Butternut Squash Biscuits
Butternut squash biscuits are a savory fall bake made with squash puree and fresh sage. Golden, tender, and ready in 30 minutes for soup night or brunch.
This post may contain affiliate links.
These butternut squash biscuits are tender, savory cut biscuits made with a full cup of squash puree and flecks of fresh sage. The squash replaces most of the fat and liquid you’d find in a classic biscuit, so the crumb stays soft and moist with only 4 tablespoons of butter. The dough comes together in a food processor in about 15 minutes, and the biscuits are out of the oven 15 minutes later. I first made these the fall my Waltham butternut squash went wild in the garden and I had about 30 enormous squash lined up on the counter. I needed new ways to use them up, and these biscuits earned a permanent spot in my fall rotation.
If you’re starting with whole squash, my guide on how to roast butternut squash gives you a batch of puree for these biscuits with plenty left over for Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese with Brie & Bacon later in the week. And if you love a good biscuit as much as I do, keep my Buttermilk Butter Swim Biscuits and Bacon Cheddar Scones in your back pocket too.
In This Post
Why You’ll Love these Butternut Squash Biscuits
These biscuits taste like fall in the best way. The squash adds a gentle, earthy sweetness and a warm golden color, the fresh sage brings that savory, piney note we all crave this time of year, and a little black pepper keeps everything from tipping into dessert territory. They are soft and fluffy inside with lightly browned tops and bottoms.
They are also practical. You need pantry staples plus one cup of squash puree, which makes this a smart way to use up leftover roasted squash or the last half of a can. From start to finish they take about 30 minutes, which means they work for a weeknight soup supper, a weekend breakfast sandwich, or a spot in the Thanksgiving bread basket.
Heather’s Expert Tips for the Best Butternut Squash Biscuits
Drawing from 20 years of recipe development and my time co-founding a spice company, here’s what makes this recipe worth making exactly as written.
- Keep the butter cold. Cut the butter into small chunks and keep it in the fridge until the second you add it. Those pea-sized bits of cold butter turn to steam in the hot oven and give you lift and tender layers.
- Pulse, don’t process. Stop pulsing as soon as the dough looks crumbly and just starts to hold together. Overworking develops gluten and leads to tough, dense biscuits. A gentle knead or two on the board is all it needs.
- Watch the moisture in homemade puree. Freshly roasted squash can be much wetter than canned. If your puree looks loose, blot it with paper towels or stir it in a skillet for a few minutes to cook off excess water so the dough isn’t sticky.
- Use fresh sage and season with intention. After years of building flavor profiles as a co-founder of Spiceology, I can tell you that fresh sage is the star here. Dried sage gets dusty and overpowering in a quick bake. Mince it fine so you get flecks in every bite, and use freshly cracked black pepper for a little heat.
- Cut straight down. Press your biscuit cutter straight down and lift without twisting. Twisting seals the edges and keeps the biscuits from rising tall.
Equipment Needed
- Food processor
- Pastry blender (if you’re mixing by hand instead)
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Bench scraper
Ingredients in Butternut Squash Sage Biscuits
- Butternut squash puree – make sure you blot the puree to remove as much excess water as possible so the biscuits don’t get too soggy.
- All-purpose flour – you can also sub in a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour or whole wheat.
- Baking powder – this helps the biscuits rise and get fluffy.
- Sage leaves – use chopped fresh sage for the most optimal flavor.
- Unsalted butter – make sure it’s cold. Cubing it first then chilling will make the dough come together faster and the biscuits will be flakier.
- Whole milk – this gives the biscuits a rich flavor, you can also use buttermilk or 2% milk with equally delicious results.
- Sugar – just a touch, and totally optional if you’d rather be sugar-free.
- Kosher salt & black pepper – adds to the savory-ness of these biscuits.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- Sweet potato or pumpkin: Swap in the same amount of sweet potato puree or canned pumpkin for the butternut squash. Pumpkin tends to be a bit wetter, so add the milk a splash at a time.
- Add cornmeal: Replace 1/4 cup of the flour with cornmeal for a little extra texture. One reader made them this way and served them with a chicken sausage gravy for breakfast.
- Cheesy biscuits: Fold in 1/2 cup of shredded sharp cheddar, Gruyère, or Parmesan with the wet ingredients.
- Swap the herbs: Fresh thyme or rosemary works in place of sage. Use about 1 1/2 teaspoons, since rosemary in particular is strong.
- Dairy-free: Use a firm plant-based butter stick and unsweetened oat or almond milk.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
- Room temperature: Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days. They firm up when chilled, so always warm them before serving.
