Because sweet potatoes are good for you.
Because in a few days people will be making a bunch of crazy biscuit-free resolutions and you need these before that happens!
Because these biscuits are ahhhhmayzing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Other things that are amazing: the red velvet waffle my brother served us as an appetizer at Terrace Cafe this afternoon, the Draw Something game I can’t stop playing on my phone, and a non-fat Toffee Nut Latte from Broad River Coffee Company. I mean… this is a pretty good day.
You might remember that I am not really great at making biscuits. Several of my biscuit-making attempts have ended in disaster. But this recipe is fool-proof. And Heather-proof. I got it exactly right on the first try. Talk about stuff that’s amazing.
Oh! I just thought of another thing that’s amazing: the amount of cardboard stacked up outside my kitchen door waiting to be recycled right now.
Best of all, though: I got a present in the mail from my friend Rachael. Sparkly English Trifle ornaments handmade and mailed from Spain! I am a lucky girl to have such awesomely thoughtful friends.
Make these biscuits. Good things will happen.
Really.
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, baked and cooled (you'll need 2 cups of the sweet potato mash)
- 1 cup shortening
- 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon allspice (see note)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Scrape the flesh out of the baked cooled sweet potatoes and mash it with a fork. Measure 2 cups of the mashed sweet potato and place in a medium bowl.
- Put the 1 cup of shortening in the freezer.
- Pre-heat the oven to 450.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt.
- Whisk the heavy cream with the mashed sweet potato and set aside for a minute.
- Cut the frozen shortening into the flour/spice mixture until coarse crumbs are formed. Make a well in the center.
- Add the sweet potato cream to the flour well and stir until just combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat out to about 2 inches thick. Cut the dough into 2-inch circles (I used a floured juice glass but a biscuit cutter would probably be sufficient) and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Serve warm! (But they are actually still moist & delicious days later if you wrap them carefully)
Sweet Potato Biscuits are from THIS recipe posted by my friend Deanna at A Year of Healthier Living. If you are interested in local sustainable living Deanna’s blog is a must-read. There are budgets, recipes, shopping lists, farmer’s market finds– it’s awesome. Also, if you live in North Carolina, she has some really great resources for all kinds of local products; everything from fresh seafood to cheese and BACON.
Nicky
Saturday 2nd of November 2013
Heather, you make these look so easy. My son is the biscuit maker in the house. He'll love making this recipe. Thanks for sharing it during Our Little Family Adventure's Thanksgiving Menu Planning Event featuring breads and desserts.
Heather
Saturday 2nd of November 2013
This really is an easy recipe-- this from someone that only gets biscuits right occasionally! Thanks for sharing! :)
hopefuladdict
Sunday 30th of December 2012
Your past biscuit failure is definitely my fault I effed up the recipe lol That still makes me chuckle though...not gonna lie hahahahaha These look SO good!!! God you know me and biscuits I am a sucker for them!!!!!!! I plan on sucking down a few more biscuits before my biscuit free resolution (how'd you know? haha) I gotta lay off the white flour...flour in general really. I needed it to get through the holidays without sweets but now I'm just getting fat haha But yes, I'd like a dozen biscuits please!!! lol
Ameena
Saturday 29th of December 2012
Heather-proof means nothing. Ameena-proof? Now that has some meaning. :) These look delicious Heather...so tasty. Glad to know they can be frozen too! Now if I could just get my act together and try to make these....
Heather
Saturday 29th of December 2012
Hahaha-- I should make little disaster-proof recipe labels. You can totally make these. I'd like to try to substitute the cream for something a little lighter... almond milk maybe? Is that weird? Should I just go with fat-free buttermilk like usual? Anyway, if you try them let me know how it goes! I love Deanna's recipes... they always turn out.
rumpydog
Saturday 29th of December 2012
mmmmm.... I tried sweet potato biscuits for the first time this year and they are so good! As a southern gal, I can't believe I hadn't heard of them before. But I'm glad I have now. Thanks for the recipe!
Heather
Saturday 29th of December 2012
I have never had sweet potato biscuits before either! They were waaaay easier than regular biscuits (because I didn't destroy them) and they were delicious!
Deanna
Saturday 29th of December 2012
Thanks so much for the plug! I have learned a lot from your blog this year! Also, you can freeze the unbaked biscuits on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and then store them in freezer bags for later yumminess! How did I forget that???
Heather
Saturday 29th of December 2012
Ooooooohh that IS important!! Because this recipe makes quite a bit! Thank you so much for sharing these biscuits, Deanna! I love them. Chad loves them, too.