Maybe you don’t know about candied ginger? Well, sometimes it’s called crystallized ginger. The names seem to be interchangeable. It is simply ginger that has been sliced very thin and cooked in a sugar syrup until its raw toughness is broken down, tenderized and sweetened. Then it can be dipped in sugar to add a thin crisp coating and another layer of sweetness. This process leaves the wonderful ginger pungency, but its bite is much softer. Quite beautiful. And perfect for adding a little zip in your baking.
This recipe for Pumpkin Biscuits with Candied Ginger has been in the making for a number of years. I first saw the pumpkin biscuits in Cooking Light many years ago, and that torn out magazine page has been in my file since then. I tried it once, liked the overall concept, but was disappointed in its un-flakiness and low profile. I wanted a biscuit that stood tall! So I held onto the recipe, vowing to return one day.
When my eyes, hungry for fall, caught sight of those biscuits again this year, I knew it was time. I found the recipe updated online, with a reinvention that looked like it just might be able to deliver this time. So I made a few changes, due to what I had on hand for ingredients and equipment.
And I couldn’t resist topping each biscuit with a sprinkling of my new love, candied ginger.
The result was a beautiful golden biscuit with subtle pumpkin spiced sweetness. The candied ginger was the most perfect topper. And they baked up nice and tall!
These pumpkin biscuits would be a lovely alternative to your regular Thanksgiving dinner roll. Serve them warm with butter. Or, for an extra special treat, whip up some sweet cinnamon honey butter to slather on. I promise you, the biscuits won’t last long!
5 T. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2” pieces
1/3 c. buttermilk
3/4 c. canned pumpkin puree (not pre-spiced pumpkin pie filling)
3 T. honey
2 T. chopped candied ginger (I love the stuff from Penzeys!)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Chill for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.
Combine buttermilk, pumpkin, and honey in a medium bowl. Whisk until well blended and then add to the chilled flour mixture. Stir just until moist.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly just a few times. Roll dough into a 1/2” thick 9” x 5” rectangle and dust top of dough with flour. Fold the dough crosswise into thirds, as if folding a piece of paper to fit into an envelope. Roll the dough again into a 1/2” thick 9” x 5” rectangle and dust the top with flour. Fold dough crosswise into thirds again and gently roll or pat to a 3/4” thickness. This process helps to make your biscuits tall, with a layered textured. Using a 2-1/2” biscuit cutter, cut dough into 10 rounds. Place dough rounds 1” apart on your prepared baking sheet. Lightly press some candied ginger into the top of each round. Bake for 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack for a couple minutes. Serve warm. (They’re really good with Cinnamon Honey Butter!)
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I just made these, and I’ve got to say with the Cinnamon Honey Butter they’re delicious. They didn’t rise as much as yours did, and they don’t look as fluffy when I cut into them, but I think that’s because I don’t have my pastry blender here with me and had to use a fork and whisk. I also had to add a bit more flour because they were really wet and hard to manage rolling out, but they still taste delicious. Definitely a recipe to add to the mix. And one I’d like to write up for an online magazine I write for (Wit&Fancy, see website link) if that’s okay with you :-)
Hi Emma! I made these a few times in testing and had consistent results with the final recipe. With the fluffiness, I’m wondering if your butter was cold (straight from the fridge cold) and if you let the flour & butter mixture chill for 10 minutes in the refrigerator? I would also make sure that the dough was patted/rolled to a 3/4″ thickness before cutting. And as far as being “really wet”…did you use buttermilk or a buttermilk substitute (milk plus lemon juice or vinegar)? Because I tried it once with a substitute and the dough was quite sloppy. But using buttermilk from the carton worked great. It was still a bit sticky, but a little extra flour when rolling it out seemed to do the trick. I’m glad you liked them and hope you can get fluffier results next time! It’s fine with me if you want to share this with your readers – just please link back to my post. Thank you! :)
I love candied ginger as well, it was something I was allowed as a rare treat when I was younger and my grandmother would cook with it. Its amazing! Its a pity I didn’t find this recipie before I threw out our halloween pumpkin!
These biscuits are just gorgeous! I love candied ginger too…I had it for the first time last year on top of a cupcake, and I love the idea of using it for biscuits!
These look and sound terrific. I think Penzey’s is pretty much the best spice company out there. I’m never without their Sandwich Sprinkle for croutons. I love candied ginger as much as you do, but recently I decided I love the version by King Arthur Flour as well, because they have a big bag of MINI ginger pieces, chopped extra fine. Now of course I could just rechop candied ginger I already have, but I must say, I’m leaning to that KAF version more and more. I’ve actually made a little baggie for my lunch bag, as dessert.
Hi Becca – nice to hear from you! Nothing to be scared of! If you like the taste of ginger, this is kind of like a candy version of it. A little more mellow and tender. And if you get the kind that’s dipped in additional sugar, it really is very candy-like. I have one daughter that likes it, one that picks it off. But you should judge it for yourself!
