Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits

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Spice up your baking life with this cheddar black pepper biscuits recipe! These easy homemade biscuits are filled with cheesy goodness and pack a peppery punch, the perfect accompaniment for any dinner or Thanksgiving meal.

Looking down at a group of cheddar black pepper biscuits on a round, black cooking rack

What’s the secret to a good biscuit?

While any homemade biscuits recipe is far superior to store bought, knowing the secret to a good biscuit can turn these black pepper buttermilk biscuits from good to great! And that secret is using cold butter! The flakiness of biscuit dough comes from the butter melting and leaving those delicious layers behind. However, if the butter melts before the flour starts to bake then you can say goodbye to that fluffy homemade biscuit recipe. Make sure the butter is fresh from the fridge, thinly sliced, and the final dough chills in the fridge before baking.

The Origin Of Biscuits

Biscuit comes from the Latin word ‘biscotus’ which means twice baked as biscuits from Medieval times more closely resembled biscotti. Made with just flour, water, and salt these biscuits were baked more than once to properly dry them and were a staple for ancient Roman soldiers until they too became a staple for the British Royal Navy who called them hardtack. Hardtack became part of the colonial’s regular diet before introducing itself to American diets as well where it became a staple due to its easy and few ingredients.

With Southern American crops and livestock, lard and buttermilk became extra ingredients and so did baking powder once after its invention in the 1850s. The south further went on to enhance the homemade biscuit recipe and it soon became an iconic southern staple. And then in 1931, tube biscuits hit the market thanks to Lively Willoughby. Biscuits have had a very interesting history and you can read all about it here!

A close up of a plate of cheddar black pepper biscuits

Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuit Ingredients

  • Black pepper: Fresh cracked pepper is best but pre-ground is fine! If you love black pepper like I do, I would increase the amount to 1.5 tablespoons.
  • Cheddar: Get extra sharp so the flavor can come through against the black pepper. Make sure to grate it first.
  • Buttermilk: Full fat buttermilk as opposed to reduced fat. In a pinch you can use whole milk with a few drops of lemon juice in it.

Major Allergens Present: Gluten, dairy, eggs

Equipment Needed

  • Cheese grater: Used to grate the cheese if you bought a block of cheese. Alternatively, you can buy pre-shredded cheese.
  • Three-inch ring cutter: Used to cut the biscuits into circles. Alternatively, you can use a knife and cut squares.
A close up of a little stack of cheddar black pepper biscuits

How to Make Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits:

What are Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits Made Out Of?

Biscuits in general have few ingredients: flour, butter, salt, milk, and baking powder. However, to make delicious biscuits, I’ve added a few more including an egg! Instead of milk, this simple cheddar biscuit recipe uses buttermilk which keeps the biscuits tender and moist. Also, I combine the flavors of cheddar and a hefty dose of black pepper for unique combination to make this cheddar and black pepper biscuits.

Rub the Butter into the Dry Ingredients

While the secret to good biscuits is using cold butter fresh from the fridge, the way you incorporate that butter also makes a huge difference. The key is to rub the butter into the flour creating long, flat flakes of butter. These butter flakes help contribute to the layered flakiness of biscuits because as the butter melts, it creates steam forming a flaky layer. To make the job easier, thinly slice your butter before adding to the dry ingredients. Scoop some up and firmly rub between your hands until all the butter is flaked.

Mix in the Rest of the Ingredients

These black pepper cheese biscuits do not need a mixer, so once you add the wet ingredients with the pepper and cheese, mix with your hands until the dough comes together. Watch out for overmixing as too much mixing can overwork the gluten leaving you with tough, dense biscuits. It’s okay to leave a few, dry crumbles in the dough.

Roll, Trifold, and Cut

On a floured surface, roll the dough to about one-inch. Next, do a trifold which is folding one third onto itself then the rest of the dough on top of that. This method also helps create layers almost like a lamination method. Roll down, again, to one-inch and cut with a biscuit cutter; I like to use my three-inch ring cutter. Carefully lay on your prepared sheet tree. Pop these easy cheddar black pepper biscuits in the fridge as this will firm up the butter for better baking and better layers.

Egg Wash and Bake the Cheddar and Black Pepper Biscuits

Brushing certain breads and baked goods helps give them a shine and aids in browning, so scramble up an egg and brush the tops of the black pepper buttermilk biscuits! Also, sprinkle on some flaked sea salt and fresh, cracked pepper for good measure. You can also top with extra cheddar if you’d like. Bake until golden brown, rotating halfway through to promote even baking. Finally, allow to cool before serving and enjoying at Thanksgiving dinner or really any dinner.

