Description
These Sweet Potato Biscuits are tender, flaky, and lightly sweetened, featuring the natural sweetness and moisture of mashed sweet potatoes. Perfect for breakfast or as a comforting side, they combine frozen grated butter and sweet potatoes to create a flaky texture that rivals classic biscuits. With a quick folding technique and simple ingredients, these biscuits bake to a golden perfection in just 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour (spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off)
- 3-4 tablespoons (50g) sugar
- 4 teaspoons (16g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
Wet Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter, frozen and grated
- 1 cup (240ml) sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
- Buttermilk or cream, for brushing
- Melted butter, for brushing after baking
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt together in a large mixing bowl to ensure even distribution.
- Add Butter: Quickly grate the frozen unsalted butter into the flour mixture. Alternatively, cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized chunks. Keep the mixture cold by refrigerating if needed.
- Add Sweet Potatoes: Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the mashed sweet potatoes. Stir gently just until the dough starts to come together, taking care not to over-mix to preserve flakiness. Refrigerate the dough for about 10 minutes.
- Knead the Dough: Lightly flour your work surface and transfer the chilled dough onto it. Knead gently 3-4 times, enough just for the dough to come together while still retaining flakes of butter.
- Roll Dough: Gently pat or roll the dough to about ½ inch thick, handling it delicately to maintain the butter flakes for the flaky texture.
- Fold Dough: Fold the dough over itself 6-8 times to create layers that enhance flakiness. After folding, press the dough down to about 1 inch thickness, preparing it for cutting.
- Cut Biscuits: Use a 2- or 3-inch round cookie cutter or the rim of a glass to cut out biscuits. Press straight down firmly and pull up without twisting to ensure proper rise. Loosen each biscuit gently and place them evenly spaced on a prepared baking sheet.
- Use Leftover Dough: Gather the scraps, knead lightly without overworking, roll and cut additional biscuits until all dough is used.
- Brush Biscuits: Lightly brush the tops with buttermilk or cream to aid in browning during baking.
- Bake Biscuits: Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (205°C) for 12-15 minutes or until the biscuits are lightly browned.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the biscuits from the oven and immediately brush them with melted butter for richness and shine. Serve warm with honey if desired.
Notes
- Use frozen grated butter to ensure maximum flakiness in the biscuits.
- Do not over-mix or over-knead the dough to keep the biscuits tender and flaky.
- Folding the dough multiple times creates layers that improve flakiness.
- Press the cutter straight down without twisting to avoid sealing edges and ensure proper rising.
- Brushing with buttermilk or cream before baking enhances the golden crust.
- Serve warm for the best flavor and texture, optionally with honey or butter.
