Cheddar Biscuits

These homemade Cheddar Biscuits are tall, buttery, and flaky, with tender layers and plenty of sharp cheddar cheese in every bite.

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword biscuits recipes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings biscuits

Calories 270kcal

Author Kathleen

Preheat the oven to 425ºF (218ºC). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment; set aside.
Use the large holes of a box grater to grate butter (1 1/2 sticks) onto a plate. Place in the freezer until ready to add to the dough.
In a small bowl, toss the cheddar (1 cup) with 1/4 cup flour; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand-up mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add 1 3/4 cup flour, baking powder (1 tablespoon), and 1 teaspoon salt.
Turn the mixer on low and add the butter. Mix just until combined.
Add the buttermilk (1/2 cup) and one egg to a liquid measuring cup and whisk with a fork.
Set mixer on low and quickly pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture, mixing just until all the flour is moistened. Add the cheddar and flour mixture (be sure to add all the loose flour) to the mixer, while still mixing on low. Mix only until roughly combined.
Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface then knead quickly about 6 times.
Pat the dough out 1-inch thick. Cut with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter. Arrange biscuits on prepared baking sheet. Reroll the scraps to make one-two more biscuits. Place on baking sheet.
Beat egg with 2 tablespoons milk. Brush tops of biscuits with egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the biscuits are baked through.

Keep the ingredients cold: Cold butter is one of the keys to flaky biscuits. If the grated butter starts to soften while you're working, pop it back into the freezer for a few minutes before continuing.
Don't overmix: Stop mixing as soon as the dough is roughly combined. A shaggy, slightly crumbly dough is exactly what you want. Overworking it develops too much gluten and can make the biscuits tough.
Use freshly grated cheddar: Cheese grated from a block has better flavor and melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese. Extra-sharp cheddar gives these biscuits the biggest cheesy flavor.
Go easy on the flour: Use only enough flour on your work surface to keep the dough from sticking. Working too much additional flour into the dough can make the biscuits dry.
Don't twist the cutter: Press your biscuit cutter straight down and lift it straight back up. Twisting can compress the cut edges and interfere with a tall, even rise.
Handle the scraps gently: Press the scraps together rather than repeatedly kneading and rerolling them. The last biscuits may not be quite as pretty, but they'll stay more tender.
Look for doneness, not just the clock: The biscuits are ready when they've risen and the tops are beautifully golden brown. If they're browning too quickly before the centers are baked through, loosely tent them with foil.