Fluffy Cheddar Biscuits Recipe (2024)

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B

These turned out really great as is, however, I agree with the other comment on the sweetness. I would cut the sugar to only 1 tablespoon. As an experienced home cook and baker, even as I added the sugar, I was thinking it'll be too much for my taste so I should have known better. The sweetness took away from the sharp cheddar taste, unfortunately. Still delicious, but less sugar needed for sure.

RLS

In the UK we call these cheese scones and as they are meant to be savoury would never add sugar. I swapped out the garlic for chopped chives (or small amounts of finely chopped green onions) for a much nicer flavour. Really good if you add a teaspoon of dried english mustard powder - Colmans of course - to the flour.

Jo

Shred frozen butter on a box grater instead of cubed pieces. Butter remains cold and quickly mixes, resulting in a foolproof tender biscuit.

Gretchen

These biscuits were a bit sweet for my taste. If I make them again, I'll cut down on the sugar.

LH

Yes. I pulsed the dry ingredients to mix, added the cubed butter and pulsed again until the dough had a pebbly texture, added the cheese and pulsed until dispersed, then added the buttermilk/egg mix, and pulsed just until the dough came together in a ball. The biscuits turned out fluffy, cheesy, and delicious. I think the key is to be careful not to overmix after you add the wet to the dry ingredients.

Deborah

I took cues from the notes, used 1 tbsp sugar and fresh garlic, also strong paprika, lots. They were excellent, and I'm going to make them again for Thanksgiving.

Lulu

Made these twice. Second time with pepper jack instead of cheddar. Great side with chili. I also found that they were fluffier when I mixed with my hands rather than a spoon. I patted the combined dough into a loose rectangle and used my bench scraper to cut into 12 squares. Less handling than stirring and scooping.

MaryRita

After reading the comments, I used 1.5 Tbsp of sugar, 1 tsp of Colman’s dried mustard, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 2 finely minced scallions. I did have to add a little more buttermilk to bring the dough together. And I omitted the last brushing of melted butter on the the finished biscuits. They came out great!

B

For anyone who wants ideas on how to up the flavor, we did this and it was such a treat: Trader Joe's had a bacon cheddar, used 1/2 that and 1/2 sharp. Fresh garlic run through a microplane to taste (I used about a tsp), 1/4 t smoked paprika, 1/4 t chipotle powder, 1/4 t ancho powder. Dash of oregano and a bit of finely chopped scallion (green part). Like others, only 1 T sugar.Did half as suggested on a baking sheet, other half in a mini muffin tin leaving room to rise. The minis were best.

Fluufy Cheddar Biscuits

Leave out some of the sugar and use chopped garlic instead of garlic powder

Heather

I whipped up the dough before I read the comments (silly me!) and was worried about the sugar content as I’m not a fan of sweet in a savory biscuit — but to my surprise, they weren’t too sweet at all. We used really good, really old cheddar, which was the predominant flavor, and a very high quality smoked paprika. Maybe that helped?These also freeze and reheat nicely — pop ‘em in the oven at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

d4v1d

This recipe surprised me by how well it turned out. Two notes: 1) Quarter teaspoon of hot paprika did not register; I'll try cayenne next time. And more of it. 3) To get twelve out of this, I put 1/3 cup (not 1/2) on the sheet pans.

David

I read the comments about omitting or reducing the amount of sugar. Despite the experienced bakers' advice, I questioned the chemical-reaction need for sugar. Jeanne McDowell wrote " You may be tempted to skip the 3 tablespoons of sugar in this otherwise savory biscuit, but don’t: It’s the secret to the biscuit’s tender interior." I would heed McDowell's guidance or make a different biscuit.

Barbara

Regarding sugar: here is an article from the Seattle Times about the various functions of sugar in baking, among them moisture and air retention: https://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/sugar-adds-more-than-sweetness-to-baked-goods-heres-what-to-know-before-you-cut-it/

Bobbi Loewy

Agree with Gretchen, way too sweet for me! Next time I'll go with 1 Tbsp.

