These savory Herbed Cornmeal Biscuits are full of buttery layers and fresh herbs. They’re slightly crunchy from the cornmeal and they’re incredibly easy to make. Enjoy them for breakfast with eggs and bacon and don’t forget to slather on a good bit of Kerrygold butter!
Not too long ago, we tried a similar biscuit when a local bakery (Barton Springs Mill) was hosting a charity bake sale. It was such a simple idea but the combination of fresh herbs with the flavor of onion powder was something we wanted to recreate. The biscuits had a slight corn taste which is where we got the idea to make these Herbed Cornmeal Biscuits.
The cornmeal adds a bit of crunchiness to the tender crumb of these buttermilk biscuits, and the onion powder has such a nice punch of flavor that pairs well with the fresh dill, green onions, and cilantro. While they’re in the oven they have the most amazing aroma, almost like a holiday stuffing. Oh and we can’t forget about those satisfying layers in between! That comes from folding the dough several times so you get biscuits that you can easily tear in half with your hands.
One way we like to enjoy these biscuits is with breakfast, specifically scrambled eggs and crispy bacon. You can also enjoy them alone with a slather of Kerrygold butter while they’re still warm.
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Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Find the full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions in the recipe card below!
- Fresh Herbs: We used a combination of green onions, dill, and cilantro. The first two are essential, but you can always swap the cilantro with parsley or omit it all together.
- Buttermilk: You can use low-fat or full-fat buttermilk.
- Unsalted Butter: Be sure to use cold, cubed butter for the dough. We usually cut it into cubes and place it back in the fridge until we’re ready to add it to the flour.
- Flaky Sea Salt: This is a must! A little sprinkle on top after baking and brushing with butter enhances all the other flavors in the biscuit. Plus, you get that nice little crunch from the salt crystals.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This section provides a general overview as well as any pictures to guide you through the recipe. The full detailed recipe instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
1. Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, onion powder, salt, and herbs in a large bowl.
2. Mix in the wet ingredients. Add the cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dough until pea sized blobs form. Pour in the buttermilk and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Shape the dough. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and quickly squish and shape the dough into a ball.
4. Flatten and fold. Roll the dough into a ¾-inch thick slab then fold one of the shorts ends into the center followed by the other on top. Repeat two more times to create layers within the biscuit dough.
5. Cut out the biscuits. Flatten the dough back into a ¾ inch rectangle use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 equal sized pieces. Be careful not to saw through the dough, just push down to cut.
6. Bake. Place the biscuits on a lined baking sheet and brush the tops with buttermilk. Bake until golden brown then brush with melted butter. Finish them off with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Tips for Making These Herbed Cornmeal Biscuits
- Use a kitchen scale. The dough is on the drier side so improper measuring with cups could create an even drier dough that’s hard to handle. That’s why we always recommend measuring baked goods in grams.
- Chill the biscuits if needed. If you find that your dough is getting too warm and sticky, you can place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes (between folds or after cutting the biscuits out) to allow the butter in the dough to firm up a bit. It’s never been a problem for us with this recipe, but just in case it happens, there’s a little tip for you!
More Biscuit Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Herbed Cornmeal Biscuits
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale
- Oven Thermometer
- Pastry Cutter
- Pastry Brush
- Bench Scraper or sharp knife
Ingredients
- 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 165 g (1 cup) cornmeal
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped dill
- 2 tbsp finely chopped green onions
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- 113 g (½ cup) unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 250 ml (1 cup) buttermilk cold, plus 2 tbsp for brushing
Topping:
- 28 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter melted for brushing
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F(220°C) and line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, onion powder, salt, dill, green onions, and cilantro.
- Add the cold, cubed butter and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until pea sized lumps form.
- Pour in 250 ml (1 cup) of buttermilk and use a silicone spatula to mix and fold everything together until a shaggy dough forms.
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, quickly squish and shape the dough into a ball. Be careful not to overwork the dough. It will be very crumbly at first but it will come together eventually.
- Sprinkle the top of the dough with a bit of flour and use a rolling pin to roll it into a ¾-inch (2 cm) thick horizontal rectangle. Take one of the short ends of the dough and fold it into the center. Take the other and fold it over the entire thing. Repeat this entire step two more times to create layers in the dough.
- Roll the dough into a ¾-inch (2 cm) thick rectangle once more and straighten out the sides with your hands. Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 equal sized rectangular biscuits (cut straight down, don't saw).
- Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with 2 tbsp of buttermilk. Bake for 28-30 minutes until the tops are golden brown.
- Immediately brush the freshly baked biscuits with the melted butter and sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt.
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