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Skillet Biscuit Bread is, as the name implies, a biscuit. It’s just one big biscuit! Fried in a skillet on the stovetop, it’s crispy on the outside and tender and flaky on the inside. It’s delicious!
The History of the Biscuit
Biscuits have had a long and tasty culinary history, from a form that dates back to the Neolithic period to the famous recipes served along many a wagon train and cattle drives. You’ll also find biscuit recipes that were popular during Roman times, the American colonial period, the Great Depression of the 1930s, and the 2020s when many home cooks found themselves without any yeast and eggs!
I know you’ll enjoy today’s recipe made with a skillet, just like the ones used by many of our pioneering ancestors.
What is a Biscuit?
Sometimes the American use of the term biscuit can confuse our sweet friends who live across the pond. In the United Kingdom, a biscuit is more like what Americans would think of as a crisp cookie. And an American biscuit would more closely resemble a round English scone, which would be served with clotted cream. (Our British friends may look upon Our Skillet Biscuit Bread as one ginormous scone!)
Now, I don’t want to confuse this issue, but in the southern part of the United States, Skillet Biscuit Bread is also known as a hoecake or hoe cake, and it’s often made with cornmeal in place of flour. But where did its funny name come from? It’s because it was originally baked on the end of a hoe over an open fire. But no matter what we call it, Skillet Biscuit Bread is scrumptious!
Skillet Biscuit Bread Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with measurements below.
Skillet Biscuit Bread is comprised of a simple group of ingredients you probably already have in your Four Corners Pantry:
- All-purpose flour – Although you can make this bread with any flour, remember that if you decide to use whole grain flour, you will need to add a bit more cream.
- Baking Soda – This will help your bread rise.
- Salt – A fine ground sea salt is a good choice.
- Cream – Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream is perfect. For my sweet friends across the pond, you may call this ingredient this double cream.
- Fat for Frying – I use ghee in this version, but you can also use tallow, lard, or bacon grease.
How to Make Skillet Biscuit Bread
Find the full printable recipe with measurements below.
Skillet Biscuit Bread is one of the simplest breads to make. All you have to do is:
- Dry Ingredients – In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Wet Ingredients – Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the cream.
- Make a Dough – Mix everything until it comes together in a wet shaggy dough.
- Form a Biscuit – Form the dough into the shape of a large biscuit and drop it into a hot skillet with the melted fat. (Do this carefully to avoid burning yourself!)
Variations
Try these ingredient variations in your recipe:
- Alternate Flours – You don’t have to use all-purpose flour. You can use any type of flour to make Skillet Biscuit Bread. Just keep in mind that whole grain flours will require a bit more cream to create a wet shaggy dough. (In my Basics of How to Bake with Fresh Milled Flour video, I talk about the different amounts of liquids you need based on the type of flour you use in your recipe.)
- Alternate Cooking Fats – Instead of ghee, you can use butter, butter with olive oil, tallow, lard, or bacon grease.
Recipe Tips
When making Skillet Biscuit Bread, keep these tips in mind:
- Medium to Low Heat – This type of bread needs time to cook through without burning on the exterior, so keep your stovetop set to a medium and take a sneak peek underneath the “biscuit” to see how the bottom is browning. If it’s turning a bit darker than you would like, immediately turn the heat to low.
- Cover the Bread – Skillet Biscuit Bread bakes best on the stovetop if you cover your skillet with a lid. However, you want to make sure that the lid has a small vent or that you tilt the lid slightly to allow the steam to escape. This will allow your bread to cook through without creating a soggy exterior.
Topping for Skillet Biscuit Bread
There’s no hard and fast rule what you want to put on your Skillet Biscuit Bread after you tear off a piece to enjoy, but you can’t go wrong with some homemade low-sugar strawberry jam! Other options include:
- A schmear of Butter
- A drizzle of Honey
- But even better – Honey Butter
- And probably the most traditional – Molasses and Butter mixed together!
Storing and Reheating
Skillet Biscuit Bread is best eaten immediately after it is made. However, you can store it in your:
- Refrigerator – If wrapped well, your biscuit will remain fresh for up to 2 to 3 days. Rewarm the bread in an oven set to 200°F (93°C).
- Freezer – You can also store Skillet Biscuit Bread in the freezer wrapped well and placed in a freezer-proof bag. To rewarm, place frozen bread in a 200°F (93°C) oven until warmed through.
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Skillet Biscuit Bread
Equipment
- 1 10" Well-seasoned cast iron skillet You can also use another type of non-stick pan.
- 1 Large spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Salt, fine ground
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream Also known as heavy whipping cream or double cream.
- 2 tbsp Ghee or other fat for frying You can also use alternative fats, such as bacon grease, butter or butter mixed with olive oil, lard, or tallow.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients, and add 1 cup of the cream.
- Mix the dry and wet ingredients together until a shaggy dough forms. If the dough is dry, add additional cream up to the remaining half cup.
- Place the ghee in a skillet set to medium heat on the stovetop.
- While the ghee is melting, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape it into a large biscuit that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the skillet.
- Once the ghee is melted, place the shaped dough gently down into the skillet. Using a large spatula can help with this step.
- Cover the skillet with a lid that has vents or slightly tilt the lid to allow the steam to escape.
- After 15 minutes, check the bread. Make sure that the underside is browning. If the bread appears to be browning too quickly, lower the heat to low. Recover the skillet and allow the bread to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and using a large spatula, flip the bread over and allow the underside to turn golden brown. This can take approximately 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and transfer the biscuit to a serving plate using a large spatula. Serve while warm by tearing off the desired portions.
- You can eat the skillet biscuit bread plain or with various toppings, including butter, honey, or molasses or a combination of butter mixed with honey or molasses. Jam also makes for a tasty topping.
- Skillet biscuit bread is best eaten when made, but you can store leftovers in the refrigerator well-wrapped for 2 to 3 days, or in the freezer well-wrapped in a freezer-proof bag for 2 to 3 months. Rewarm by placing it in a 200°F (93°C) oven until heated through.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Shop for items used in this blog post or video
Favorite Skillet Biscuit Bread Supplies
- Favorite Aprons
- Cuisinart Portable Burner
- 10-Piece Glass Bowl Set
- Magic Whisk
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Spatula
- Pancake Spatula
More Kitchen Supplies with Discount Codes
- Mockmill Grain Mill (for making homemade flour)
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