Pumpkin Biscuits With Honey Butter

By Yossy Arefi

Published November 12, 2024

  • Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(503)
Comments
Read comments

These moist, buttery, pumpkin-y biscuits are the perfect use for that last bit of pumpkin purée in the can. They boast crunchy tops, soft centers and a flavor that lands somewhere between sweet and savory. They come together in no time at all, with just a bowl and a spoon, and their cheery orange hue makes them a perfect addition to any holiday table. The biscuits are best warm from the oven but can be reheated in a low oven or toaster oven just before serving. Don’t forget the sweet and salty honey butter on the side, which makes these biscuits extra special.

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Ingredients

Yield:10 biscuits 

FOR THE BISCUITS

  • 3 cups/390 grams all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 2 teaspoons sugar

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • ¾ cup/170 grams unsalted butter, cubed

  • 1 cup/230 grams canned pumpkin purée

  • ½ cup/120 milliliters buttermilk, well shaken, plus more to brush the biscuits

  • Flaky salt (optional), for sprinkling 

FOR THE HONEY BUTTER

  • ½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • 2 tablespoons mild honey (such as clover honey)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

39 grams carbs; 61 milligrams cholesterol; 387 calories; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 24 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 237 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

  3. Step 3

    Toss the butter in the flour mixture to coat. Use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture is coarse and sandy, with a few larger, pea-size pieces.

  4. Step 4

    Make a well in the center and add the pumpkin purée and buttermilk. Stir gently with a fork until the flour mixture is moistened. Do not overmix.

  5. Step 5

    Scoop the dough into 10 biscuits, about ⅓ heaping cup each, and place on the prepared sheet 2 inches apart. Brush the tops with additional buttermilk.

  6. Step 6

    Bake until golden on top and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Let biscuits rest and cool for 10 minutes.

  7. Step 7

    While the biscuits bake and rest, make the honey butter: In a medium bowl, stir the butter and salt together with a flexible spatula until soft and well mixed. Drizzle in the honey and fold a few times until the honey is incorporated but the mixture is still a bit streaky. Cover and refrigerate.

  8. Step 8

    Serve the biscuits warm, with a sprinkle of flaky salt, if using, and the honey butter.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
503 user ratings
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Comments

Jeanne

I'm going to make this, but, because commenter Zach noted the muted pumpkin taste, I am thinking of adding some of the traditional pumpkin pie spices, like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and cardamon... Should work. PS The comments are what I so love about this site. The pages of my cookbooks don't advise me...

Alex

These were simple and had a wonderful flakey taste, deliciously paired with the honey butter. I substituted the buttermilk in the biscuits with whole milk Greek yogurt with no ill effect. Only note is that they did not taste at all of pumpkin—might be worth experimenting adding pumpkin pie spice, or noting in the recipe the pumpkin is added for color not taste.

Claudia

Could these be made ahead, frozen, and then warmed for Thanksgiving dinner?

Natalie

I made these for Thanksgiving and they were incredible, and will be on the menu every year from now on. The honey butter was a great pairing. These are moist with a great biscuit texture, and the pumpkin is so nice.

Vanessa

Culinary Arts teacher here. I tested this recipe exactly as written because I was considering offering it as one of several biscuit options for my Advanced Culinary students. I did add 2½ teaspoons of homemade pumpkin pie spice after reading the comments about the very mild pumpkin flavor, and I understand that this is intended to be a more savory biscuit rather than a sweet one. Unfortunately, this recipe just didn’t work for me. The dough was extremely dense and dry—much more like a stiff scone dough than a drop biscuit dough—and even with all 120 mL of buttermilk, I still had dry flour remaining in the bowl. I honestly don’t understand how this dough is supposed to be easily scooped. The baked biscuits looked good and the exterior was fluffy, but the centers remained dense and somewhat gummy even after cooling. The flavor was much better with the added pumpkin pie spice and the honey butter was delicious, but overall this isn’t a recipe I would give my students. I’ll be sticking with more traditional drop biscuits for this lesson.

Anne H.

I find the best sub is thinned yogurt @Sue B.

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