Ginger Lemon Pinwheel Biscuits

After three weeks of testing classic, sugary holiday cookie recipes, I'm all sugared out. If you're also feeling over sugar but still want to have some holiday baking fun, these Lemon Ginger Pinwheel Biscuits are for you!

I adapted this recipe from King Arthur's Cinnamon Pinwheel Biscuits. I opted for a lemon and ginger filling instead of King Arthur's cinnamon filling because I already have a similar (and flawless, if I do say so myself) cinnamon sugar tea ring recipe on the blog. This swap results in a fresh, slightly zingy and flaky biscuit that perfectly complements a mug of tea or coffee.

As the cherry on top, this recipe's methods couldn't be easier. Just make a quick dough, fill and roll, and slice and bake! 

Let me know what you think of this recipe and don’t forget to follow the sustainability tips below!

Time: 45 minutes

Makes: About 15 biscuits

Ingredients

Dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

Filling

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 packed tablespoon lemon zest

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Methods

1. In a small bowl, stir together the filling's sugar, lemon zest and ginger. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then, use your fingertips to rub the cold butter into the flour mixture until incorporated. The mixture should resemble sand.

3. Add the buttermilk and stir until the mixture forms a shaggy ball. Then, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured flat surface and knead a few times, just until the dough is smooth.

4. Roll the dough into a 10-inch by 14-inch rectangle, with one of the long sides closest to you. Trim and piece together the edges as needed to keep a rectangular shape.

5. Brush the dough with the filling's melted butter. Then, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the long sides, sprinkle the sugar, lemon and ginger mixture evenly over the dough's surface.

6. Starting at the edge closest to you, roll the dough into a log. Wrap the log in Bees Wrap or parchment paper and freeze for 15 minutes. While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 450 F.

7. Once the dough is chilled, use a sharp knife to cut it into 3/4-inch thick slices. Arrange the slices on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Eat warm, and store leftovers in the fridge for future snacking!

Sustainability Tips

• Butter and buttermilk: Since cows contribute a lot to climate change, I like to buy my dairy products from B Corps, which are held to really high environmental and social standards. You could also try out vegan options, but please keep in mind that I have not tested vegan buttermilk or butter in this recipe.

• Flour: I like to buy King Arthur Flour brand because King Arthur is a B Corp, meaning that a third party holds them to a high environmental and social standard. Alternatively, you could find a farmer who grows and mills flour locally. Buying locally can help connect you to your local food system and cut back on the miles your food has to travel.

• Lemon: Make sure lemons are in season when you make this dish (pst! that's winter in most locations). This will make it easier to buy organically and as locally as possible. Buying organically and locally will ensure that your produce doesn't contribute to pesticide contamination or excessive greenhouse gas emissions during travel.