Fantastically flavorful, these homemade biscuits with cheddar and chives are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! They are so quick and easy to make! They are tender and flaky and perfect served warm out of the oven.
A Canadian classic – baking powder biscuits
This is a family recipe passed on from my great Aunt Ilse and has been a family favourite for as long as I can remember. The basic biscuit recipe is easy and frill-free. One that doesn’t take any specials skills or complicated methods. You also won’t find any additions of cheese or chives and the best way to enjoy it is served warm spread with butter or jam, or served alongside a warm bowl of soup or stew for dipping them in. No matter how you like to enjoy them, they are definitely a tasty treat.
Tips for this easy biscuit recipe
There are a couple basic things to keep in mind for making the best biscuits, even with an easy recipe like this.
Use cold ingredients
Most important is to use cold butter and cold buttermilk. This is important for flaky layers! When the pieces of butter melt as the biscuits bake, they release steam and create little pockets of air which is what helps create flaky biscuits. If you think the butter may have been become too soft, then transfer the bowl to the fridge to cool for 15 minutes.
Another important factor is to also choose a firm butter rather then the type of butter that is spreadable when cold.
The shredded cheese should also be cold. And freshly shredded rather than pre-shredded cheese, as it melts much better. And it tastes best!
Work the dough, but not too much
Take care not to over mix or overwork your dough. When cutting the butter into the flour with either a pastry cutter or your hands (you’ll want to work quickly so the butter remains cold), you should achieve a crumbly, sandy mixture. And don’t worry about a few chunky, pea-sized pieces.
When you mix in the buttermilk, use a fork or a spatula and mix until most of the dry bits are incorporated. Then knead the dough once or twice to bring it together in a ball and pick up the last remaining dry bits on the bottom of the bowl. If needed add a tiny bit more buttermilk to help the dough come together.
Cut the biscuits without twisting
As for cutting the biscuits, use a biscuit cutter if you have one, or a small glass. The important thing is to not twist the glass or the cutter! Use a smooth up and down motion. If the dough sticks to the glass, simply bang the bottom of the glass to have it release the dough or use your fingers if using a biscuit cutter. When you use a twisting motion you are actually sealing some of the layers together, which prevents the biscuits from fully rising.
If you like this biscuit recipe, then you might also like:
- Buttermilk Biscuits with Wild Garlic
- Wild Garlic and Cheddar Scones
- Savory Scones with Feta, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Herbs
- Cheddar Cheese Scones
Biscuits with Cheddar and Chives
Ingredients
- 300 g all-purpose flour (2 cups of flour, type 1050)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons raw cane sugar (or organic beet sugar)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into pieces (60 g)
- 200 ml organic buttermilk
- 100 g aged cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup finely sliced fresh chives (4 tablespoons)
Method
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Preheat oven at 450°F / 230°C degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl (flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar).
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Work the butter into the flour mixture using your fingers or pastry cutter until it resembles an evenly crumb, sand-like mixture.
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Add the grated cheese and mix lightly by hand so that the cheese is coated with flour and not clumped together.
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Add the buttermilk and chives and mix quickly and gently, until you have a shaggy, but cohesive dough (do not over mix or over work the dough!). If the mixture seems too dry and won't come together, don't keep working it; drizzle in a tiny bit of buttermilk to make it cohesive (max 1 teaspoon at a time).
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Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Work gently on counter until smooth and about 2,5 cm thick. Cut with biscuit cutter or small glass (avoid twisting!).
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Transfer to baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden on top.
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Remove them from the oven, and serve warm. Enjoy!
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Once fully cooled, store any leftover biscuits, sealed in an airtight container or well wrapped, at room temperature, for 2-3 days.
Notes
- If desired, brush the biscuits with milk, to enhance browning.
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