Sweet potato biscuits are new to my kitchen. I added in some turmeric which helps to wake them up along with cinnamon, but the flavor that is most predominant is the sweet potato and that’s as it should be. Be warned that these are addicting and you may eat more than you planned. The seduction starts while they are baking in the oven, because the aroma of the sweet potato baking inside of the biscuit dough is everything and more.
So far, I’ve made two batches this week. I needed to move into the kitchen to take my mind off of the unsettling news about Boston that left our nation in shock, sadness and confusion. Although I live in Nashville, the Boston Marathon hit very close to home, as my next door neighbor was stopped at mile 25 as the race was shut down. He came home intact, a bit shaken, and grateful.
The Boston attack awakens old wounds, and reminds us that no matter what we do, no matter how stellar we may live our life, we are vulnerable to forces we can’t be fully protected from.
When such things happen, I turn to my faith and I also step into my kitchen. Baking biscuits is the best therapy, because I have to use my hands to pull the dough together and there’s something about using one’s hands to create something that is very healing.
Of course, eating a sweet potato biscuit slathered with honey can add brightness to anyone’s day.
The Sweet Potato Biscuit Process and My Biscuit Baking Tip
I have found another short cut in my biscuit making adventures that I’ll share with you. In lieu of a biscuit wooden bowl (on my wish list), I use a wooden salad bowl, because it has a wide bottom and allows me to mix the biscuit dough, pat it out and cut each biscuit right from the bowl. No extra steps in rolling or getting out the roul pat. I don’t use a rolling pin. I use the palm of my hand to flatten out the dough. Making everything in one bowl makes for easy clean up and I can have biscuits on the table start to stop in 25 minutes.
Even Retro Rose (my mom) who was never a biscuit eater is always asking me for biscuits. We never knew they could be so good or so easy. It was one of those foods we thought you had to grow up in the South to know how to do the right way.
Of all the biscuits I’ve made, the sweet potato biscuits are the most addicting. We still love the fluffy biscuit recipe and I think it’s the best biscuit recipe for a regular biscuit, and my base for all kinds of fancier biscuits.
- Use one wide wooden bowl if you can to mix, pat down and cut biscuits.
- Freeze butter first before incorporating into flour.
- Use soft wheat flour.
- Use full fat local buttermilk if you have a good dairy. It makes the difference.
- Use a high heat and a cast iron griddle or frying pan to bake the biscuits. Make sure they are kissing (touching).
To clear that ten minute prep time that I promised you, cut up the butter and freeze, put the sweet potato into the microwave for about five minutes. Take out the butter to mix with the flour and mash up the potato and put into the freezer to chill for a few minutes. The actual biscuit making then takes about 3 minutes and only 15 minutes to bake. Eat hot or at room temperature. Freeze in plastic bags and microwave for a morning breakfast, although I doubt you will have any left over.
So tell me, what do you do when something stressful happens? Do you find comfort in the kitchen baking, cooking, eating?
- 2 cups soft wheat flour (White Lily)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato
- milk, cream, or melted butter to top biscuits
- Preheat oven to 450.
- Mix flour, baking powder, tumeric, cinnamon, salt and sugar together.
- Add cold butter and cut in with your hands or pastry cutter. A good tip is to freeze the butter for 15 minutes, to keep everything cold.
- Add in cold sweet potato with your hands until fully incorporated.
- Add in buttermilk and mix thoroughly.
- Knead 6-8 times with hands. Pat into a dough about 1 inch thick and cut biscuits.
- Place in cast iron pan touching and bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Brush with milk, cream, or melted butter.
- Makes 10-12 biscuits.
Akira says
May 19, 2014 at 12:47 pmI stumbled on your site randomly while looking for recipes, and I love it! I appreciate all the tips, photos, and clear instructions that are a huge help to new bakers. So far I’ve tried the fluffy biscuits and the bacon-chive biscuits, and both have turned out great.
I have a question about this one though… I followed the instructions exactly (aside from using AP flour), and mine turned out really wet, like unshapable, drop-biscuit wet. (After adding in the mashed potatoes, my batter was pretty much dough-textured). Any suggestions or insights as to what happened?
Angela Roberts says
May 19, 2014 at 1:03 pmThis is a tricky one. Biscuits are a funny animal. If it’s too wet, add in more flour top and bottom of the dough. If it’s too dry, which it sort of sounds like, add in more buttermilk, a little at a time. (This tells me I need to make a video on this recipe).
Jessica Torres says
March 8, 2014 at 3:32 pmJill, I notice the baking powder is listed but not in the directions…I caught that luckily and put it in. I almost skipped it too. 🙂
Angela Roberts says
March 8, 2014 at 3:43 pmJessica. Thanks, I’ll get that in there.
