Legendary Blueberry Biscuits Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Spring

by: Alchemist

July14,2014

3.8

4 Ratings

  • Serves 8

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

In North Carolina, the fast food chain Bojangles has a monopoly on biscuits. It’s impossible to live here and not hear people talking about "Boberry biscuits." I think they're all right, but I always find their blueberry taste lacking -- so I decided to step up to the plate and try my hand at making my own version. Here they are! (For information on the science and techniques involved in this recipe, go to my website: http://darkchocolatealchemist.com/kneading/blueberry-biscuits/) —Alchemist

Test Kitchen Notes

You can't go wrong with a combination of summer's best fruit folded into pillowy biscuit dough. The dough itself is not too sweet, allowing the fruit flavor to shine through -- and the simple vanilla glaze brings these treats to the next level. These certainly aren't your average biscuits. —Grace Flack

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • Blueberry Biscuits
  • 1 1/4 cupsall-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoonsbaking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoonbaking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoonsalt
  • 2 tablespoonsunsalted butter, frozen for about 10 minutes
  • 1/2 cupbuttermilk
  • 2 tablespoonsheavy cream
  • 3 tablespoonsGreek yogurt
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/2 teaspoonvanilla extract
  • 1 cupblueberries (frozen are easier to handle)
  • 4 tablespoonsgranulated sugar
  • Icing
  • 1/2 cupconfectioners sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoonsmilk
  • 1/4 teaspoonvanilla extract
Directions
  1. Fold two tablespoons of the granulated sugar into the blueberries, then place them in the freezer. This helps prevent the blueberries from bursting in the oven.
  2. Combine the salt, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the flour. Grate the frozen butter into the dry ingredients.
  3. Using your hands, pinch and rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand, with some larger pebbles of butter. Mix the blueberries into the flour mixture, and place the whole thing in freezer.
  4. Combine the buttermilk, the heavy cream, the Greek yogurt, the egg yolk, and the vanilla with the remaining sugar. Take the dry ingredients from the freezer, then fold in the wet ingredients. Stir until everything is just incorporated
  5. Form the dough into a ball. I have a special "kneading" technique, which you can use to avoid warming the dough with your hands: Dump out the dough on a piece of floured wax paper, then fold the right end of the wax paper over the dough and gently pat it down. Do the same folding and patting step with the other side. Repeat this motion 3 to 5 times, until dough has come together neatly.
  6. Using a spoon, dollop the dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. Place it in the freezer for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450° F.
  7. Remove the baking sheet from freezer and put it in the oven for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown.
  8. To make the icing, combine the confectioners sugar with the milk and the vanilla until smooth. Drizzle it over the biscuits with a spoon, or brush it on with a pastry brush.

Tags:

  • Biscuit
  • American
  • Blueberry
  • Buttermilk
  • Milk/Cream
  • Fruit
  • Summer
  • Spring
  • Breakfast
  • Snack
  • Dessert
Contest Entries
  • Your Best Berry Recipe

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Susan Skellan Seltzer

  • Lorrie Hanawalt

  • Anna

  • Lindsay Powell

  • Tara Roberts

21 Reviews

Raye A. January 20, 2021

Wow, excellent recipe. Yes, just like a scone. Like eating a pillow, so soft. They were delicious for breakfast the next morning. I subbed in a little goat butter for cow butter. Yum. I didn't have Greek yogurt, only vanilla bean yogurt and it turned it just fine.

Susan S. May 26, 2020

I made these exactly as written and, like several others, mine came out flat and purple. They did not have crispy edges and were very soft....in other words, not at all resembling a biscuit. Someone mentioned they were more like muffin tops and I'd say that's a spot on description. They taste fine but were a disappointment as not at all what I expected. For all the steps required they were not worth the effort. I will go back to my favourite biscuit and scone recipes.

Lorrie H. August 13, 2017

Made the recipe this morning exactly as written. They were delicious!! They tasted more like a delicate scone than a biscuit and they did come out flat as others mentioned. But we all loved them anyways! Keeper for sure but we will try to make them less flat. If anyone can offer suggestions to do this I'd appreciate the info.

Emily June 11, 2017

Made these this morning as written, with the only change of not kneading as my dough was rather wet. They came out very much like another commenter's -- more like a muffin top than a biscuit. They were yummy, but not worth the work. Muffins are easier and every bit as delicious.

