Cream Biscuits with only four ingredients and no butter to cut in are the simplest ever to make. There's no worrying abut overworking the dough, and no complicated techniques to learn. Heavy cream which replaces the butter also supplies the liquid. making these biscuits tender, light, and surprisingly simple to put together. High, light, tender and so easy to make, it's a great biscuit recipe for beginners.
But the best part may be how convenient they are. You can make the dough, cut out the biscuits, and freeze them unbaked. When you want fresh biscuits from the oven, take out as many as you want and bake them straight from the freezer. I also give you two oven temperatures, depending on whether you prefer softer biscuits or ones with a risper, mor golden exterior.
Biscuits and scones are very close cousins and each are enhanced with jams. Try these with the Strawberry Balsamic Jam that is truly unusual. Several scones come to mind including the luscious Cinnamon Filled Buttermilk Scones, Breakfast Scones featuring hot sausage and cheddar cheese right in the Scone and the sugar topped Scone with Cranberry Strawberry Jam. For more great recipes, check out A Last Minute Easter Roundup.
Jump to:
- Why These Cream Biscuits Are Different
- What makes these so special?
- Why Use cake flour?
- Why you'll love These Cream Biscuits
- Recipe Ingredients
- Key Ingredients
- Step by Step Instructions
- Recipe FAQS
- Expert Tips for Successful Cream Biscuits
- How to store the biscuits
- Check out these easy quick breads
- Cream Biscuits
Why These Cream Biscuits Are Different
Traditional biscuits usually depend on cold butter cut into the flour to create their tender texture. These Cream Biscuits take a different approach.
This is the really magical thing about these biscuits. Heavy whipping cream replaces the butter supplying both the fat and the liquid. It's the fat content that is important and the heavy cream has that in spades! Heavy cream has a higher fat content than regular whipping cream so that's the one you want. Heavy cream has a butterfat content of no less than 36% to 40% which is the best if it can be found.
What makes these so special?
These cream biscuits have only 4 ingredients and have a softer texture inside making them ideal to serve with any meal. And don't forget the dessert - adding a bit of sugar to lightly sweeten them and they are the best for a great strawberry, peach or mixed fruit shortcake.
Speaking of adding things, add a cup or so of any cheese of your choice. If you're going to use these for sandwiches, add a teaspoon or so of black pepper to give them a bit of a kick.
Why Use cake flour?
Cake flour is key to these biscuits being so tender which is why I don't suggest substituting all-purpose flour for it.
Of all the wheat flours, cake flour has the lowest amount of protein or gluten. Too much gluten can produce a tough texture while the cake flour gives you a softer, lighter biscuit and makes this dough more forgiving than traditional biscuit dough.
As such, it's really, really hard to overwork the dough and it ensures a tender, fluffy biscuit even when made in a mixer.
Why you'll love These Cream Biscuits
- Only four ingredients, Flour, baking powder, salt and heavy cream are all uou need for the basic recipe.
- No cutting in butter. The heavy cream supplies the fat and liquid eliminating one of the more intimidating steps in making traditional biscuits.
- Tender and light. Cake flour helps produce a soft texture without delicate handling.
- Make ahead and freeze. Cut the bixcuits out, freeze them and bake them whenever you want fresh biscuits.
- These biscuits are super variabe - These are more than a dinner biscuit. Use it for any meal or a snack, for a sandwich, or add a bit of sugar for the base of a shortcake. Add cheese and black pepper for a perfect start to a sandwich.
- Two ways to bake them. Choose a lower temperature for softer tops and bottoms or a higher temperature for a crisper, more golden exterior.
Recipe Ingredients
CLOCKWISE: Cake flour, heavy cream, baking powder, salt
Key Ingredients
- Cake Flour: This is y preferred flour for these biscuits because its lower protein count produces a particularly tender crumb. I recommend weighting it for accuracy,
- Baking powder: This is the ingredient that makes the biscuits rise. Make sure yours is fresh.
