Flaky, buttery, and just a little sweet, these masa harina biscuits are like a cross between classic biscuits with the nutty and slight sweetness of corn muffins. Made with masa harina and honey, they’re light, fluffy, and perfect for breakfast or alongside a hearty soup or stew.
These biscuits are a unique twist on the traditional Southern biscuit but with masa harina for a delicious corn flavor that’s slightly nutty. The honey adds just the right touch of sweetness, making them a really great option for pairing with both savory dishes and sweet breakfasts.
They’re light, fluffy, and buttery – everything you want in a biscuit but with a little Mexican-inspired twist.
Here’s why I love this recipe:
- Unique flavor: Masa harina, a type of corn flour, gives these biscuits a distinctive corn flavor that’s slightly nutty and subtly sweet, setting them apart from traditional southern or buttermilk biscuits.
- So tender! They have the most tender, crumbly texture that’s both satisfying and filling. Perfect for smearing a little butter or jam or dipping in some chile verde or a bowl of lentejas.
Ingredients Notes
This is an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe, please scroll down to the bottom of the post.
- All-purpose flour: The base of this biscuit recipe.
- Masa harina: This is what gives the recipe its unique corn flavor but still keeps the texture of a traditional biscuit. Any brand will work. Some of my favorites include Masienda and Maseca.
- Baking powder: The leavening agent for the biscuits that helps give them height while still being fluffy and light.
- Salt: Just a touch enhances the other flavors in the biscuits and balances the sweetness of the honey and masa harina.
- Honey: I used honey to give these biscuits a hint of sweetness. You can also use granulated sugar or turbinado sugar.
- Unsalted butter: These biscuits are layered with rich and creamy unsalted butter. The best part is that as the biscuits bake, the butter melts and pools at the bottom, crisping up the bottom of the biscuits for the absolute best texture.
- Whole milk: Adds creaminess but keeps the biscuits light. For an extra rich biscuit, use buttermilk.
- Egg wash: I brush the tops with a simple egg wash for extra color.
How to Make Masa Harina Biscuits
Make the dough by mixing together all-purpose flour, masa harina, baking powder, and salt, then mix in some frozen shredded butter, milk, and honey.
Knead the dough until it just comes together, then form it into a rectangle and fold it over 3 to 4 times, patting it down to the same rectangular shape in between each fold to create beautiful flaky layers. Try to work quickly so that the frozen butter stays as cold as possible.
Cut the biscuits. Lightly dust a 3-inch round biscuit cutter with flour, then press it straight down into the dough and drop the biscuit onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Rework the scrap dough together, but don’t create additional layers, and continue cutting biscuits until all the dough is used. This recipe yields 8 biscuits..
Brush the tops of the biscuits with a beaten egg and bake at 425°F for 14-16 minutes or until the tops begin to turn golden brown.
Top with melted butter immediately after baking if desired, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Keep the ingredients as cold as possible. Using very cold milk and frozen butter will give you the best results. I like to place the butter in the freezer for at least 20 minutes beforehand. This will give you extra flaky and light biscuits.
- Shape with your hands. I do not recommend using a rolling pin since it can be very easy to overwork the dough. You want the dough to be cold and still have visible chunks of butter throughout.
- Dough too wet? Add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough comes together.
- Dough too dry? Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until the dough stays together and isn’t overly crumbly. Just be careful adding too much milk, or the dough won’t be as flaky as it should be.
Variations
- Use buttermilk. For a creamier and richer flavor and texture, use buttermilk instead of whole milk.
- Use salted butter. For an extra rich and salty flavor, you can use salted butter instead. Just omit the salt called for in the recipe.
- Add flavors. You can flavor your biscuits by tossing in extra ingredients like shredded cheese and diced jalapeños for jalapeño cheddar biscuits. You can also add fresh herbs or add some sweetness and crunch by topping them with turbinado sugar before baking.
Serving Suggestions
- Make breakfast sandwiches! Add fluffy eggs, bacon, sausage, cheese, or any combination you like.
- On the side with soups and stews. My favorites are chorizo chili, taco soup, stuffed pepper, or quinoa black bean chili.
- Simple and sweet. Add a smear of jam or some softened butter. Nothing is better than that.
Tool You’ll Need
Biscuit/cookie cutter: This standard set comes in a variety of sizes. For this recipe, I used the 3-inch cutter, but you could make them bigger or smaller. Just keep an eye on them during baking, as the baking time may change.
Storing and Reheating
To store, allow the masa harina biscuits to come to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 4 days. You could also store them in the refrigerator for up to a week, but it may change the texture a bit due to the moisture that can accumulate.
To freeze, place them in an airtight storage container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, microwave the biscuits in 30-second intervals or cut them in half and warm them in the toaster or toaster oven to get the outside a little crispy.
More Recipes
If you tried this Masa Harina Biscuits Recipe or any other recipe on Isabel Eats, don’t forget to rate it and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing about your experience making it.
Masa Harina Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup masa harina
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, frozen
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 ¼ cup whole milk, chilled
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix together the flour, masa harina, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Shred the butter with a box grater, add it to the flour mixture, and mix it together with a wooden spatula until it’s crumbly and loosely mixed together.
- Stir in the honey and whole milk until just combined.
- Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface, and using your hands, knead and fold the dough until it comes together. The dough will not be completely smooth, and should still have lumps.
- Lightly pat the dough and shape it into a small rectangle. Fold it in half and use your hands to gently flatten the layers together. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and fold in half again, repeating this step 3-4 times but making sure not to overwork the dough.
- Using your hands, flatten the dough to a ½-inch thickness.
- Lightly dust a 3-inch round biscuit cutter with flour. Press the biscuit cutter straight down into the dough and drop the biscuit onto your prepared baking sheet. Rework the scrap dough together, but do not create additional layers, and continue cutting biscuits until all the dough is used. This recipe should yield 8 biscuits.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with the beaten egg.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the tops are beginning to just turn lightly golden brown.
- Brush with melted butter immediately after baking if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Milk: For a creamier and richer flavor and texture, use buttermilk instead of whole milk.
- Butter: For an extra rich and salty flavor, you can use salted butter instead. Just omit the salt called for in the recipe.
- Keep the ingredients as cold as possible. Using very cold milk and frozen butter will give you the best results. I like to place the butter in the freezer for at least 20 minutes beforehand. This will give you extra flaky and light biscuits.
- Shape with your hands. I do not recommend using a rolling pin since it can be very easy to overwork the dough. You want the dough to be cold and still have visible chunks of butter throughout.
- Dough too wet? Add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough comes together.
- Dough too dry? Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until the dough stays together and isn’t overly crumbly. Just be careful adding too much milk, or the dough won’t be as flaky as it should be.
Nutrition Information
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
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