Biscuits II
If you've got all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt, you're most of the way to this vegetarian: about 65 minutes of cooking across 8 steps. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 8 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and whisk. At medium difficulty across 8 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 220 C (425 F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar until evenly combined.
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add it to the flour. Working quickly with your fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub the butter in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
- Pour in the cold milk and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms; do not overmix or the biscuits will turn tough.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rectangle about 2 cm (3/4 inch) thick. Fold it over on itself two or three times to build flaky layers, then pat out again to the same thickness.
- Cut out rounds with a floured 6 cm (2.5 inch) cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Gather the scraps gently, pat out once more and cut additional biscuits.
- Arrange the biscuits on the prepared sheet so their sides just touch, then brush the tops lightly with a little extra milk.
- Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until risen and golden brown on top. Let cool for a few minutes and serve warm.
You'll use: Oven · Whisk · Baking sheet
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
Tips & common questions
How long does Biscuits II take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 8 steps and 6 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Biscuits II vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Biscuits II is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Charrette biscuits Christie Montreal 1904.jpg (Public domain) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.