Pumpkin biscuits are studded with black walnuts and flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and the tang of buttermilk. These biscuits come together quickly using a food processor, but you may cut in the butter in a traditional manner with your fingers or a pastry blender, if you wish. Walnuts or pecans may be substituted for the black walnuts. These lightly sweet biscuits are best served hot from the oven with lots of butter.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree (or homemade)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, or a bit more if needed
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 cup (1 stick or 8 Tablespoons) cold butter, cut into cubes
- 1/3 cup finely chopped black walnuts
- White granulated sugar
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450 F. Lightly grease a shiny baking pan.
Combine pumpkin and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Do not let processor run and risk overmixing.
Remove to a large bowl. Stir in black walnuts and pumpkin mixture by hand. Dough will be stiff and not all flour will be incorporated.
Gently knead dough a few times on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut biscuits 2 inches in diameter and place on prepared pan. Sprinkle lightly with sugar.
Bake for 10 minutes, watching that they do not get too brown. Serve pumpkin black walnut biscuits hot from the oven with butter.
Yield: 12 biscuits
Combine pumpkin and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Do not let processor run and risk overmixing.
Remove to a large bowl. Stir in black walnuts and pumpkin mixture by hand. Dough will be stiff and not all flour will be incorporated.
Gently knead dough a few times on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut biscuits 2 inches in diameter and place on prepared pan. Sprinkle lightly with sugar.
Bake for 10 minutes, watching that they do not get too brown. Serve pumpkin black walnut biscuits hot from the oven with butter.
Yield: 12 biscuits
