Cornmeal Buttermilk Biscuits

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 08/28/19
Cornmeal biscuits with pepper jelly

Diana Rattray / The Spruce Eats

Prep: 8 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 10 to 12 servings

Cornmeal gives these buttermilk biscuits extra texture and flavor. They're especially good with a hearty stew, bowl of chili, or beans.

The biscuits freeze well, too. Just bake the biscuits, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet, and then put them in freezer bags. Or freeze the unbaked biscuits the same way and then bake them as directed until golden brown.

The biscuits make a great casserole or pot pie topping as well. Arrange unbaked biscuits over the filling and bake until the biscuits are golden brown. See the tips for more ideas.

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 8 ounces, Spoon and Sweep Method)
  • 1/3 cup cornmeal
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 6 tablespoon cold unsalted butter (cut in small pieces)
  •  3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat the oven to 425 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

  3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, soda, salt, and sugar. Pulse or whisk to blend the dry ingredients thoroughly.

  4. Add the chilled butter pieces and pulse about 8 to 10 times or use a pastry blender or fingers. The mixture should look like coarse meal with some pieces about the size of small peas.

  5. If using the food processor, dump the mixture into a bowl. Add the buttermilk and mix just until a soft dough has formed.

  6. Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just a few times to bring the dough together. Overworking the dough will produce tough biscuits. Pat the dough out into a circle about 3/4- to 1-inch thick. Cut out with biscuit cutters, 2-inch or 2 1/2-inch in size.

  7. Arrange the biscuits on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

  8. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown.

Expert Tips

  • Did you know that twisting the cutter when you cut out a biscuit can cause a lop-sided rise in the oven? Try to resist the urge to twist!
  • For the lightest, flakiest biscuits, handle the biscuit dough as little as possible. Mix until moistened and then knead a few times to make a soft, smooth dough.
  • Use these biscuits as a casserole topping. Put pot pie filling, a stew, or chili in a baking dish and top with the unbaked biscuits. Bake until the biscuits are browned and the filling is bubbling.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
156 Calories
9g Fat
17g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 156
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 11%
Saturated Fat 4g 22%
Cholesterol 17mg 6%
Sodium 439mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Protein 2g
Calcium 111mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)