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These Blueberry Swim Biscuits bake directly in a pan of melted butter for a crispy crust. Topped with a sweet vanilla bean cream cheese icing.
Blueberry Swim Biscuits with Cream Cheese Icing
These biscuits are submerged in a pool of melted butter before baking, creating a deep golden crust that shatters when you bite into it. The interior remains incredibly moist thanks to the addition of sour cream.
These biscuits look like they came straight from a bakery, just like these Brioche Cinnamon Rolls and Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
That’s why I love these biscuits so much. They look like they came from the bakery without the effort. These are the biscuits I make when I want something special without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. They are perfect for brunch, holidays, or a cozy weekend at home. They are perfectly soft, with a fluffy center and golden-crisp edges. Everyone raves about these biscuits, and you will too.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s everything you need to make these biscuits, including simple substitutions.
For the Swim Biscuits
- All-purpose flour forms the base of the biscuits and provides structure so the squares hold together after baking. Measure carefully for the best texture.
- Granulated sugar adds light sweetness to the dough and balances the tartness of the blueberries. The amount keeps the biscuits slightly sweet without making them taste like dessert.
- Baking powder gives the biscuits their lift and airy texture. Fresh baking powder produces the best rise.
- Salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the butter and blueberries.
- Whole buttermilk brings tangy richness and moisture to the dough. If needed, milk mixed with a small splash of lemon juice can stand in as a substitute.
- Full-fat sour cream adds richness and keeps the biscuits soft inside. Greek yogurt can work as a substitute, though it has a slightly different flavor.
- Fresh blueberries add bursts of sweetness throughout the biscuits. Rinse and dry them well so excess moisture does not thin the dough.
- Salted butter melts in the baking pan, forming the signature “swim” layer that crisps the bottom and edges of the biscuits.
- Turbinado (or coarse sparkling) sugar adds crunch and sparkle to the top of the biscuits.
For the Cream Cheese Icing
- Cream cheese gives the icing body and a mild richness that pairs well with the blueberries.
- Powdered sugar sweetens the icing and helps create a smooth glaze.
- Heavy cream thins the icing to a pourable consistency. Milk can work if heavy cream is not available.
- Vanilla bean paste adds warm vanilla flavor and specks throughout the icing. Vanilla extract works as a substitute.
How To Make Blueberry Swim Biscuits
The biscuit dough is stirred together, spread into a buttered pan, and baked until golden. The biscuits are scored before baking so the butter bubbles up around each square. A cream cheese icing is drizzled over the warm biscuits before serving. Let me show you how:
- Prep the Pan: Heat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour the ½ cup of melted salted butter into a 9×9-inch metal or glass baking pan. Make sure it covers the entire bottom.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk the 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Whisk the 1 ½ cups cold buttermilk and ½ cup sour cream together in a measuring cup until smooth.
- Combine: Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to fold until just combined. The dough will be very wet. Carefully fold in the 1 ½ cups of fresh blueberries.
- The Swim: Drop the dough directly into the pan on top of the melted butter. Use a spatula to spread it to the edges carefully. It will look like it is swimming in butter.
- Sprinkle: Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar evenly over the top of the raw dough.
- Pre-Cut: Use a bench scraper or a knife to score the dough into 9 squares before baking.
- Bake: Bake for 22 to 26 minutes. The tops should turn a deep golden brown. The butter will be mostly absorbed into the dough.
- Make the Icing: Let the biscuits cool for 5 minutes. Whisk together 2 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, ⅓ cup heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste until thick and pourable.
- Ice and Serve: Drizzle generously over the warm biscuits. Serve.
Top Recipe Tips
- Dry the Berries: Pat the rinsed blueberries completely dry before adding them to the batter. Extra water will make the dough too wet and change the baking time.
- Do Not Burst the Berries: Carefully fold the blueberries into the dough, so they stay whole. If you crush them, the batter will turn blue, and the biscuits will become soggy.
- Score the Dough: Cutting the dough into nine squares before baking is a critical step. This allows the melted butter to bubble up into the cracks and cook the center of the biscuits.
Baking at High Altitude Recipe Adjustments
For baking above 3500 feet, reduce the baking powder by about ¼ teaspoon and increase the buttermilk by 1 to 2 tablespoons. Check the biscuits a few minutes earlier, as the baking time may be shorter.
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Blueberry Swim Biscuits
Equipment
- 9×9-inch metal or glass baking pan
- large mixing bowl
- Medium measuring cup or bowl
- whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Knife
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ cups whole buttermilk, cold
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted completely dry
- ½ cup salted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons turbinado or coarse sparkling sugar
Cream Cheese Icing
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 450°F. Pour the melted salted butter into a 9×9-inch metal or glass baking pan, ensuring it covers the entire bottom.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate measuring cup, whisk the cold buttermilk and sour cream together until smooth.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to fold until just combined. The dough will be very wet and soggy. Gently fold in the fresh blueberries, taking care not to burst them.
- Plop the dough directly into the pan on top of the melted butter. Use a spatula to gently spread it to the edges. It will look like it is "swimming" in butter—this is correct.
- Sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly over the top of the raw dough.
- Use a bench scraper or a knife to "score" the dough into 9 squares before baking. This allows the butter to bubble up into the cracks.
- Bake for 22-26 minutes. The tops should be a deep golden brown, and the butter should be mostly absorbed.
- While the biscuits cool for 5 minutes, whisk the icing ingredients together until thick yet pourable. Drizzle generously over the warm biscuits. Serve.
Notes
Storage Tips
- Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- To reheat, warm individual biscuits in the microwave for about fifteen seconds or place them in a low oven until heated through.
- The biscuits can be frozen without icing for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Do not thaw them first. Fold them straight from the freezer into the dough to prevent the color from bleeding. You might need to add two extra minutes to the baking time.
No, you cannot bake the standard recipe in a 9×13 pan because the dough needs the smaller 9×9-inch space to rise tall. A larger pan will make the biscuits too thin, and they will dry out. You also should not double the recipe for a 9×13 pan. A 9×13 pan is only 1.5 times larger than a 9×9 pan. Doubling the ingredients will overfill the pan, leaving the center raw.
Swim biscuits are biscuits baked in a pan filled with melted butter. The dough spreads into the butter as it bakes, creating crisp golden edges and a soft center.
Swim biscuit dough is intentionally very soft and sticky. This texture allows the biscuits to spread in the melted butter and bake into a tender crumb.
These biscuits taste best the day they are baked. The dough can be mixed a few hours in advance and refrigerated before baking.
Buttermilk adds flavor and tenderness. If it is not available, mix 1½ cups of milk with 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
