You won’t believe how easy it is to make these cheddar biscuits from scratch. There is no biscuit cutter needed as you simply mix all your ingredients together, scoop and drop the dough onto a baking sheet, and bake! And just like that, you end up with some perfectly golden light and fluffy biscuits with rich cheddar throughout that taste similar to the ones from Red Lobster. They make for the perfect side dish for any meal or even as a snack.
There’s nothing complicated about this recipe. These biscuits come together without any kneading, rolling, or chilling. You don’t even have to mix them too much, as that’s the key to a flakey biscuit! They’re beyond foolproof, and you’ll end up with flavorful cheddar drop biscuits every single time. I love serving them as a side to my crock pot chili recipe, beef stew recipe, and classic tomato soup if I don’t immediately eat them all fresh out of the oven!
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Flour — bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour will work for this biscuit recipe.
Baking powder — this helps the biscuits rise and keeps the inside fluffy. Make sure the baking powder is fresh and not expired.
Butter — make sure your butter is super cold for this cheddar drop biscuit dough. When the cold butter melts in the oven, it creates steam. The steam that forms inside the biscuits as the butter melts is what makes the biscuits airy and creates flaky layers. You’ll also need some melted butter to brush over the biscuits once they’re out of the oven.
Cheese — I recommend shredding your own cheddar cheese from a block as it tastes better and melts more smoothly. Sometimes pre-shredded cheese has a coating, so shredding cheese from a block yields a fresher, creamier taste.
Buttermilk — the acidity in buttermilk works with the baking powder to help the biscuit dough rise, yielding a taller and fluffier biscuit. The buttermilk also adds a tangier flavor to the cheddar biscuits so its better to use than whole milk.
Egg — adding an egg to the biscuit dough helps tenderize the biscuits and add moisture.
How to Make Cheddar Biscuits
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Add the cubed butter and toss to coat in the flour mixture.
2. Using a pastry cutter or pressing the butter pieces between your fingers, work the butter into the flour until the butter is pea-sized. Add the shredded cheddar and toss to coat.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg.
4. Slowly pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a fork until the mixture is sticky but still somewhat crumbly.
5. Using a ¼ cup scoop, scoop 12 mounds of the unbaked biscuits spacing them 2 inches apart, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
6. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, parsley, and remaining ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. Brush the tops with the melted butter mixture right when they come out of the oven. Serve warm.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- If you have difficulty cubing the butter, you can grate it with a box grater.
- I highly recommend using a scale to measure your flour for the most accurate results. However, if you don’t have a scale, be sure to fluff your flour with a spoon and then spoon it into your cups before leveling it off with a knife. This method is the best way to measure flour without overpacking the measuring cup and resulting in dense cheddar biscuits.
- If you live somewhere warm, freeze your cubed butter for around 15 to 20 minutes beforehand so they hold up better as you work it into the biscuit dough. You want the butter to still be cold and solid in the dough so it will melt and create air pockets when in the oven.
- Do not overwork the biscuit dough. The cheese biscuits will be hard and tough if you mix the dough too much.
- Make sure to move quickly once your dough is ready. The longer the dough sits out, waiting to go into the oven, the more time the butter in the dough has to reach room temperature. Cold ingredients are what ensures your layers stay flaky and airy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store any leftover cheesy biscuits in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. You can also freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
I don’t recommend making the dough beforehand. The buttermilk starts working with the baking powder as soon as they’re combined, and the longer the dough sits before baking, the less effective the ingredients become. The biscuits will not be as tall, flakey, or airy if you make the dough ahead of time. You can always bake the biscuits beforehand and reheat them as needed.
If you’d like warm biscuits, you can reheat the leftovers in the microwave. I recommend placing a damp paper towel over the top of the container to create some steam to keep the biscuits moist when reheating.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Cheddar Biscuits recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Cheddar Biscuits
Video
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour (270g)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon garlic powder divided
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter cubed (113g)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar (120g)
- ½ cup cold buttermilk (120mL)
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Add the cubed butter and toss to coat in the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or pressing the butter pieces between your fingers, work the butter into the flour until the butter is pea-sized. Add the shredded cheddar and toss to coat.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Slowly pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a fork until the mixture is sticky but still somewhat crumbly.
- Using a ¼ cup scoop, scoop 12 mounds spacing them 2 inches apart, on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, parsley, and remaining ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. Brush the tops with the melted butter mixture right when they come out of the oven. Serve warm.
Notes
- If you have difficulty cubing the butter, you can grate it with a box grater.
- I highly recommend using a scale to measure your flour for the most accurate results. However, if you don’t have a scale, be sure to fluff your flour with a spoon and then spoon it into your cups before leveling it off with a knife. This method is the best way to measure flour without overpacking the measuring cup and resulting in dense cheddar biscuits.
- If you live somewhere warm, freeze your cubed butter for around 15 to 20 minutes beforehand so they hold up better as you work it into the biscuit dough. You want the butter to still be cold and solid in the dough so it’ll melt and create air pockets when in the oven.
- Do not overwork the biscuit dough. The biscuits will be hard and tough if you mix the dough too much.
- Make sure to move quickly once your dough is ready. The longer the dough sits out, waiting to go into the oven, the more time the butter in the dough has to reach room temperature. Cold ingredients are what ensures your layers stay flaky and airy.
