A great Thanksgiving Recipe we’ve made recently is Buttermilk Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits and Cranberry Jam! Students love making and kneading the biscuit dough, and of course, trying them! This is a great recipe to share at your next Thanksgiving or holiday dinner.

Sweet Potato Biscuits
Makes 15 2-inch biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup mashed roasted sweet potato (about 1 lb)
¼ cup buttermilk

 NOTE: You can roast your own sweet potatoes for this recipe (shown below) or buy canned sweet potato puree. Roasting your own gives a richer texture and flavor.

 Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If roasting your own sweet potatoes, slice into 3-inch segments and place on a parchment-lined baking tray. Roast until soft, 40 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then peel off the skin. Mash and set aside.

 Line a different baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir to evenly combine. Add butter and use your fingertips to smash the dry ingredients into the butter so the batter resembles wet sand. Add mashed sweet potatoes and buttermilk, stirring until just combined. Flip the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a smooth round, ½- to 1-inch thick. Use biscuit cutters to cut 2-inch rounds, or use 2-inch cookie cutters. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 13-15 minutes until golden brown.

Buttermilk Biscuits
Makes about 15 2-inch biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour (substitute up to 1 cup whole wheat flour)
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine. Using your fingertips, massage the cubes of cold butter into the dry ingredients until it becomes the size of small peas. Stir in buttermilk with a fork until the dough becomes a loose ball.

Turn the dough onto a well-floured work surface and knead a few times. Cover with a kitchen towel and let sit for as long as possible, preferably 30 minutes, if you have the time. Otherwise, proceed with the next step.

Gently pat the dough until it becomes a rectangle about an inch in thickness. Using a 2 inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut the dough into rounds, taking care not to twist the dough. Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake until golden-brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Cranberry Sauce Jam
Makes about 2 cups
6 ounces frozen or fresh cranberries
6 ounces frozen sweet cherries
¾ cup apple juice
1 orange, zested
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons honey

Place the cranberries and cherries (if you’re using them) in a saucepan with the apple juice, orange zest, and pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the fruit has significantly broken down, about 8 to 10 minutes. The mixture should be thickened at this point as well. 

Stir in the honey, taste, and add more sweetener as necessary. Cool slightly and serve on hot biscuits.