What do you expect from a biscuit? That it’s light and fluffy and a perfect vehicle for other flavors like butter or jam? Me too, generally. But these biscuits are a horse of a different color. While they’re plenty tender, you wouldn’t describe them as fluffy and though they come with an amazing honey butter glaze, you don’t really have to augment them with a single thing as they’re already stuffed with tart Granny Apple flavor. These Granny Smith Apple Biscuits are so flavorful, they’re easy to make, and they’re a fun departure from your basic biscuit!
With these, you start the same way you do with more traditional biscuits – by cutting butter into your dry ingredients until you have a crumbly mixture. But then you also work in some grated Granny Smith apples, and then finally some buttermilk until it’s a workable dough.
You’ll need to knead this dough and it is a sticky one, so flour generously. Just knead it a bit until it’s workable, it won’t get totally smooth and you don’t want it to either! Bits of butter in biscuit dough help create steam pockets for flakiness. You’ll fold the dough a number of times to create layers, and then cut out the biscuits and bake ’em. It’s an easy process, but the end results are super flavorful and delicious.
But the flavor doesn’t end there, friends! Just to put these totally over the top, you also make up a quick honey butter glaze on the stovetop while these finish baking and brush it over the biscuits while they’re still warm. The sweetness of the honey goes so well with the tartness of the apples inside, you don’t want to skip it!
Granny Smith Apple Biscuits
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 Granny Smith apple, grated
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, chilled and cubed
- 1 cup buttermilk, chilled
For the glaze:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and spices.
- Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives, then work in the grated apple. Stir in buttermilk.
- Dust dough with flour and turn out onto a floured surface. (Dough will be sticky, so flour generously!)
- Knead dough until it's easier to handle, then pat into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold short sides into the center, like you're folding an envelope. Press dough back out into a rectangle, and repeat folding process 7 times.
- Cut biscuits out with a circle cutter and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- While biscuits bake, make the glaze: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in honey and salt.
- Once biscuits are done, brush with honey glaze. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Sugar Dish Me.