- Salt. Essential for bringing out the flavor of the biscuits.
- Heavy Cream: This is the one ingredient that makes these so easy. It provides both the fat and the liquid that brings the dough together. Look for Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full list of ingredients & instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
I strongly recommend weighing the flour for accuracy. Measuring the flour correctly is most important. A scale will give the best results. If using volume, sift the flour to overflowing in the correct measuring cup . With a metal spatula or the flat back of a knife, sweep off the excess. Continue with the correct cup measures as called for.
Step 1. Place the cake flour, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a mixer. Step 2. Mix for a few seconds to blend then slowly pour the heavy cream into the mixer while it is running. Step 3. Beat just until it comes together. Step 4. Remove from the mixer and, on a lightly floured surface, shape into a smooth ball by kneading a few times.
Step 5. Press the dough out with the palm of your hand. No need to roll out. Step 6. It should be 3/4" thick. Step 7. Using a 3" round cutter or a biscuit cutter the desired size, cut the biscuits. When cutting, do not twist the cutter. Cut straight down then remove the cutter for straight biscuits. If you twist the cutter, the biscuits can come out lopsided. Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet pan. Re-roll the scraps as necessary Step 8. Just before putting them in the preheated oven brush them with a bit of additional cream. Bake as called for until just golden brown. Do not over bake. These can also be cut out, frozen hard, then stored in a freezer bag. Add a few minutes additional baking time.
Recipe FAQS
Heavy cream contins both butterfat and liquid. The fat provides the the richness and tenderness normally supplied by butter, so there is o need to cut butter into the flour.
According to history, it originated with the Romans in the 9th century. However, the Viennese have been using it lavishly for 300 years are are credited its current popularity.
There is a fascinating article on how the beginning of our biscuits came from Europe in King Arthur's, Rise the History of America's Biscuits
Expert Tips for Successful Cream Biscuits
- Cake flour is important to the soft, fluffy outcome of these biscuits. All-purpose flour will produce a different biscuit.
- Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. Regular whipping cream has a lower fat content and may not yield the same results.
- Don't overmix. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together. It won't form a smooth ball in the mixer and that's perfectly fine.
- Don't twist the biscuit cutter. When cutting out the biscuits, press straight down and bring it straight up to for a baked biscuit that is straight and not lopsided.
- Handle the scraps gently. Push them together and cut out more biscuits. Do not knead them together.
- Freeze extras before baking. If you aren't using all the biscuits at once, freeze the extras, wrap them and bake them from the freezer as needed.
How to store the biscuits
Creamed Biscuits are best served warm, shortly after baking. If you have leftovers, cover them well and keep them at room temperature for a couple of days.
Freezing unbaked biscuits. his is my favorite way to store them. place the cut biscuits o a baking sheet and freeze until hard. Wrap the well in foil or place them in a freezer bag until needed. Bake them directly from the freezer, adding a few minutes to the time.
Freezing baked biscuits. Cool the biscuits completely. Freeze them until hard and then wrap them in foil or store in a plastic freezer bag or airtight container. Thaw at room temperature and refresh in a 350°F oven for about 10 to 12 minutes. Serve warm.
Check out these easy quick breads
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Cream Biscuits
Equipment
- 2 3/4" Round cutter or whatever size and shape you desire.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour (300 grams)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 to 1 2/3 cups heavy cream
- 1 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar for sweetened biscuits
Instructions
- Two baking times are given depending upon how you like your biscuits. Preheat
- For a softer top and bottom preheat the oven to 350° F.
- For a crisper top and bottom, preheat the oven to 450°F.
- I strongly recommend weighing the flour for accuracy. Measuring the flour correctly is most important. A scale will give the best results. If using volume, sift the flour to overflowing in the correct measuring cup . With a metal spatula or the flat back of a knife, sweep off the excess. Continue with the correct cup measures as called for.
- Place the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar if using in a mixing bowl. Blend together.
