Sharp Cheddar Biscuits
These biscuits rely on keeping the butter and cheese cold until they hit the hot oven, creating steam pockets that lift the dough into high, flaky layers. Mix only until the flour disappears, handle the dough as little as possible, and bake until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is crisp where it touches the pan.
Temperature is your primary ingredient.
If the butter melts before the biscuits go into the oven, the layers will collapse into a dense puck. Keep your cubed butter and grated cheese in the freezer for ten minutes before mixing.
- large mixing bowl
- pastry cutter or two butter knives
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- 2-inch biscuit cutter
What goes in.
- 2 1/2 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1 tbspbaking powder
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1/2 cupunsalted butter, cubed and frozen
- 1 1/2 cupsextra-sharp cheddar, coarsely grated
- 1 cupcold whole buttermilk
Stacking for lift
After the initial mix, fold the dough over onto itself three times. This creates distinct, thin sheets of butter and cheese that puff up vertically during the bake.
The method.
Mix dry ingredients
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Toss the frozen butter cubes into the flour, coating each piece.
Cut in the butter
Use a pastry cutter to break the butter into pea-sized bits. Do not overwork; stop when the mixture looks like coarse meal.
Add cheese and liquid
Fold in the grated cheddar. Create a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk, mixing with a fork just until the dough clings together.
Fold and shape
Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Pat it into a rectangle, fold it in thirds like a letter, rotate, and repeat twice. Pat to one-inch thickness.
Cut and chill
Stamp out biscuits using the cutter. Place them on the parchment-lined sheet so the edges touch, which helps them climb higher.
Bake
Bake at 425°F for 18-22 minutes until the tops are bronzed and the cheese bits are bubbling.
Other turns to take.
Herb-infused
Fold in two tablespoons of minced fresh chives or thyme leaves along with the cheddar.
Spicy Kick
Add one teaspoon of cayenne pepper or finely diced pickled jalapeños to the flour mixture.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Press straight down with the biscuit cutter and pull up; twisting the cutter seals the edges and prevents the biscuit from rising evenly.
If the dough feels sticky, sprinkle a light dusting of flour, but do not knead it in.
Brush the tops with a little extra buttermilk right before baking for a deeper color.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use pre-shredded cheese?
Avoid it. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starches that prevent it from melting cleanly and will ruin the texture of your dough.
How do I know the butter is the right size?
You want visible, marble-sized chunks of butter remaining in the flour. When these hit the oven, they release steam and create the flaky layers.
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