Southern Cream Biscuits

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to mix. Drop cold cubes of butter into the dry mix and pulse just until mix comes together and forms a ball, about 4 to 5 times; do not overmix.

3. Pour milk, cream, and sour cream into the dry mixture in the food processor and pulse until it just comes together and forms a ball, 4 to 5 times. Do not overmix!

4. Use a butter knife or sturdy rubber spatula to pry the dough out of the food processor and turn it onto a well-floured surface; dough will be very sticky. Don't use your fingers! They're too hot and will start melting the butter.

5. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and gently knead until it comes together into a ball, about 4 to 5 times. Be gentle and do not overwork the dough; you are developing flaky layers and not really mixing it at this point. Gently shape dough into a rectangle and pat to a 1 1/2-inch thickness.

6. Use a non-serrated knife to cut dough into 6 square biscuits. Place on the prepared baking sheet so squares are just touching.

7. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on top, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Break biscuits apart just before serving.

Cook's Notes:

Work with cold ingredients.

You can use 2% milk instead of whole milk.

Using a food processor will help guarantee that you don't overwork the dough, which is absolutely crucial to the tenderness of your biscuits.

For softer biscuits, place the dough squares close together on your parchment-lined baking sheet. They will touch as they rise, but you'll be able to easily break them apart. If you like a crunchy biscuit then place them far away from each other so that all sides get crispy.