In which method are fats typically melted rather than cut in?

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The method is defined by how fat is incorporated to shape texture. When fat is melted and blended with the wet ingredients, it coats the grains of flour and creates a batter that stays tender and moist, with a fine, smooth crumb typical of muffins and quick breads. This approach keeps gluten from developing too strongly, since you’re not working cold fat into flour to create layers. That’s why melting the fat is the hallmark of this method.

In contrast, cutting in cold fat into flour, as done for flaky biscuits, produces small fat pockets that steam during baking to form layered, flaky textures. The creaming method mixes fat with sugar to incorporate air and lighten the batter, rather than melting fat. The dropped method involves a softer dough and a different handling approach, not the melted-fat technique used here.