Jessica Torres says
March 8, 2014 at 3:30 pmI was looking for a good biscuit recipe this morning and got sucked into this one after I googled=DELICIOUS. I only had regular flour but used everything organic…even the spices and they came out great. I want to make the regular ones next.
Jill says
April 28, 2013 at 6:23 pmThey smelled great, but when I pulled them out of the oven they were one-tier biscuits instead of two. Dense, not fluffy, even for a wheat bread. Looking over the directions I realized what had gone wrong: no leavener. Where is the baking soda/ powder? My fault for not seeing it earlier, but I thought you might want the catch w that all-important ingredient. I suppose you must use self-rising flour? I want to retry this recipe, though, because the taste was good!
Natalie says
April 25, 2013 at 10:29 amThey look so moist and delicious!!
Leah | So, How's It Taste? says
April 23, 2013 at 7:55 amThese look fantastic! I’m really intrigued by the turmeric too. Wonderful recipe!
angela says
April 23, 2013 at 12:31 pmLeah,
The tumeric just added a slight flavor, but I like building flavors subtlety.
Jackie says
April 22, 2013 at 9:21 pmPrinting the recipe right now. I’ll be making these as soon as possible. Thanks, Angela
angela says
April 23, 2013 at 12:32 pmGreat Jakie. You will love them.
tina wright says
April 22, 2013 at 7:06 pmTwo big Thank You s, first, the Kitchen is always the ” Go To Place ” when times are tough. Not sure why, but it always a true and comforting place. Spent this last weekend in the kitchen as well. Also , sweet potatoes have made a great biscuit for a great part of our baking history, Thanks for bring it back .
angela says
April 23, 2013 at 12:32 pmTina,
I love these old timey foods and the history behind them.
Ray J says
April 22, 2013 at 4:19 pmI’m new to bisquit-making, and have what might be a ‘newbie’ question. The recipe says to “brush with milk, cream, or melted butter” after it says to bake for 15 minutes. What’s the point of that?
angela says
April 23, 2013 at 12:32 pmRay,
The milk, cream or butter just helps brown them.
Ray J says
April 23, 2013 at 5:29 pmThanks, Angela, but my question then becomes do you brush them before or after you bake them?
Teresa, food on fifth says
April 22, 2013 at 3:36 pmAngela, what a heartfelt post. When I need to escape from horrors such as 9-11, the bombings in Boston, war, famine and the everyday misfortunes if life I turn to a book. For me there is nothing that works better than anything else for me. Cooking is my second go to place to escape from it all…just like you my dear.
Lovely comforting recipe.
jeri says
April 22, 2013 at 3:16 pmI love that one bowl tip. I rarely make biscuits since I have a small kitchen with limited counter space. With your method I could mix these up right on the kitchen table, and no flour mess everywhere. Good one.
angela says
April 23, 2013 at 12:30 pmThanks Jeri,
It seems every time I make biscuits, I learn a new tip.
Barbara F. says
April 22, 2013 at 2:31 pmAngela, first you are a wise woman, I loved reading this post. I’ve made biscuits, and I adore sweet potatoes, I think these would be great for the Thanksgiving bread basket. Or any time a turkey or chicken is being served. I do ‘eat’ my emotions, and it has led me down a dangerous path. I am slowly learning, it is hard, but making a little progress. I have been craving things since last week, like cake and ice cream, so maybe it has something to do with it. xo
angela says
April 23, 2013 at 12:30 pmYes, Barbara, sometimes we need a little extra comfort. That’s why I do boot camp. Thanks for your kind words.
Anna (Hidden Ponies) says
April 22, 2013 at 2:27 pmI definitely find comfort in the kitchen, but more in the eating than the cooking. And my faith is a must, good times or bad. These biscuits sound wonderful – I recently made some sweet potato and bacon scones I was super happy with too, who knew sweet potatoes made for such good biscuits!
angela says
April 23, 2013 at 12:27 pmAnna, yes, faith is the most important thing and adding in some bacon might be even better.
Mr. ST says
April 22, 2013 at 10:26 amYou can’ve even begin to imagine how delicious these are. If they are in the kitchen, I can’t stop eating them. They are great by themselves, but if you can catch one hot out of the oven and put a pad of butter and honey on it, it is heaven on a plate. I didn’t think these could possibly be better than ST’s fluffy biscuit recipe, but they are.
bellini says
April 22, 2013 at 9:29 amI think I am fairly confident in saying that we are all emotional eaters, some just have stronger willpower than others. I find that potatoes are my weakness and make mashed potatoes just to eat alone. Baking biscuits and bread might be more therapeutic.
Rosa says
April 22, 2013 at 8:34 amWhat lovely biscuits! Great flavors.
Cheers,
Rosa