Jim P

These were delicious. I wasn’t sure about all the butter basting, especially during the middle of baking when there was butter from the biscuits all over the pan. But I followed the recipe and the end result was beautiful.

BLS

Easy to make and delicious. A win in our house! I didn't bother with the second or third brushing of melted butter - they were absolutely delicious without.

BLS

Per my first comment: these were fabulous! I forgot to note that I adjusted two things based on previous comments and would do the same again:- Reduced the sugar and added only a scant tablespoon. These definitely don't need more sugar than that.- Added a heaped tablespoon Dijon mustard to the egg and buttermilk. English mustard powder would have been better, but I didn't have this on hand. I agree with previous posts that this is an excellent complimentary flavor to the sharp cheddar.

EP

Added chives to make these cheddar chive biscuits, and delicious!

Lilit

Add less sugar and may be a bit hot pepper

Lulu

These turned out bland and sweet, which surprised me because of how much cheese went into them. I blame myself for not tasting along the way. It also confirms my suspicion that unsalted butter it a waste - salted butter would have really helped the flavor.

Linda

didn't add any sugar, halved the recipe and yielded 7 biscuits, didn't shy on paprika, mixed everything in food processor, put them on sheet and stuck in fridge until ready to bake. delish

Tim G.

You can greatly simplify this recipe by skipping the buttering and “cheesing” the tops of the biscuits before and during baking. I skipped the buttering—the recipe has plenty of fat and flavor already—and just added all the cheese to the dough. The biscuits still turned out great. To add a little depth of flavor, I used smoked paprika. But to each his/her own on that, I suspect.

Jaimie

I am wondering if you can make the batter the day before and then cook them right before you serve them? That would certainly make it easier with all my other Thanksgiving cooking!

Joseph

I enjoyed these but I think they needed a little more salt. I used 1 tablespoon of sugar and thought that they turned out pretty fluffy. I agree with the other commenters -- extra paprika or cayenne would be a nice touch,

Crisp and fluffy

I'll add more garlic powder next time and maybe more salt. The flavor came out kind of muted.

Cathy

Oh my. I had to tie my hands behind my back to eat only one per sitting. I can't wait to make these for the family when they visit! Definitely too rich for a regular habit, but sure want to. I used just one Tbsp. sugar, but after reading about chemical reactions and all, I'll try the full amt. next time.

Mamajill

Made as directed by the genius EJM. Delicious , tender biscuits. Accompanied by sliced apples they made a perfect lunch.

Anne

I haven’t had Red Lobster biscuits, but assume from the recipe they are pretty bland. I read the notes and followed the recipe exactly. The biscuits were beautiful but sitting in butter even before the last dowsing. Since I didn’t pick up cheesiness, sweetness, saltiness, garlic or heat, I assume what’s really needed is more salt and black pepper.

EvieB

How can I make these ahead? Cook, then reheat? Freeze and reheat? If freeze, straight to the oven or thaw? Help!

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Fluffy Cheddar Biscuits Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What causes biscuits to not be fluffy? ›

Not Soft or Fluffy
  • Fat pieces too large. SOLUTION. For a soft and fluffy biscuit, scone or shortcake, fat pieces should be the size of coarse crumbs (Think of cake or muffin crumbs, not dried bread crumbs). ...
  • Too much air circulation; crust overbakes and dries out too much. SOLUTION.

What is the secret to making biscuits rise? ›

Embrace stacking. In biscuit-making, height and flakiness go hand in hand. Why? Because the layers of butter that get compressed and stacked as you build your biscuits are what create those flakey biscuit bits, and they also create steam in the oven — which helps the biscuits to expand as tall as possible.

What happens when you add more butter to biscuits? ›

Increasing the amount of butter definitely makes the biscuit "taste" softer, more crumbly, and more flaky.

What ingredient makes biscuits hard? ›

To use a food processor, pulse together dry ingredients, then add chilled diced butter and pulse just until the largest pieces are pea-sized. Add just 3/4 cup half and half and pulse only until combined. Why are my biscuits hard? Overworking the dough can release gluten strands and cause biscuits to be tough.

