Buttermilk Blue Cheese Biscuits with Walnuts and Apple Thyme Butter

Recipe makes 16 biscuits.

First make the butter…

Sprinkle the apples with sugar and thyme and cook over medium low heat in a small skillet until the apples soften, collapse, and turn into a chunky sauce, about 20 minutes.

Add water as necessary to the skillet so the apples don’t scorch and burn. Smash down any stubborn pieces that refuse to turn into sauce. Cool completely. Once cooled, blend the butter and apples together using an electric hand mixer or whisk. Chill until ready to use.

Now make the biscuits…

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Work shortening into flour using a pastry blender or fingertips until you have coarse looking crumbs and the shortening is distributed throughout the flour mixture.

Add walnuts and 1 cup of the blue cheese, again, using a pastry blender or fingertips work dough until blended. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add buttermilk. Stir using a spoon or spatula until a dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until combined. The dough will not be completely smooth like a pie crust but should hold together and be a little elastic. Form into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick, then use a pizza slicer to cut into 16 squares (if you prefer round biscuits…have at it!).

Place biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with a little buttermilk, sprinkle with remaining blue cheese and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature with apple butter.