Which product most likely was prepared by combining dry ingredients, cutting in fat with a pastry blender, and then adding liquid?

The preparation method described—combining dry ingredients, cutting in fat with a pastry blender, and then adding liquid—is characteristic of making biscuits. This technique involves creating a flaky texture by incorporating cold fat (like butter or shortening) with flour before adding liquid to form a dough. The pastry blender allows for the fat to be evenly distributed in small pieces throughout the flour, resulting in a light and airy product when baked.

Biscuits typically require this method to achieve their desired flaky and tender consistency, which is not the case for the other options. For instance, cookies often involve creaming fat and sugar together before adding dry ingredients, while croissants utilize a laminated dough method that involves folding butter into the dough for a layered pastry texture. Muffins, on the other hand, usually involve a mixing method that combines wet and dry ingredients without the cutting-in technique, promoting a more uniform crumb rather than a flaky one. Therefore, biscuits are the most suitable choice based on the described preparation method.