Are biscuits and cookies made differently?

Yes, biscuits and cookies are made differently, although they are both sweet baked goods. Here's a breakdown of their key differences:

Biscuits:

* Texture: Biscuits are typically light, flaky, and slightly crumbly. They have a higher fat content than cookies.

* Ingredients: Biscuits primarily use butter, flour, and milk or buttermilk as their main ingredients. They often contain baking powder as a leavening agent.

* Preparation: Biscuits are usually made by cutting the cold butter into the flour to create layers, resulting in their flaky texture. They are often baked in a hot oven for a short period.

* Examples: Southern biscuits, buttermilk biscuits, drop biscuits

Cookies:

* Texture: Cookies can have a wide range of textures, from chewy to crispy to cake-like. They often have a lower fat content than biscuits.

* Ingredients: Cookies can include butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and various other flavorings like chocolate chips, nuts, or spices. They may use baking powder or baking soda as leavening agents.

* Preparation: Cookies are typically mixed together and then dropped or rolled onto baking sheets. They are baked in a moderate oven for a longer period than biscuits.

* Examples: Chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies, oatmeal cookies

In summary:

* Biscuits: Flaky, buttery, made with cold butter, leavened with baking powder.

* Cookies: Chewy, crispy, or cake-like, can be made with various ingredients, leavened with baking powder or baking soda.

However, there's some overlap between the two. Some "cookies" can be very biscuit-like in texture, such as shortbread cookies, and some biscuits can be quite sweet, like pecan biscuits. Ultimately, the specific ingredients and preparation methods determine the final texture and flavor of each baked good.