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Epicurious

Cracked Black Pepper Pull-Apart Biscuits

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Photo by Tara Donne, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell

These super-light and airy biscuits, with their peppery bite, are as good alongside a hearty dinner as they are for a savory morning treat with jam.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    1 hour

  • Yield

    Makes 16 biscuits

Ingredients

4

tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, divided, plus 1/2 pound (2 sticks), cut into pieces, softened

4

cups all-purpose flour

2

cups cake flour

2

tablespoons baking powder

1

tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

2

teaspoons kosher salt

1

teaspoon baking soda

1

/2 cup vegetable shortening

2

1/2 cups buttermilk

1

teaspoon flaky sea salt

Special equipment:

Two (8") cake pans or one (9x13") baking dish

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease cake pans or baking dish with 1 Tbsp. melted butter.

    Step 2

    Combine all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, pepper, kosher salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add shortening and 1/2 pound softened butter. Using your hands or a fork, mix just until mixture is coarse and mealy. Stir in buttermilk just until a shaggy dough forms.

    Step 3

    Divide dough into 16 heaping 1/3-cup portions. Place 7 around the perimeter and 1 in the center of each cake pan (or nestle all 16 into baking dish). Brush biscuits with remaining 3 Tbsp. melted butter, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake until puffed and golden brown, 35–40 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack, then reinvert. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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