- With the machine running, pour the cream in a steady stream. The dough should be somewhat sticky. If it is not, add more cream.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 5 or 6 times to bring together, then pat or roll the dough to about 3/4 inch thick. Cut out desired shape and size. I used a 2 3/4" round cutter. Push the dough together to re-roll as necessary. Try not to knead it. Cut more biscuits out and place them on a parchment lined sheet. Bake as directed below.
- Cut the out in desired shape and size. I used a 2 3/4" round cutter. When cutting the biscuits cut straight down and bring it straight up. Do not twist it or the biscuits will be lopsided.
- Just before baking the biscuits, brush the tops with cream.
- If you bake the biscuits at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes they will have a softer top and bottom.
- If you bake them at 450 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes they will have a browner and crisper top and bottom.
- The biscuits are best served warm from the oven but will keep for a couple of days under a cover.
- Unbaked biscuits can be frozen and then stored in a freezer bag to be baked off as needed. They can also be frozen baked and stored in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature then refresh in a 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Jill McCullough says
I have been making cream biscuits for a few years. Using cream instead of butter is so much easier and almost foolproof. I thought your recipe was great! The biscuits were more tender than biscuits from my previous recipe. I apologise for bringing up my 'changes', but they were just 'changes' to procedure, not to the recipe. I am lazy. I used a fork the first time, dumped the just-coming-together dough onto silicone and kneaded just to form the shape. I press with my fingers/palm to get a nine inch circle and cut the piece into 8 pie slices! I am sure you have turned a "pie slice" into four smaller triangles before, and that is how I turn my dough into 32 'bites' that end up with great crispy edges when baked! (I love strawberry shortbread this way, and so do the people I serve it to!) The dough was not too wet to work with the first time I tried the recipe. The second time, I used a hand mixer, the dough was really wet (sticky fingers! Flour used.) BUT the bumpy surface of the dough translated into more crispy! From now on I will put up with the stick and minimally flour my hands! Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful recipes and techniques, Helen! I really enjoyed the newsletter too, just received. Every time I get your posts, I read the recipes and usually check out your links to other yummy offerings at the bottom. I just am not baking as much. But when I do, I go to you!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Jill - the almost wet dough is the key to really good biscuits. I learned this from Shirley Corhhier years ago. She is from the South and a food scientist. Embrace the sticky and try not to add flour. Best Biscuits in the world thanks to Shirley.
Ginny Sher says
I plan on making these either today or tomorrow for a good friend who is Southern. Although an accomplished cook, she has yet to master biscuits. She also has a very clear idea of what they should look and taste like. I found another recipe (also very easy) that used sour cream instead of butter. They were bland and tasteless to me, so I didn't think she would like them either. I was right. So off I go looking for another recipe. Every recipe of yours that I've made has been really successful, so I will ask a few questions. 10 This recipe is very similar to my failed attempt, but uses heavy cream instead of sour cream. Will that really make a big difference? I hate wasting food if I can avoid it. It seems like butter is the way to go, but I trust your judgement. 2) Where does one source "heavy cream" as opposed to "heavy whipping cream"? I never see any indication of the amount of butterfat on those labels, so how does one know? They always state, 'heavy WHIPPING cream'.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Ginny. Cream is butter, just in another form. If you remove the water from cream by beating it long enough you have butter. I think your friend is wanting buttermilk biscuits with butter. These are the traditional biscuits. These are not those. However, no one has ever said these weren't good. There are different types of biscuits just like cookies, muffins, cakes, etc. There used to be 40% cream and heavy cream. The 40% had that much fat in it and was the absolute best when whipping cream was called for. That's all I used at the bakery. Unfortunately, Heavy whipping cream has been downscaled and has less fat in it. Still much better than just "whipping" cream which has even less. The fat is what stabilizes the cream and whips it tighter and higher. If it says heavy that is what you are looking for. As far as I am concerned sour cream isn't one I would use for this recipe. My suggestion is to go with the buttermilk and butter biscuits even though they are not as easy.