Flaky Cream Cheese Biscuits
These Flaky Cream Cheese Biscuits are perfect for appetizers. Bring them along to any party, from bridal showers to baby showers, potlucks, and BBQs. They are sure to please the crowd.
HOW TO MAKE FLUFFY CREAM CHEESE BISCUITS
Ingredients
- Milk, Dry Yeast, Sugar, and Flour – to make the yeast sponge (step 1).
- Sour Cream or Yogurt (step 2).
- Eggs – for the yeast dough and for the egg wash.
- Creamy Cheese – Philadelphia cream cheese, or other creamy cheeses like RedLaughing Cow work as well (step 4).
- Butter or Lard (step 4).
- Flour (step 5).
- Salt and Pepper (step 6).
Butter-Lard Dough
I’ve tested this recipe with different types of creamy cheeses. I like plain cheeses, but you can also use flavored or herbed cream cheese if that’s what you prefer. I like using Red Laughing Cow and Philadelphia Cream Cheese, light or regular (steps 1-3).
In a mixing bowl, combine flour fat (either butter or lard) and creamy cheese. Wrap in a food wrap and chill while you prepare the yeast dough. (steps 1-8).
Yeast Sponge
Into a small bowl pour warm milk (110F to 110F), don’t use hot milk or it will kill the yeast (step 1). Add a pinch of sugar or honey (steps 2-3). Spoon in the dry yeast, flour, and whisk to combine (steps 4-7). Allow sitting for 5 minutes, until bubbly on the top (step 8).
Yeast Dough
Pour flour, yeast sponge, room temperature egg, and sour cream into a mixing bowl. Combine all the ingredients with a wooden spoon (steps 1-8).
At this stage, this yeast dough is sticky and normal. Invert the dough onto a floured work surface. (steps 1-3). Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. To knead use a simple kneading method.
The easiest way to knead by hand is by pushing the dough away from you with the heel of your palm, then folding it over itself with your fingers, and pulling it back. Rotate the dough clockwise and repeat until you have a ball formed.
Laminating
In this step, I’ll show you a quick laminating technique that will help us achieve flaky biscuits.
Usually, you need to let the dough rest between folding steps, in this recipe you don’t have it.
The first step is to roll out the yeast dough on a floured surface into a rectangle. Keep the longer side of the rectangle facing your belly (steps 1-4). Then press the butter/lard dough onto ½ of the rolled-out yeast dough (steps 5-6). Now with your hands lift the short end of the dough without butter dough and fold it over ¾ of the yeast dough (step 7). Then fold the opposite short side over the first fold (step 8).
Turn the folded dough 90 degrees clockwise and repeat the laminating steps (steps 1-8).
Repeat the folding without chilling the between.
You want to fold the yeasted dough for flaky cream cheese biscuits six times.
Cut Biscuits
After the last fold turn the dough over so the seam is on the bottom (step 1)
Roll the dough to about ½ inch to ¾ inch thick (steps 2-3). Cut a sheet of dough into about 1.5-inches by 1.5-inch squares. There shouldn’t be any large scraps. Don’t re-roll the scraps (steps 4-8).
Proofing
Transfer unbaked biscuits onto the baking sheet lined with parchment, silicone, or perforated mat.
Space them out about ¾-inch apart. Cover biscuits with a damp paper towel. And let them rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 45 minutes.
Bake Fluffy Cream Cheese Biscuits
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
Prepare a simple egg wash by cracking one whole egg into a bowl, and adding some water or milk whisking well (steps 1-3).
Brush the tops of risen biscuits with the egg wash and sprinkle them with sea salt or caraway seeds.
Bake in the preheated oven at 350F for 10-11 minutes, just until lightly golden brown on the top.
Let cool before serving.
How Long Do Cream Cheese Biscuits Last?
In an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 5 days. Or you can freeze these flaky biscuits for up to 3 months. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
What to Serve with Flaky Cream Cheese Biscuits?
These soft biscuits make great appetizers. They are great plain or with wine or beer. Serve cream cheese biscuits alongside ham, chicken, or fruit.
