Description
Flaky biscuit cups filled with creamy, savory sausage gravy. A comforting and delicious breakfast or brunch favorite!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
- 1 pound breakfast sausage (I prefer a spicy variety!)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, for extra heat)
- Chopped fresh chives or parsley
- Extra black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips (work quickly to keep the butter cold!), cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You should still see small pieces of butter.
- Gradually add the cold buttermilk to the flour and butter mixture, stirring gently with a fork until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. The dough will be shaggy and slightly sticky.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough 5-6 times, just until it comes together.
- Roll the dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter (or a glass or cookie cutter) to cut out circles.
- Lightly grease a muffin tin. Gently press each biscuit circle into a muffin cup, forming a small cup shape.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until the biscuit cups are golden brown.
- Let the biscuit cups cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, crumble the breakfast sausage and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the skillet.
- Sprinkle the flour over the cooked sausage and stir to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Gradually whisk in the milk, starting with a small amount to form a paste, then adding the rest in a steady stream. Whisk constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
- Bring the gravy to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the gravy has thickened to your desired consistency. This usually takes about 5-10 minutes.
- Season the gravy with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Once the biscuit cups have cooled slightly and the gravy is ready, spoon the sausage gravy into each biscuit cup, filling them to the brim.
- Garnish with chopped fresh chives or parsley and a sprinkle of extra black pepper, if desired.
- Serve the sausage gravy biscuit cups immediately while they are still warm and the gravy is creamy.
Notes
- Keep Ingredients Cold: For the flakiest biscuits, it’s essential to keep the butter and buttermilk cold.
- Don’t Overmix the Biscuit Dough: Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to tough biscuits. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Adjust Gravy Consistency: If the gravy is too thick, add a little more milk to thin it out. If it’s too thin, continue to simmer it until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Use High-Quality Sausage: The flavor of the sausage is the star of the gravy, so choose a high-quality breakfast sausage that you enjoy.
- Make Ahead: You can make the biscuit cups ahead of time and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat them slightly before filling with gravy. The gravy is best made fresh, but you can prepare it a few hours in advance and reheat it gently before serving.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes