Description
This buttery biscuit recipe features a flaky texture and a warm, gooey maple-pecan praline swirl. It’s a perfect elevated treat for a weekend brunch or special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup very cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
- 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons toasted pecans, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare Praline Filling: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, finely chopped pecans, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly with a fork until a uniform, spreadable paste forms, then set aside at room temperature.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for at least 30 seconds to distribute the leavening evenly.
- Incorporate Cold Butter: Add the very cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender or quickly use your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some small pea-sized pieces remaining. Avoid overworking or allowing the butter to melt.
- Mix Buttermilk: Make a small well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the cold buttermilk. Gently mix with a fork or spatula until just combined and a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Roll and Spread Filling: Turn the shaggy dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough 3-4 times to bring it together. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 12 inches by 8 inches. Spread the praline mixture evenly over the entire surface, leaving a narrow 1/2 inch border along one long edge.
- Roll and Cut Biscuits: Starting from the long edge covered with praline, carefully and tightly roll the dough into a log. Press the seam to seal. With a sharp, floured knife, cut the log into 8-10 equal-sized rounds, each about 1.2 to 1.6 inches thick.
- Bake Biscuits: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the cut biscuits onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring a spacing of about 3/4 inch between each. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the tops are deeply golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
- Cool and Serve: Carefully transfer the baked biscuits to a wire rack to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and scatter toasted pecans over the top.
Notes
Keep your butter and buttermilk very cold to achieve a flaky texture. Overmixing the dough will result in tough biscuits. If the praline filling starts running out of the biscuits too quickly during baking, slightly reduce the oven temperature.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 biscuit
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
Keywords: biscuit, praline, maple, pecan, brunch, breakfast, quick bread, pastry, flaky, sweet