PECAN DROP BISCUITS

Last week when I went to work my shift at the register at Hillcrest Thrift Shop, I took one of my recently purchased cookbooks at an estate sale to look through. I had worked on Saturday afternoon when we had furniture 50% off to celebrate the shop's 9th birthday. We sold so much furniture I wasn't sure there would be much on the floor when I went on Tuesday. (Imagine my surprise when I walked in and saw I was wrong.) Anyway, I expected Tuesday to be slow going as it often is on Tuesdays. Well, once again I was wrong. It was more steady, but I did make it through a good 2/3rds or 3/4ths the way through Square Meals, a cookbook by Jane and Michael Stern.

I love the book. Not just all the wonderful recipes (some I grew up with), but the stories/information they also tell. I filled almost a page from a notebook under the register of recipes I want to try. (I really do NOT need to buy any more cookbooks for a while as I have a bunch I need to go through that I have recently bought.)

Last Saturday morning I thought I would try one of the biscuits/rolls recipes I had noted and treat my husband. The recipe was in the first section of the cookbook called Ladies' Lunch - Teatime - Finger Sandwiches and Cakes. "These biscuits are dainty for tea, " advises All About Home Baking. Also, science reminds us, they are "the  easiest and quickest biscuit method," thanks to baking powder." 

They were easy and quick for me because I used my small cookie scoop - that one that holds 1 tablespoon of water - to form the biscuits. The recipe says to use a teaspoon. I don't know if a teaspoon has gotten smaller or not (just kidding 😄), but so many recipes say to use a teaspoonful. That would seriously be TOO small. My cookie scoop worked great and I made about the amount the recipe said it made.

PECAN DROP BISCUITS

2       cups cake flour
2       teaspoons baking powder
4       tablespoons sugar (separated)
1/2    teaspoon salt
4       tablespoons butter
1/2    cup milk (I used skim milk)
1        egg, well beaten
1/2    cup finely cut pecan meats
1/8    teaspoon cinnamon


Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Sift some flour and

then measure out 2 cups.

Resift the flour with the baking powder, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, and salt.

Cut in the butter. (I thinly slice the butter so that it will be easier to work into the flour mixture.

I always do this with my fingers.

You don't have to break the butter up into really small pieces, but try to not leave any large pieces.)

Measure the milk in a measuring cup and then beat egg in it.

Add the milk/egg mixture to the flour mixture and

stir til flour is moistened.

Add pecans and

stir to blend.

Drop biscuits using a cookie scoop on ungreased cookie sheet.

Sprinkle the tops with the remaining tablespoon of sugar and cinnamon.

(I have a mixture of cinnamon sugar I keep in a leftover spice jar just for purposes like this. I didn't have any more room on my cookie sheet and took the remaining dough and added a little flour and made a regular size biscuit with it.)

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes.

Here is a picture of my trusty little cookie scoop. I think it is a MUST HAVE in your kitchen.

Here is a picture of the cookbook. You can check out my Sew & Quilt-In-One placemats here. The cookie scoop above is on the reversible back side. It is one of my most popular tutorials.