Savory Pumpkin Herbed Biscuits
Flaky, buttery pumpkin biscuits with fresh rosemary, thyme, and parsley, and sharp cheddar. Cut with a scalloped cutter because they deserve a little ruffle, and because these are made for a fancy(ier) occasion. The pumpkin keeps them tender and turns them a orange that photographs well, just like how they eat!
Equipment
- 2½-inch scalloped round cutter
- Large mixing bowl
- Box grater
- Rolling Pin
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting (313g)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder 13g
- ½ teaspoon baking soda 3g
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 6g
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper 1g
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg 0.3g
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary 3g
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme 3g
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley 3g
- ½ cup unsalted butter frozen (113g)
- ¾ cup shredded aged sharp cheddar 85g
- ⅔ cup pumpkin purée plain, not pie filling (163g)
- ½ cup cold buttermilk 121g
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, for brushing (28g)
- Flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F ( or 220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and fresh herbs.
- Grate the frozen butter directly into the flour on the large holes of a box grater. Toss with your fingers until every butter shred is coated. Stir in the cheddar.
- In a small bowl, whisk the pumpkin purée and buttermilk until smooth. Pour into the flour mixture and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. It should look a little rough. If dry flour is still hiding at the bottom, add buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and pat into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold it in thirds like a letter, turn it 90 degrees, and pat it out again. Repeat the fold two more times. This is where the layers come from.
- Roll or pat the dough to ¾ inch thick. Dip the scalloped cutter in flour and press straight down without twisting. Twisting seals the edges and you lose your rise (and the scallops get smudgy). Reflour the cutter between each cut.
- Gently press the scraps together once, pat to ¾ inch, and cut again.
- Place biscuits on the baking sheet so they’re just touching for taller sides, or 1 inch apart for crispier edges. Freeze for 15 minutes.
- Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky salt.
- Bake 14–16 minutes, until puffed and golden on the bottoms and the tops are deep orange-gold. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Substitutions
No buttermilk: Stir 1½ teaspoons lemon juice into ½ cup (120g) whole milk and let it sit 5 minutes.
Gluten-free: A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum should work, but in general expect less rise and a more delicate dough. Untested on this recipe, also! Optional add-ins
Press toasted Pepitas into the tops before baking
2 tablespoons (6g) chopped chives with herbs Tips
Cold is everything with biscuit dough! If your kitchen is warm or the dough gets sticky, put the whole bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes before cutting.
Canned pumpkin varies in moisture. If yours looks wet, blot it on a paper towel before measuring.
The second-round biscuits from the scraps will be a little less tall. That’s normal; those are typically called the cook’s biscuits for a reason, so enjoy one as your tester.
Freezing the cut biscuits before baking helps the scalloped edges hold their shape. Storage
Best the day they’re baked. Store leftovers airtight at room temperature up to 2 days; rewarm at 350°F for 5 minutes. You can also microwave but they might dry out and get a little rubbery.
To freeze unbaked: freeze cut biscuits on a sheet until solid, then bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 3–5 minutes.
No buttermilk: Stir 1½ teaspoons lemon juice into ½ cup (120g) whole milk and let it sit 5 minutes.
Gluten-free: A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum should work, but in general expect less rise and a more delicate dough. Untested on this recipe, also! Optional add-ins
Press toasted Pepitas into the tops before baking
2 tablespoons (6g) chopped chives with herbs Tips
Cold is everything with biscuit dough! If your kitchen is warm or the dough gets sticky, put the whole bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes before cutting.
Canned pumpkin varies in moisture. If yours looks wet, blot it on a paper towel before measuring.
The second-round biscuits from the scraps will be a little less tall. That’s normal; those are typically called the cook’s biscuits for a reason, so enjoy one as your tester.
Freezing the cut biscuits before baking helps the scalloped edges hold their shape. Storage
Best the day they’re baked. Store leftovers airtight at room temperature up to 2 days; rewarm at 350°F for 5 minutes. You can also microwave but they might dry out and get a little rubbery.
To freeze unbaked: freeze cut biscuits on a sheet until solid, then bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 3–5 minutes.