Black Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits

Steps

• 1

  Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• 2

  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in cold butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
• 3

  Place dough on a lightly floured counter and roll out, using your hands, into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. Using a 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut dough into circles and place them 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Re-roll out the scraps and repeat until most or all of the dough is used up.
• 4

  Brush tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with a few dashes of ground pepper. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack with parchment paper or a baking sheet underneath (to catch the butter). Brush melted butter on tops of warm biscuits; serve.