Flaky, buttery and just a little sweet, these Masa Harina biscuits are like a cross between classic nutty biscuits and the light sweetness of corn muffins. Made with masa harina and honey, they are 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, slightly nutty corn flavor. The honey adds just the right touch of sweetness, making them a truly great option to pair with both savory dishes and sweet breakfasts.
They’re light, fluffy and buttery – everything you want in a cookie but with a Mexican-inspired twist.
Here’s why I love this recipe:
- Unique flavour: Masa harina, a type of corn flour, gives these biscuits a distinctive corny, slightly nutty and slightly sweet flavor, setting them apart from traditional Southern or buttermilk biscuits.
- So tender! They have the most tender, flaky texture that is both satisfying and filling. Perfect for spreading a little butter or jam or dipping some green chili or a bowl of lentejas.
Notes on ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe, scroll to the end of the post.
- 00 flour: The basis of this biscuit recipe.
- Masa Harina: This is what gives the recipe its unique corn flavor while maintaining the texture of a traditional cookie. Any brand will work. Some of my favorites include Hospitals AND Maseca.
- Baking powder: The leavening agent for biscuits that helps give them height while remaining soft and light.
- Salt: Just a touch is enough to bring out the other flavors of the cookies and balance the sweetness of the honey and masa harina.
- Honey: I used honey to give these cookies a hint of sweetness. You can also use granulated sugar or turbinado sugar.
- Unsalted butter: These biscuits are covered in rich, creamy unsalted butter. The best part is that as the cookies bake, the butter melts and pools at the bottom, crisping up the bottoms of the cookies for the best texture ever.
- Whole milk: It adds creaminess but keeps the biscuits light. For an extra rich biscuit, use buttermilk.
- Egg washing: I brush the tops with a simple egg wash for extra color.
How to prepare Masa Harina biscuits
Prepare the dough mixing together all-purpose flour, masa harina, baking powder and salt, then add some frozen grated butter, milk and honey.
Knead the dough until it comes together, then form it into a rectangle and fold it 3 or 4 times, giving it the same rectangular shape between each fold to create beautiful flaky layers. Try to work quickly so the frozen butter stays as cold as possible.
Cut biscuits. Lightly dust a 3-inch round cookie cutter with flour, then press it directly into the dough and drop the cookie onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Knead the waste dough back together, but do not create additional layers, and continue cutting biscuits until all the dough is used. This recipe yields 8 biscuits.
Brush the top of the biscuits with a beaten egg and bake at 200°C for 14-16 minutes or until the top starts to turn golden.
Superior with melted butter immediately after cooking, if desired, and enjoy your meal!
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 put the butter in the freezer for at least 20 minutes first. This will give you extra flaky and light biscuits.
- Model with your hands. I don’t recommend using a rolling pin because it’s very easy to overwork the dough. You want the dough to be cold and still have visible pieces of butter.
- Dough too wet? Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until dough comes together.
- Dough too dry? Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until the dough remains compact and not excessively crumbly. Just be careful about adding too much milk, or the dough won’t be as crumbly as it should be.
Variations
- Use buttermilk. For a creamier, richer flavor and texture, use buttermilk instead of whole milk.
- Use salted butter. For an even richer, saltier flavor you can use salted butter instead. Just omit the salt called for in the recipe.
- Add flavors. You can flavor your biscuits by adding extra ingredients like shredded cheese and diced jalapeños for jalapeño cheddar biscuits. You can also add fresh herbs or add a little sweetness and crunch by topping them with turbinado sugar before baking.
Serving Tips
- Make breakfast sandwiches! Add fluffy eggs, bacon, sausage, cheese or any combination you like.
- To accompany with soups and stews. My favorites are chorizo chili, taco soup, stuffed peppers, or quinoa black bean chili.
- Simple and sweet. Add a drizzle of jam or a little softened butter. Nothing is better than this.
Cookie/biscuit cutters: This standard set is available in different sizes. For this recipe I used the 3 inch cutter, but you could make them larger or smaller. Keep an eye on them while cooking, as the cooking time may change.
Storage and heating
To conserve, Allow the masa harina cookies to come to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4 days. You could also store them in the refrigerator for up to a week, but the texture may change slightly due to any moisture that may build up.
To freeze, Place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To heat, microwave the biscuits at 30 second intervals or cut them in half and heat them in the toaster or oven to make the outside a little crispy.
More recipes
If you have 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.
The flaky, light and buttery masa harina cookies are made with masa harina and honey for a nutty, slightly sweet corn flavor.
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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Mix together the flour, masa harina, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
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Chop the butter with a grater, add it to the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spatula until crumbly and blended together.
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Stir in the honey and whole milk until well combined.
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Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface and, with your hands, knead and fold the dough until it comes together. The dough will not be completely smooth and will still have some lumps.
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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 it in half again, repeating this step 3-4 times but being careful not to overwork the dough.
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Using your hands, flatten the dough to ½ inch thickness.
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Lightly dust a 3-inch round cookie cutter with flour. Press the cookie cutter directly into the dough and drop the cookie onto the prepared baking sheet. Knead the waste dough back together, but do not create additional layers, and continue cutting biscuits until you run out of dough. This recipe should yield 8 cookies.
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Brush the surface of the biscuits with the beaten egg.
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Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until the tops begin to turn lightly golden.
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If desired, brush with melted butter immediately after baking. Serve hot and enjoy your meal!
Notes
- Milk: For a creamier, richer flavor and texture, use buttermilk instead of whole milk.
- Butter: For an even richer, saltier 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 put the butter in the freezer for at least 20 minutes first. This will give you extra flaky and light biscuits.
- Model with your hands. I don’t recommend using a rolling pin because it’s very easy to overwork the dough. You want the dough to be cold and still have visible pieces of butter.
- Dough too wet? Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until dough comes together.
- Dough too dry? Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until the dough remains compact and not excessively crumbly. Just be careful about adding too much milk, or the dough won’t be as crumbly as it should be.
Nutritional information
Serve: 1cookie, Calories: 312kcal (16%), Carbohydrates: 42G (14%), Protein: 6G (12%), Fat: 14G (22%), Saturated fat: 8G (40%), Polyunsaturated fats: 1G, Monounsaturated fats: 4G, Trans fats: 0.5G, Cholesterol: 47mg (16%), Sodium: 631mg (26%), Potassium: 139mg (4%), Fiber: 2G (8%), Sugar: 6G (7%), Vitamin A: 464UI (9%), Vitamin C: 0.03mg, Soccer: 253mg (25%), Iron: 3mg (17%)
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
