Description
These Cranberry Orange Swim Biscuits are tender, flaky, and bursting with bright citrus and tart cranberry flavors. Perfectly golden and lightly sweetened with a drizzle of honey, they’re a delightful treat for breakfast, brunch, or any time snack. The recipe uses simple pantry ingredients and comes together quickly, baking to perfection in under 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, fresh and good quality
- 3 tablespoons (38 g) granulated sugar, fine
- 1 ½ teaspoons (6 g) baking powder, fresh
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt
- Zest of 1 medium orange, finely grated (avoid white pith)
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted cold butter, high-fat, cut into pieces
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
- 1 cup (100 g) fresh or frozen cranberries, firm and bright (if frozen, add directly without thawing)
Finishing
- Honey, for drizzling (approx. 1 tablespoon or 15 ml per biscuit)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure the biscuits do not stick and achieve even baking results.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and orange zest until they are evenly combined.
- Cut in Butter: Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the butter into the mixture until the texture resembles small crumbs. This creates flaky pockets in the biscuits as the butter steams during baking.
- Add Cranberries and Buttermilk: Gently fold in the fresh or frozen cranberries and the buttermilk into the flour and butter mixture. Stir just until combined; the dough will be sticky, which is essential for tenderness. Avoid over-mixing.
- Form Biscuits: Drop the dough by roughly 1/3 cup (about 80 ml) portions onto the prepared baking sheet, placing around 8 biscuits spaced about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart to allow for expansion while baking.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the biscuits for 12 to 15 minutes. Look for a light golden color on top. If the biscuits brown too quickly, tent them loosely with foil after 8 minutes to prevent over-browning while continuing to bake.
- Serve: Remove the biscuits from the oven and serve warm. Drizzle approximately 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of honey over each biscuit to complement the tartness of the cranberries.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is cold to create flaky biscuit layers.
- Do not over-mix the dough to keep biscuits tender.
- If using frozen cranberries, add them directly without thawing to avoid soggy dough.
- Honey adds a lovely balance to the tart cranberries, but can be adjusted to taste.
- Biscuits are best served fresh and warm but can be reheated gently in the oven.
