Maple Cornmeal Drop Biscuits

You might have noticed that I love to bake. This is in large part because I love to eat baked goods. But it's also because there is something inherently comforting about baking. Maybe it's because it's more scientific than regular cooking, and therefore so long as you follow directions, you know it will come out okay. Or maybe it's just knowing that when you're done, you get to eat something amazing.

Whatever the reason, these drop biscuits are the perfect choice for a bout of comfort baking. They are sweet without feeling quite like a dessert, they are wholesome, and they just feel like home. Drizzle them with honey, split them and spread on some jam, or just eat them plain. All I can say is, I know what we're eating for breakfast in the morning.

Maple Cornmeal Drop Biscuits
adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours
makes 11-12 biscuits

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone ground
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 stick (6 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup cold skim milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:

1. Center a rack in the oven, preheat it to 425. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat liner.

2. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Drop in the pieces of butter and toss with your fingers to coat in the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender (or your fingers) to cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly.

3. Stir milk and maple syrup together and then pour over the dry ingredients. Mix gently just until ingredients are mostly combined and you have a soft dough. Do not overmix.

4. Use an ice cream scoop (or implement of your choice) to drop mounds of dough onto the baking sheet. The original recipe says you'll get 12, but if you use an ice cream scoop like I did you'll probably get 11.

5. Bake for 15 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown. Serve warm.

If you want to serve these the next morning, you can reheat them in the oven for a few minutes at 350. They are good at room temperature too, but there's nothing like warm biscuits straight from the oven.

Enjoy!