Cream of Tartar Biscuits

Maine Style

This is an easy homemade biscuit recipe with cream of tartar used with baking soda for the leavening agent. The biscuits turn out perfectly flaky, buttery, soft, and tall every time!! A fantastic biscuit to serve with dinner or breakfast.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
7 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup cold milk

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Sprinkle the butter pieces over the dry ingredients and use your fingers to blend them into the flour mixture. Keep at this until you have a mixture of pea-sized bits and little flakes of butter. Add the milk all at once and mix until it’s almost fully combined, then turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Do not over work this dough once you have added the milk!!! Biscuits come out the best when the dough is handled gently and quickly.
2. Using your hands, no rolling pin, gently press the dough out into a rough 1-inch thick circle or rectangle. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out 8 to 10 equal pieces, depending on the size you want your biscuits to be. Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Give them room to expand and close enough so they support each other as they rise. Place the biscuits in the refrigerator to chill while you pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees.
3. When the oven is hot, transfer the biscuits to the oven and cook until golden brown and puffed. Around 9 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly, then serve warm or at room temperature.

*Note: This is my Mom’s favorite biscuit recipe. We love them hot right out of the oven with butter and maple syrup, with molasses, or smeared with our favorite jam. They hold up well for a Chicken and Dumpling recipe and also add sugar to the mixture for Strawberry Shortcake.

Cheers, Drew Frederic