Is buttermilk or heavy cream better for biscuits? ›

Buttermilk also adds a subtle tang. Cream biscuits are made with heavy cream. Cream biscuits are beloved because they're incredibly easy-to-make. But, since cream is much milder than buttermilk, they won't be quite as flavorful (unless you incorporate more spices and seasonings).

Should you chill biscuit dough before baking? ›

And the longer it takes the butter to melt as the biscuits bake, the more chance they have to rise high and maintain their shape. So, chill... and chill.

What makes biscuits rise better baking powder or baking soda? ›

But to get the rise you want without killing the tang (which would be the result of too much baking soda), you'll need to incorporate baking powder as well, taking advantage of the delayed double-action to add even more levity. Combining the two leavening agents produces a biscuit that is both light and tangy.

What does adding an egg to biscuits do? ›

As it turns out, adding hard-boiled egg yolks to your biscuit dough is a way to ward off an overworked, tough dough that can be the downfall of a butter-based pastry. When the trick is employed, the pastry shatters and then dissolves in your mouth quickly, tasting like a knob of flaky butter.

What are the two most important steps in biscuit making? ›

The two keys to success in making the best biscuits are handling the dough as little as possible as well as using very cold solid fat (butter, shortening, or lard) and cold liquid. When the biscuits hit the oven, the cold liquid will start to evaporate creating steam which will help our biscuits get very tall.

Are biscuits better made with butter or crisco? ›

Crisco may be beneficial for other baking applications, but for biscuit making, butter is the ultimate champion!

Which liquid makes the best biscuits? ›

Selecting the liquid for your biscuits

Just as important as the fat is the liquid used to make your biscuits. Our Buttermilk Biscuit recipe offers the choice of using milk or buttermilk. Buttermilk is known for making biscuits tender and adding a zippy tang, so we used that for this test.

What temperature do you bake biscuits at? ›

A hot oven helps biscuits bake—and rise—quickly. We recommend 475˚F for 15 minutes.

What is the secret to a good biscuit? ›

It's super simple and makes tall, fluffy biscuits ready for breakfast, sandwiches, and more! The secret to the best biscuits is using very cold butter and baking powder. We've made a lot of biscuits, but this easy biscuits recipe is the one we turn to the most (they are so fluffy!).

Why aren't my biscuits fluffy? ›

Secret to Fluffy Biscuits #2: Use cold liquids

Just like you should use cold butter, you also want to make sure your liquids that you add are also cold. Whether that's heavy cream, milk or buttermilk just make sure they are cold as well. This way the liquid wouldn't warm up the butter too much.

When making biscuits, what do you think makes them hard and not fluffy? ›

If your biscuits are too tough…

Biscuit dough is moist and sticky, so much so that it may seem too wet after you've added all your flour. If you do think this about your dough, fight the urge to add more dry ingredients — dough that isn't wet enough will bake into a hard, dry biscuit.

Why are my homemade biscuits so dense? ›

The reason: The butter has not been incorporated evenly, leaving pockets of your cooked biscuits that are dry, dense, and filled with flour.

Why are my biscuits always flat? ›

Overworking the dough will not only create a tough biscuit instead of a tender biscuit, but can also result in a flatter biscuit. The more you play with the dough, the warmer the dough becomes. If the fat becomes too warm it will melt into the flour and they won't rise as tall.

What are 2 causes of tough biscuits? ›

Tough
  • Gluten in flour overdeveloped. ...
  • Ratio of dry ingredients to fats and liquids too high. ...
  • Used wrong type of flour. ...
  • The wrong kind of measuring cup was used. ...
  • Vegetable oil spread contains less fat and more water than butter or margarine. ...
  • Oven was too hot and product overbaked.

Why do my homemade biscuits go soft? ›

As the biscuits sit around, even in a tin, the sugar absorbs moisture from the air. Leave sugar in a bowl in the tropics, for example, and it will absorb so much water it will eventually turn into a liquid! As the sugar in the biscuit absorbs more moisture, it becomes softer and softer and less and less appetising.

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