Soaked Buttermilk Biscuits

On the weekends we usually make buttermilk biscuits and country gravy from my most recent cookbook Local Dirt. And while I absolutely love that recipe I wanted to make a version where the flour for the biscuits could soak overnight for easier digestion. The main reason I've been soaking our grains is because we're now feeding them to our daughter and she's got a sensitive little system and soaking helps with digestion. This recipe is in the spirit of the buttermilk biscuit recipe from my book but with the extra step of soaking the flour in the buttermilk overnight. I also used whole spelt flour instead of all purpose but you can use all purpose if you want a lighter biscuit (or use half and half which I do often!) These biscuits are delicious served simply with butter and jam or if you're feeling like a heartier breakfast, the gravy from my book is always a hit. As you'll see below they also make for a great breakfast sandwich too! I hope you all enjoy these biscuits as much as we do. Pour some coffee and dig in!

Soaked Buttermilk Biscuits

Prep Time: 24 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8 biscuits (roughly)

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups whole spelt flour (see note)
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into a large dice
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Preparation

  1. Mix the flour with the buttermilk to form a thick dough. Cover and leave in a warm spot in your kitchen for 12-24 hours.
  2. After soaking, add the dough to the bowl of a food processor along with the butter, baking soda and salt. Process until the dough is thick and comes together. (You can also knead by hand, but I find the processor is nice for this).
  3. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  4. Roll the dough out on a generously floured work surface about 3/4 inch thick. Use a glass or biscuit cutter to cut the biscuits. Place on a greased baking sheet or cast iron pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Notes

*You can use whole wheat flour in place of the whole spelt. For a lighter biscuit use 1 cup unbleached white flour and 1 1/2 cups whole spelt or wheat.

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