- MORE APPETIZERS RECIPES
- Prosciutto Crostini wit Beets and Horseradish Cream
- Homemade Sun-dried Tomatoes
- Avocado Cream with Bacon and Basil Crostini
- Red Pepper Paste
- Spinach Puffs via Well Plated by Erin
- Sour Cream Tartar Sauce
Flaky Cream Cheese Biscuits
Ingredients
FLAKY CREAM CHEESE BISCUITS
Yeast Dough
- 1 cup warm milk (250ml)
- pinch of sugar
- 3 ½ tsp dry yeast
- 1 tbsp flour, use to make the yeast sponge
- 1/3 cup room temperature sour cream or plain yogurt (Greek or vegan is fine)
- 2 room temperature eggs, for the yeast dough and egg wash
- 2 ¾ cup good quality all-purpose or bread flour, (400 grams), plus more for dusting
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
Butter/Lard Dough
- 7 tbsp butter or lard (100grams)
- 2/3 cup cream cheese, or laughing cow spreadable cheese (150grams)
- 1 cup bread flour, (143grams)
Instructions
FLAKY CREAM CHEESE BISCUITS
Butter/Lard Dough
- Into a mixing bowl add flour (1 cup, 143 grams), add room temperature butter or lard (7 tablespoons, 100 grams), and cream cheese (2/3 cup, 150 grams). Blend together with a spatula or a wooden spoon to form a fat dough. Wrap in a food wrap and freeze while you prepare the yeast dough. This dough doesn't need to be rock hard, just slighlty chilled is fine.TIP: I love using lard in this recipe.
Yeast Dough
- Prepare a yeast sponge. Into a small bowl pour warm milk (1cup, 250ml), add dry yeast (3 teaspoons and 1/2 teaspoon), a pinch of sugar, and flour (1 tablespoon). Whisk and let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy and bubbly on the top.TIP: Don't use hot liquid, it will kill the yeast. Milk should be 100F-110F/ 38°C-43°C.
- You can use your stand mixer or make the yeast dough by hand.1. Stand Mixer – pour flour (2 ¾ cups 400grams), salt (1teaspoon), ground black pepper (3/4 teaspoon), 1 egg, sour cream (1/3 cup), and yeast sponge. Knead with a hook attachment until dough comes together, for about 5 minutes. This is a soft dough, and it will not form a dough that is pulling away from the mixer bowl. Scrape out the dough onto a floured work surface.2. By Hand – pour flour (2 ¾cup, 400grams), salt (1teaspoon), ground black pepper (3/4 teaspoon), 1 egg, sour cream (1/3 cup), and yeast sponge. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined, dump it out onto a floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes. It doesn't need to be perfectly smooth.TIP: The easiest way to knead by hand is by pushing the dough away from you with the heel of your palm, then folding it over itself with your fingers, and pulling it back. Rotate the dough clockwise and repeat until you have a ball formed.
Easy Dough Laminating
- On a floured work surface roll out yeast dough into a rectangle, with the longer side at your belly. Take out chilled butter/lard dough and place it onto 1/2 of the rolled-out yeast dough. Press the butter dough with the palm of your hand to flatten it. If it's sticky, dust it with a little bit of flour, alternatively use a rolling pin to flatten it.
- With your hands, pick up the short end of the rolled-out yeast dough with no butter dough on it and fold it over, to about 3/4 of the length, overlapping the butter dough. Then fold the other end over the first fold. Turn the folded dough clockwise and repeat this process six times. No chilling between.
Cutting Biscuits
- Turn the 6 times-folded dough over, so the seam is facing the work surface. Roll it out to about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. With a sharp knife cut the dough into small squares, rectangles, or triangles. Don't re-roll.TIP: You can use a pizza wheel to cut the dough, too.
Proofing
- Transfer unbaked biscuits onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper leaving about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch between biscuits. Loosely cover with a damp paper towel and let rise in a warm and draft-free spot for 45 minutes.TIP: Let them rise in a warm spot. It will take longer for the biscuits to rise in a cool room.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 350F/180°C.Crack an egg into a small dish, add 1 tablespoon water and whisk well to combine.After 45 minutes biscuits should be risen, remove the paper towel and brush each top of the biscuits with egg wash. Sprinkle with caraway seed or sea salt.Bake in the preheated oven at 350F/180°C for about 10-11 minutes, just until the tops turn lightly golden brown. Allow to cool before serving or freezing.
Notes
- How long do cream cheese biscuits last? – biscuits are good at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can freeze them for up to 3 months.
- What kind of flour should I use? – I recommend using good quality all-purpose flour (for example King Arthur All-Purpose flour (with 11.7 % protein content), bread flour (12-14% protein content), or a combination of weak all-purpose (10% protein content) and bread flour. Check the nutritional label for details.
- What Should I serve with cream cheese biscuits? – wine, fruit, ham, cheese, etc.
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