I find that fresh homemade bread is an often overlooked part of the Thanksgiving meal. Most people either just buy bread, or buy frozen rolls to stick in the oven so that it seems homemade. After all, your oven may be in use for a whole bunch of other stuff. However, I find that homemade bread almost completes a meal. You can make bread (including these biscuits) a day or two before and they’ll still taste fresh.
These biscuits are lightly sweetened but not too much so. This is a recipe from my favorite magazine, Family Fun. It is ‘sneaky mama’ approved because of the canned pumpkin that adds extra vitamin C to your dinner. Biscuits are also always a great way for kids to enjoy helping in the kitchen.
You will need:
1 3/4 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar, plus a little extra for topping
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup light cream, plus a little extra for glaze
1/3 cup solidly packed pumpkin mash or canned pumpkin
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
Directions:
Heat the oven to 375° F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Use your fingertips or a pastry blender to work in the butter. (I prefer using my fingertips.) Keep mixing until the ingredients resemble a coarse, flaky meal, then stir in the chopped walnuts. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the cream, pumpkin, and honey. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the liquid into it. Stir briskly until the dough pulls together, then let it sit for a few minutes.
2. Flour your hands and your work surface. Gently knead the dough into a ball, then pat it into a 1-inch-thick disk. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter or drinking glass, cut the dough into rounds and place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet, leaving a couple of inches between them. Repeat this process until you’ve used all the dough. Brush the biscuit tops sparingly with cream and then sprinkle on a little sugar.
3. Bake the biscuits on the center oven rack until they are light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Makes about 12 biscuits.
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