It has been a ridiculously long time since my last post.  I have no excuse.

A couple of weeks ago I ran across a fabulous biscuit recipe that is the easiest I’ve ever made.  It is a great base recipe that can then be made sweeter or more savory with various stir-ins depending on what you’re serving them with.   I cannot tell you how much I love this recipe because of its versatility and ease.

Here is the base recipe.  I will include the 2 variations I’ve made at the end.

Soda Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 3 C. flour
• ¼ C. to ½ C. sugar (depending on sweetness desired)
• 1 t. baking soda (¾ t. for high altitude)
• ½ t. Kosher salt
• ½ C. (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1 ¼ C. buttermilk*

*You can substitute sour milk or 1 cup 3 T. of sweet whole milk mixed with 1 T. of white vinegar.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º F.  Spray a standard muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
3. Cut the butter into tablespoon sized pieces into the bowl of flour.  Using your (hopefully clean) hands work the butter into the flour, schmooshing the butter between your fingers and mixing with the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.  If you are stirring in any add-ins, now would be the time to do it.
4. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk.  Using a wooden spoon, gently mix the flour into the buttermilk until the flour is moistened but being careful not to over mix.  The dough will be quite sticky.
5. Working quickly, make “balls” of dough (really they’re more like globs) with your hands and place them in the wells of the muffin tin.  It is really gooey – avoid the temptation of over handling the dough.  Just loosely place it in the wells.  If you need to go back and add more to some to use all the dough up then just place the extra on top of the already placed dough.  It will all back together just fine.
6. Bake 12-13 minutes (15-17 minutes in high altitude) until tops are browned.  Remove from oven and let cool for a couple of minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool for a few more minutes.

Makes 12 buscuits

Variations I have made:

Cranberry Orange

Follow base recipe, but change sugar to approximately 1/3 C. and add ¾ C. dried cranberries (like Craisins) and the fresh zest of one orange.

Cheddar Biscuits

Follow base recipe, using ¼ C. sugar and adding 1 C. shredded cheddar cheese.