Italian Rosemary Biscuits
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These savory Italian rosemary biscuits with fennel and orange zest are flaky, fragrant and so comforting. Best enjoyed fresh out of the oven while still a little warm and spooned with some jammy roasted cherry tomatoes on top just like I did during the many test runs of this recipe.
Italian Rosemary Biscuits
Not to be confused with the sweet Biscotti to dip in your coffee or make a Tiramisu; these rosemary biscuits are savory flecked with pretty orange zest, fragrant toasty fennel seeds and fresh rosemary that will make you taste and see Italy at first bite. I know I did! The kind you want to use as a spoon to scoop up that Sunday gravy or the Sugo Pomodoro sauce left behind by a bowl of Bucatini. And lastly your new go to biscuits to scoop up this white bean dip!
When it comes to homemade biscuits our minds immediately go to the winter holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas and the American South…But did you know that biscuits can be traced all the way back to the Roman Empire? It was essentially bread twice-baked / Panis Bicoctus commonly called rusks. Overtime they evolved to be bigger, fluffier and flakier morsels of goodness that can be whipped up last minute without the complexities of planning for a loaf of homemade bread.
Biscuit Ingredients
- Rosemary – I like to add about one tablespoon of fresh leaves here just roughly chopped to release that beautiful aroma. The dried herb just doesn’t taste the same so do your best to use fresh.
- Orange Zest – because it reminds me of Sicily, the aromas permeating your home while baking these biscuits is worth it alone. It smells and taste so festive but without overwhelming the senses. Lemon zest can be used instead but I just think orange or tangelo zest is better.
- Fennel – toasty perfumed fennel seeds are like magic, oh how I love this beautiful flavor and how they compliment the rosemary and orange elevating these biscuits to gourmet standards. If you are not a lover (really ..?!) just swap them out for more rosemary but you’ll be missing out.
- Margarine – or vegan butter because they make amazing flaky biscuits and there’s no cholesterol. It’s also better for you and the Planet so you can eat more biscuits!
- Flour – Just use all purpose flour here, bread flour is not really recommended as it will yield a chewier crumb and we are after Flaky here.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – The acid reacts with the baking powder creating lift and lightness and also balances the flavor profile.
Recipe Tips
- Butter– Make sure the butter is cold and work it into the flour mixture as quickly as possible. It final mixture should resemble coarse wet sand with tiny pockets of butter throughout that will create magic during baking.
- Cutting the Biscuits – Once you patted down your dough to a 3/4 to 1 inch circle or so you’ll use a 2.5 inch biscuit cutter. The secret here is to Press on the cutter but DO NOT TWIST, just gently give the cutter a tap and let the biscuit slide out naturally. The twisting motion seals the sides and prevents the biscuits from rising properly so this is important for success.
- Leftover dough can be gathered together to create extra biscuits but be careful to not knead or overwork It; just make it stick together and lightly shape it into a rustic biscuit or cut again with the biscuit cutter.
- Lastly – Don’t overwork the dough! Just mix everything until combined, don’t over-handle it to prevent ending up with tough biscuits.
On Storage
Best served warm out of the oven but if you do happen to have any leftover they can be stored at room temperature for the first day. Place in a plastic bag overnight and pop them in the toaster oven for reheating. To be completely honest, we never have the problem of leftover biscuits.
Italian Favorites
- Italian Bread
- Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
- Olive Bread
- Best Minestrone
- No Knead Potato Focaccia
- Ribollita
- Homemade Bread
- Italian White Bean Soup
- Ricciarelli Almond Cookies.
how to make Italian rosemary biscuits
Italian Rosemary Biscuits
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 Tbsp fennel seeds lightly toasted
- 1 sprig rosemary (about 1 Tbsp leaves only -chopped)
- Zest from 2 oranges (about 1 Tbsp or so)
- 12 Tbsp margarine or vegan butter (cold + cut into small pieces)
- 1.25 cups cashew milk (or plain unsweetened plant milk)
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425”F with the rack in the middle. Have a large cast iron skillet ready.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, orange zest, fennel seeds and rosemary.
- Add the butter to the flour mixture and using your hand work it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse wet sand. Work fast and do your best not to overdo it (those little pockets of butter will be give the magic to your biscuits as they bake in the oven).
- Combine the milk and vinegar and pour it in the center of the flour mixture. Use a spatula and combine until a dough forms.
- Line your counter with a large piece of parchment paper and dump the biscuit dough on top. Use the palm of your hands to press down on it to a 3/4 inch to 1 inch thickness circle.
- Using a 2.5 inch biscuit cutter make 8 to 12 biscuits by simply pressing the cutter into the dough. DO NOT TWIST the cutter.
- Have a large cast iron skillet ready to place the biscuits in without touching each other. Bake for 25 minutes or until nicely golden on top.
Video
Notes
- Note: Any leftover biscuit dough can be gathered together to create extra biscuits but be careful to not knead or overwork it, just make it stick together and lightly shape it into a rustic biscuit or cut again with the biscuit cutter.