Anna June 10, 2017

I Made these gluten free, and doubled the recipe and it worked wonderfully! The double recipe made 3 sheets of biscuits which was great because we have family visiting.

Lindsay P. September 25, 2015

I absolutely love these biscuits and had no problems with the recipe at all. My dough was a little purple, but no worries about it. My husband just asked me to make some more for breakfast in the morning. Thanks for this :0)

Tara R. July 13, 2015

I went blueberry picking this morning and made these when I got home. I had no issues with the batter being runny. The only changes I made were: I was out of heavy cream, so used creme fraiche (that I had used my heavy cream making...) and I added some lemon zest to the biscuits and the icing. They are really tender and yummy!

EllieDoro February 15, 2015

So delicious! I added lemon zest and juice to the icing.

Emily L. January 28, 2015

the minute I saw the title of this recipe 'boberry biscuits' was my first thought! as a North Carolinian relocated to Louisiana (and missing Bo's!) I cannot wait to make these!

Dina M. January 13, 2015

So, I needed a bit more flour as well, and mine turned a ghastly shade of purple from the blueberries. Did anyone else use frozen? Is that the reason?n They were just for a quick breakfast, so not a problem if I didn't look down! Want to make again, but prettier!

NYMomette January 3, 2015

I knew there was a reason I kept that big bag of fresh blueberries in my freezer!

Gabriella August 25, 2014

These look absolutely divine! Definitely making these before blueberry season ends!

AliceToo August 24, 2014

I just made these...I was actually hoping they wouldn't be so good because they are alot more trouble than my go-to blueberry scone recipe...however... they are amazing!! I skipped the "kneading" step - my dough/batter was way too wet, and I even added another tablespoon or so of flour. So I just scooped out spoonfuls like in a cookie recipe and dropped them onto the pan (lined with parchment). One other little change - I added lemon zest to the glaze....But I must admit they are worth the extra steps...Yum!!! I will definitely add these to my special occasion breakfast repertoire!!

Alchemist August 24, 2014

Hey Spacook, Since I don't have a picture of what they look like I can't say for certain what the problem is. Based on your description, the likely culprits are that the biscuits were left too long in the freezer or that the biscuits were put into the oven before it was completely preheated.

SpaCook August 24, 2014

Just made these and they were lovely. But, even after following the directions to the letter, mine were more muffin-toppy than biscuity. Have I made them correctly?

AliceToo August 24, 2014

You know, that's exactly how I would describe mine...Way different texture than a traditional biscuit. But delicious for sure!

Alchemist August 17, 2014

Yayasmama that sounds amazing!

Petitie Fee I'm honestly not sure about how well it would work gluten free, but I think it is possible. It may not rise as well because there really isn't a substance for the elasticity that gluten provides. However, because this recipe doesn't use a lot of gluten to begin with, I think that if you use a Gluten-free flour mix it will still taste great. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!

Petite F. August 17, 2014

Love the idea of kneading the dough with wax paper for someone like me who does not like dough in my short nails :0
Also, by chance could these be made gluten free?
Thanks for sharing!

Yayasmama August 17, 2014

Great recipe! So easy! I would just add lemon zest to the biscuits and icing for a little zing.

Alchemist August 15, 2014

I'm sorry to hear that your blueberries got crushed. But I'm glad they were still tasty! I would recommend freezing the blueberries before hand if crushing is an issue. Beyond that the only real option is to knead very gently. My website details the kneading very thoroughly: http://darkchocolatealchemist.com/kneading/blueberry-biscuits/ Hope that helps!

Lindsey O. August 15, 2014

How do you knead the dough without crushing the blueberries and making a (tasty, though unfortunately very ugly) blue-green biscuit?

Legendary Blueberry Biscuits Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Do you put baking soda in biscuits? ›

That can be a beautiful thing in the right context—just imagine the velvety crumb of a sour cream pound cake—but it has the potential to make biscuits gummy and dense. To counteract that risk, all we need is a pinch of baking soda to neutralize the excess acidity and give the dough a more powerful rise.

What makes biscuits rise better? ›

Baking at a Low Temperature

A hot oven helps biscuits bake—and rise—quickly. We recommend 475˚F for 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven as soon as they are lightly brown.

