact. Turn mixture into a mixing bowl.
5. 5
   Drizzle in about a 1/3 cup of the buttermilk and toss gently with your hands to evenly distribute. Add more milk a tablespoon or so at a time until dough is just moist enough to come together without any dry crumbly bits.
6. 6
   Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust the surface of the dough lightly with more flour and pat the dough out to about 3/4-inch thick.
7. 7
   Fold the dough back over on itself in thirds, like a business letter, and pat out to about 3/4-inch thick again, flouring the surface lightly as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.
8. 8
   Fold the dough back over on itself in thirds again, then pat it out to a final thickness of about 1/2 inch.
9. 9
   Using a lightly floured 2 1/4-inch round cutter, cut the dough into rounds and place on prepared baking sheet, at least an inch apart. Scraps may be gently packed together, patted out to 1/2-inch thickness once more and cut.
10. 10
    Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until biscuits are well-risen, pale golden on top and a deeper brown on their bottoms. Biscuits are best served within about 6 hours of baking, though a few minutes in the oven or a few seconds in the microwave will revive slightly older biscuits if eaten shortly thereafter.