A sheet pan with freshly baked cheddar black pepper biscuits

Getting hung up or lost on all the baking terminology? Study up here.

Tips for Making Homemade Biscuits:

  • Use cold, fresh from the fridge butter and weigh that out last so it can spend as much time as it can in the fridge! Cold butter cuts into the flour without melting, and when baking, it releases steam and creates that sought after flaky texture.
  • Rub the butter into the flour and create long flakes of butter! These are your layers!! Those flakes of heaven will melt, and a create a delicious pocket of steam making your flakes.
  • Do a trifold when rolling! To really ensure you’ve got the layers, do one trifold when baking. It’s kinda like laminating, but not quite.
  • Switch over to buttermilk instead of regular milk as the acidity of buttermilk helps gives biscuits a tender and flaky crumb with a moist texture. 

Enhancing This Black Pepper Biscuits Recipe:

  • Switch up the type of cheese! Gruyere, parmesan, or pepper jack would go great!
  • Use a different type of pepper like pink peppercorns, white pepper, or Szechuan.
  • Add in some chopped chives!

How to Store and Freeze Cheddar and Black Pepper Biscuits

  • Store in a sealed container or bag at room temperature for up to 5 days.
  • Freeze in a sealed container or bag for up to 2 months.
Looking by a pepper mill at a bowl of cheddar black pepper biscuits

Troubleshooting Black Pepper Cheese Biscuits:

  • My biscuits are flat and dense! You overmixed your dough! When mixing the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, make sure to mix just until a dough comes together. It’s okay that it is not super cohesive or has a few dry crumbles left behind.

Something else going wrong? Reach out and we will troubleshoot together!

Looking down at a group of cheddar black pepper biscuits on a round, black cooking rack

Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits

by 12 Kitchens
Spice up your baking life with this cheddar black pepper biscuits recipe! These easy homemade biscuits are filled with cheesy goodness and pack a peppery punch, the perfect accompaniment for any dinner or Thanksgiving meal.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Category Breads
Difficulty Easy
Servings 12 Biscuits
Calories 390 kcal

Equipment

  • Cheese grater
  • 3" Ring cutter

Ingredients
 
 

  • 560 g All-purpose flour
  • Tbs Baking powder
  • 2 Tbs Granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 128 g Butter, unsalted Cold
  • 375 g Buttermilk
  • 1 ea Whole eggs
  • 1 Tbs Black pepper, ground plus extra for garnish
  • 3 cups Sharp cheddar cheese Shredded
  • Egg wash
  • Flaky sea salt For garnish

Instructions
 

  • Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat and set aside.
  • Combine the dry ingredients together (except the black pepper) and slice the butter into ¼" slices. Add the butter to the dry ingredients.
  • Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour to create long, flat flakes. Continue until all butter pieces are flat and evenly dispersed throughout the flour.
  • Add in the buttermilk, egg, black pepper, and cheddar cheese and hand mix until a dough comes together. Don't overmix and overwork the flour! It's okay to have some loose crumbles.
  • On a floured surface, roll to about one-inch thick. Do a trifold by folding one third onto itself and the remaining third on top. Roll down to one-inch thick.
  • Using your three-inch ring cutter, cut out your biscuits and place roughly two-inches apart on your prepared sheet pan.
  • Place in the fridge for 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 375℉.
  • Scramble one egg and brush the tops of the biscuits. Top with pepper and flaky sea salt.
  • Bake for 20 minutes, rotating half way through or until the tops are golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack before enjoying.

Nutrition

Calories: 390kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 13gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 746mgPotassium: 117mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 602IUCalcium: 392mgIron: 3mg
Keyword 12 Kitchens Favorites, Easy dessert, No mixer dessert, Nut free recipes, Quick dessert, Thanksgiving recipes
Tried this recipe?Mention @12kitchens or tag #12kitchensbaker!

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • Is buttermilk or heavy cream better for biscuits? Definitely use buttermilk as the acidity of buttermilk helps gives biscuits a tender and flaky crumb with a moist texture. 
  • Are biscuits better made with butter or crisco? Always use butter as it is healthier for your than crisco and much better flavored.
  • What is the secret to a good biscuit? The secret to a good biscuit is using cold butter!

Have another question? Reach out and I’ll try to answer it for you!

Looking down at a few cheddar black pepper biscuits laying on a towel with a pepper mill
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