- Freeze baked biscuits: Cool completely, wrap individually, and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months.
- Freeze unbaked biscuits: Place cut biscuits on a parchment-lined tray, freeze until solid, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen at 425°F, adding 3 to 5 minutes to the bake time.
- Reheat: Wrap in foil and warm at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or split and toast them for breakfast sandwiches.
What to Serve with Butternut Squash Sage Biscuits
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Spicy Sausage and Fried Sage
- Creamy Sweet Potato Soup with Fried Sage
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- The Best Chili Recipe
- Beef Pot Roast
- Smoked Spatchcocked Turkey
- Sausage and Caramelized Onion Stuffing
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Canned butternut squash puree works perfectly and is usually thicker and more consistent than homemade. Canned pumpkin puree is also a great substitute if you can’t find butternut.
No, they lean savory. The 2 tablespoons of sugar and the natural sweetness of the squash balance the sage and black pepper, but the overall flavor is closer to a dinner biscuit than a scone.
Yes. Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl, cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two forks until it looks like coarse meal, then stir in the squash mixture with a fork just until combined.
Yes. Cut the biscuits, cover the tray tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then bake straight from the fridge. For longer storage, freeze the unbaked biscuits and bake from frozen.
Absolutely. They bake in 15 minutes, can be made ahead and frozen, and bring seasonal flavor to the bread basket. Find more ideas for the big day in my 50+ Thanksgiving Recipes roundup.
Split and toast a biscuit, then layer it with a fried egg, a slice of Fontina or goat cheese, and a thin slice of seared ham or bacon. A patty of Maple Brown Sugar Breakfast Sausage is another favorite.
More Butternut Squash Recipes
- Butternut Squash & Brie Mac & Cheese with Smoky Bacon
- Ricotta Squash Gnocchi
- Butternut Squash Soup with Spicy Sausage & Fried Sage
- Farmgirl Pot Roast
Butternut Squash Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tsp fresh sage, minced
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into small chunks and chilled
- 1 cup butternut squash puree
- ⅓ cup milk, whole, 2%, or buttermilk
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor add the flour, baking powder, sage, salt, and black pepper, and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter cubes and pulse until it resembles a coarse meal, about 5-6 pulses.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the butternut squash puree, milk, and sugar. Add to the flour mixture and pulse just until combined but still crumbly.
- Turn out onto a floured board and knead lightly to bring the dough together. Pat out into a 1-inch thick round, cut out biscuits, and place them on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the biscuits are lightly browned and puffed.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a star rating and review . I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others too!This butternut squash biscuits recipe was originally posted on October 14, 2011 and has been updated with tips for storing, reheating, and serving suggestions.
Hi! I’m Heather
I’m Heather, a recipe developer and content creator based in Vancouver, Washington. I started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006 because I believed weeknight dinners shouldn’t be boring and gourmet shouldn’t mean complicated. I’m also the co-founder of Spiceology, so safe to say I think about food for a living. Stick around for recipes that actually make it into your regular rotation.
These biscuits turned out great! I used 2 c of flour and 1/4 c cornmeal. I also used date sugar. We are eating them with a chicken sausage butternut gravy I made. A great breakfast! Thank you for the recipe
That sounds delish Susan!! I love using these biscuits for fall flavored biscuits and gravy too!! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! ~heather
I really love this recipe and hope you will too!
Ok…these look incredible! I love that they are made with butternut squash and sage. Such a great combo! 🙂
Butternut squash and sage are a match made in heaven. This is such a wonderful way to bring a little variety to biscuits.
What scrumptious biscuits for autumn! These would be lovely paired with a hearty soup or stew. Although this recipe may just find a special place at my Thanksgiving table!
Hey—you mentioned my name!! Now I MUST try your recipes!! 🙂 Thanks.
Love that you used butternut puree in these beautiful biscuits!
I’ve had sweet potato biscuits but never butternut squash! Sounds wonderful with the sage.
I love trying new biscuit recipes. These look great!
These little biscuits look so yummy! Perfect for fall time 😉
I’ve had sweet potato biscuits before, but never ones made with butternut squash. They look amazing!
These sound so delicious! Aaaand, now that I know about the existence of a recipe for mac & cheese that incorporates squash, brie, and bacon, I won’t be able to stop thinking about it until I make it. It’s supposed to rain this weekend and I just made a huge pot of creamy potato chive soup – thinking these would be a nice accompaniment.
These sound like great fall comfort food. I can’t wait to try them out!