I have to say, your own version of these biscuits look even more appetizing than the updated version you found on-line. Topping them off with your candied ginger (brand spanking new to me) was a delicious touch and perfect for the season.
These would be great to make the day after Thanksgiving for leftover sandwiches. A little turkey, cranberry and lettuce, these babies would sing! Thanks for linking up. Have a great Thanksgiving! ~Kristin & Chris Ann
They look so yummy thanks for sharing
Thank you, Sarah! :)
I was looking for something like this, I’m so glad i found you blog. Thank you so much for posting these recipe.
these are right up my alley – yum!
Is it ok to make the dough a day ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight?
I just made these, and I’ve got to say with the Cinnamon Honey Butter they’re delicious. They didn’t rise as much as yours did, and they don’t look as fluffy when I cut into them, but I think that’s because I don’t have my pastry blender here with me and had to use a fork and whisk. I also had to add a bit more flour because they were really wet and hard to manage rolling out, but they still taste delicious. Definitely a recipe to add to the mix. And one I’d like to write up for an online magazine I write for (Wit&Fancy, see website link) if that’s okay with you :-)
Hi Emma! I made these a few times in testing and had consistent results with the final recipe. With the fluffiness, I’m wondering if your butter was cold (straight from the fridge cold) and if you let the flour & butter mixture chill for 10 minutes in the refrigerator? I would also make sure that the dough was patted/rolled to a 3/4″ thickness before cutting. And as far as being “really wet”…did you use buttermilk or a buttermilk substitute (milk plus lemon juice or vinegar)? Because I tried it once with a substitute and the dough was quite sloppy. But using buttermilk from the carton worked great. It was still a bit sticky, but a little extra flour when rolling it out seemed to do the trick. I’m glad you liked them and hope you can get fluffier results next time! It’s fine with me if you want to share this with your readers – just please link back to my post. Thank you! :)
I love candied ginger as well, it was something I was allowed as a rare treat when I was younger and my grandmother would cook with it. Its amazing! Its a pity I didn’t find this recipie before I threw out our halloween pumpkin!
Hi Harriet! Lucky you, I never knew of such a delicious treat until just a couple years ago!!
These biscuits are just gorgeous! I love candied ginger too…I had it for the first time last year on top of a cupcake, and I love the idea of using it for biscuits!
Thank you, Maggie!
Looks so yummy!
Thank you, Simone!
These look and sound terrific. I think Penzey’s is pretty much the best spice company out there. I’m never without their Sandwich Sprinkle for croutons. I love candied ginger as much as you do, but recently I decided I love the version by King Arthur Flour as well, because they have a big bag of MINI ginger pieces, chopped extra fine. Now of course I could just rechop candied ginger I already have, but I must say, I’m leaning to that KAF version more and more. I’ve actually made a little baggie for my lunch bag, as dessert.
Love these biscuits, Brenda! YUM!
Thank you, my dear. xo
Brenda, this looks delicious! It was fun to meet you at the food photography class. :) Love the look of your blog (and the food!!!)
Thanks, Lindsay! It was fun to meet you, too – I look forward to keeping in touch!
I have never had cindied/crystalized ginger, but it kinda scares me a little, and I don’t know why. The biscuits look supurb though :D
Hi Becca – nice to hear from you! Nothing to be scared of! If you like the taste of ginger, this is kind of like a candy version of it. A little more mellow and tender. And if you get the kind that’s dipped in additional sugar, it really is very candy-like. I have one daughter that likes it, one that picks it off. But you should judge it for yourself!
I am seriously in love love with candied ginger, that and well pretty much anything that’s ginger flavored.
Mmmmm…I can only imagine what you can do with candied ginger. :)
I have to say, your own version of these biscuits look even more appetizing than the updated version you found on-line. Topping them off with your candied ginger (brand spanking new to me) was a delicious touch and perfect for the season.
Well, thank you, Ms. Paula! If you see some candied ginger, give it a try. It’s so fun (if you like ginger!).
OH my pass me a plate full!!! These are making me so hungry :)
I can taste the ginger now, maybe I’ll top it with a paper thin slice of smokey ham!
Absolutely, Sherri! That was my thought as they cooled on the counter. I think these would be excellent with ham!
These look so soft and fluffy, I like the idea of using them at Thanksgiving in place of dinner rolls. :)
Thanks, Christina! I keep wondering what they’d be like with a slice of Thanksgiving ham?!
Love the addition of ginger! The biscuits look divine!
Thank you, Maria!
The crystallized ginger sounds like a fabulous enhancement!
Thanks, Kathy. These were hard for me to resist…a little warm with cinnamon honey butter…yum.
These would be great to make the day after Thanksgiving for leftover sandwiches. A little turkey, cranberry and lettuce, these babies would sing!
Thanks for linking up.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
~Kristin & Chris Ann
Absolutely! I can hear them warming up right now! :)