What flavor is a Bo Berry biscuit? ›

Bo-Berry Biscuits are sweet little pucks with just a touch of saltiness. Bo-Berries, also known as blue dots that taste like artificially flavored blueberries, permeate every bite. As far as fast food sweets go, I'd rather have an apple pie from McDonald's, but this biscuit certainly had its charms.

What is the secret to an excellent biscuit? ›

Just bring it all together and let the ingredients do the work." In order to help the biscuits rise, all the experts agree that the fat — whether butter, shortening or margarine — needs to be cold, and there should still be visible chunks of that fat in the dough. Don't overmix.

What makes biscuits rise better baking powder or baking soda? ›

Baking soda is a much more powerful leavener than baking powder, about 3-4 times as strong. That is why you will notice that recipes usually call for a small amount of baking soda, typically ¼ teaspoon per 1 cup of flour.

Can I use baking soda instead of baking powder to make biscuits? ›

Remember that baking soda is stronger than baking powder, so you'll want to use a quarter of the amount of baking soda as powder. So if the recipe calls for 1 tsp. baking powder, use ¼ tsp. baking soda.

What is the secret to high rising biscuits? ›

Cut off uneven edges and put these scraps to the side; clean cuts on all sides will encourage rise. Pat scraps together to make 1 odd-shaped ninth biscuit. Place biscuits close together in a 9-inch square pan and brush with melted salted butter. Place pan on top of the warm stove for 10 to 15 minutes to rise.

Is butter or crisco better in biscuits? ›

The butter version rises the highest — look at those flaky layers! The shortening biscuit is slightly shorter and a bit drier, too. Butter contains a bit of water, which helps create steam and gives baked goods a boost.

How long should biscuit dough rest before baking? ›

If your dough is sitting for an hour or more at room temperature (or warmer), you risk them being doughy and/or tough and not rising properly. Freezing them solid (6+ hours), carrying them in a cooler, and then baking them from frozen on-site should work, though.

What are pirate biscuits called? ›

Hardtack. A preserved hardtack from the U.S. Civil War, Pensacola Museum of History, Florida. Alternative names. ANZAC wafers, brewis, cabin bread, dog biscuit, molar breakers, pilot bread, sea biscuit, sea bread, sheet iron, ship's bisket, shipbiscuit, tooth dullers, worm castles.

Do boberry biscuits have real blueberries? ›

Freshly baked, made from scratch biscuit with blueberries mixed in and topped with sweet icing.

Who is the taste the biscuit lady? ›

Estelle Piper (Toasters) "Taste The Biscuit" singer! Estelle Piper (Toasters) "Taste The Biscuit" singer!

What is the king of biscuit? ›

Pillai became known in India as the 'Biscuit King' or 'Biscuit Baron'. He took over Nabisco's other Asian subsidiaries. Pillai then established links with Boussois-Souchon-Neuvesel (BSN), the French food company, and by 1989 controlled six Asian companies worth over US$400 million.

What is the best flour to use for biscuits? ›

White wheat in general is around 9-12% protein, while the hard reds are 11-15%. As far as brands of flour, White Lily “all-purpose” flour has been my go-to for biscuit making. It's a soft red winter wheat, and the low protein and low gluten content keep biscuits from becoming too dense.

What type of flour makes the best biscuits? ›

The Bottom Line

I personally think that biscuits are at their best when you use a fine pastry-type flour like White Lily or Bob's Pastry flour. BUT, all-purpose flour is absolutely an option. I actually think that your technique when making biscuits is just as - if not, more - important than the flour you use.

What does baking soda do in a biscuit recipe? ›

When baking soda, also called sodium bicarbonate, is combined with an acid (like buttermilk or lemon juice) and a liquid, it produces the carbon dioxide that helps the dough or batter rise.

What happens if you leave baking soda out of biscuits? ›

Baking soda is an important ingredient in baked goods and bread. Leaving it out will change the flavor and texture of the food in an unpleasant way. While there are substitutes, if your recipe calls for baking soda, it's important to use it whenever possible.

What happens if you forget baking soda in biscuits? ›

If you fail to add a teaspoon of baking soda or however much your recipe needs, the cookies won't have those bubbles inside them to rise up. If you forget to add the acid, too, the baking soda won't be able to react or produce carbon dioxide.

What does baking soda and baking powder do in biscuits? ›

Both baking powder and baking soda are leavening agents, which cause baked goods to rise. While they bear similarities in look and texture, they differ from each other in chemical composition and how they interact with other ingredients.

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