Description
These wholesome whole wheat biscuits offer a fiber-rich, tender texture and are finished with a unique maple-cardamom glaze, making them perfect for brunch. The key to their lightness lies in keeping the butter very cold and handling the dough minimally.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (240g)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed (113g)
- 1 cup buttermilk (240ml)
- 1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
- For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar (200g)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (60ml)
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, plus extra for garnish
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or water
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prep Pan: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl to ensure even distribution.
- Cut in Butter: Add the cold butter cubes to the dry mixture. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Avoid melting the butter.
- Add Liquids: In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined into a shaggy dough; add 1-2 tablespoons extra buttermilk if too dry. Do not overmix.
- Shape the Dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. For extra layers, fold the dough over itself 2-3 times before patting it out again.
- Cut and Bake Biscuits: Use a 2.5-inch round cutter to press straight down firmly without twisting. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown.
- Prepare Glaze: While the biscuits cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, cardamom, and 1 tablespoon milk/water in a medium bowl. Adjust consistency by adding more liquid as needed until smooth and pourable.
- Glaze Biscuits and Serve: Drizzle the glaze generously over the warm biscuits and garnish with a light sprinkle of extra ground cardamom before serving immediately.
Notes
For best results, keep the butter extremely cold or even frozen before cutting it in. Do not overwork the dough or twist the cutter when cutting out biscuits, as this can result in tough, dense biscuits instead of light, flaky ones. To substitute buttermilk, combine 1 cup regular milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 biscuit
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
Keywords: whole wheat biscuits, maple cardamom glaze, brunch recipe, wholesome baking, comfort food, breakfast, baking, quick bread