Use this cream biscuit dough for a variety of sweet and savory treats

What if I told you a simple cream biscuit dough, which is a breeze to make, could be the foundation for a slew of celebratory baked treats, both sweet and savory. Did you know you could make pull-apart-bread (or muffins) with such a dough? Or savory cheese-and-herb pinwheels? Or everyone's favorite: pigs in the proverbial blanket?

Well, it can.

Although any biscuit dough will work to make a variety of baked goods, this tender, versatile cream biscuit dough works particularly well. First, it is crazy simple to assemble (heavy cream acts as both the fat and liquid in the dough) which is helpful when you are making a dough that's destined for use in a recipe that requires additional steps. And second, it bakes up so tender and rich that it is as sumptuous on its own as it is as the foundation for any biscuit dough-inspired creations.

Get the recipe: Cream Biscuits

The dough can be made into drop biscuits, and I hope you love them for that. In short, that means they are not only one-bowl, but they never leave said bowl (a.k.a. no dumping out onto the counter to knead, cut, etc.). That is, of course, unless you use it to make pull-apart muffins, pigs-in-a-blanket and pinwheels. In that case, you transfer the dough to a generously floured surface, knead it a few times until it comes together and then roll or form it as needed.

How to make your best batch of biscuits

Here are a few insights about why the dough works so well and tips and tricks to ensure all your biscuit-based treats are as easy and delicious as promised.

The cream biscuit dough here calls for cake flour as well as all-purpose, as the combination of the two replicates a flour oft-used in the South when biscuit-making, White Lily. White Lily famously produces ultra-tender biscuits. I learned this tip from none other than the biscuit queen herself, Cheryl Day of Back in the Day bakery in Savannah, Ga., and have never looked back. But if you don't have cake flour on hand, you can just use all-purpose.

I know it might seem strange to add sugar to the biscuit dough, since cheesy pinwheels and pigs in a blanket are savory, but the sugar actually plays the role of a seasoning, or flavor enhancer, here, not a sweetener.

I love a short ingredient list as much as the next person. But I do make an exception here for the egg wash. The color and flavor that the egg adds to the exterior of these otherwise pale treats is just too good to pass up. But you can brush with cream instead, which is already in the ingredient list, thus simplifying the assembly.

Not only does baking at a high heat translate into treats ready in record time, but it also guarantees that the leavening in the dough will be activated quickly. Your biscuits will therefore be airy and light.

Spreading a thin layer of mayonnaise — yes, mayonnaise — on your dough before adding the cheese, herbs and pepper not only helps your ingredients stick to the dough as you roll it up, but also adds richness and flavor. Not in an obvious, oh-there's-mayo-in-this kind of way, but by giving the pinwheels a wonderfully unctuous vibe. Finally, consider using yellow cheddar in them, as the color makes them more festive and fun.

Get the recipe: Cheesy Chive and Pepper Pinwheels

I call for tossing the melted-butter-dunked dough in cinnamon and sugar, but feel free to add a little nutmeg to the mix, or even cocoa powder. Or switch things up entirely and toss in a pumpkin-spice mixture.

Get the recipe: Pull-Apart Cinnamon Muffins

When slicing off the ends of your dough-wrapped hot dogs or trimming your pinwheels before baking, consider cutting the scraps into bite-size pieces (they may be already that size), brushing them with egg wash and baking them at the same time. The resulting baby biscuits make fabulous croutons, or tasty cook's treats. Biscuit dough isn't just for biscuits anymore. So here's to embracing its magical versatility.

Get the recipe: Pigs in a Blanket