These Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits are a cheese lovers biscuit, with cheddar cheese both in and under each biscuit! A great biscuit to use as a side for soup and chili.

jalapeno cheddar biscuits on white board
  • Uses pickled jalapeños for the best jalapeño flavour.
  • Uses buttermilk, for great biscuit flavour.
  • The crispy cheese layer on the bottom of each biscuit is definitely the star of these biscuits!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Cheddar Cheese – an old yellow cheddar will bring the best cheese flavour to these biscuits.

Buttermilk – I recommend the real thing, if you can. If not, see the Notes in the Recipe Card for make-your-own buttermilk.

Jalapeños – for the best jalapeño flavour, go with the jarred (or canned) pickled jalapeños. If you only have fresh jalapeños, you can certainly use those. I always lightly cook them a bit before using them, just to cook off the raw flavour a bit. The microwave, skillet or oven will all work to cook them off.

Step-by-Step Photos

  1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the cold butter pieces.
  2. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until you have pea-sized pieces.
  3. Add the cheddar and jalapeños and stir in.
  4. Add the buttermilk and stir in.
  5. Remove the dough to a floured work surface.
  6. Pat into a rectangle, cut into 4, stack the pieces, then roll into a rectangle. Place the dough into the freezer for 15 minutes.
  7. Make 8 mounds of cheese on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  8. Cut the biscuits and place on top of the cheese. Brush the top with buttermilk.
  9. Sprinkle the tops of the biscuits with flaky salt and bake.

Biscuit Making Tips

Flour can and will absorb liquid at slightly different rates between kitchens, so the amount of buttermilk you will need in your kitchen may be slightly more or less. Add just enough to moisten the dough.

That said, I always prefer to err on the side of adding a bit more liquid, and then using flour on the work surface, if needed. If your dough is too dry to start, it is difficult to add more liquid at that point.

When cutting biscuits, use a sharp knife and one quick, confident cut, to avoid crushing the sides of the biscuits. You will get better layers that way.

When brushing the tops of the biscuits, brush only the top and try to prevent any liquid from dripping down the sides. The liquid may seal up the sides and prevent a good rise.

jalapeño cheddar biscuits on white board
jalapeño cheese biscuits on white board

Get the Recipe: Jalapeño Cheese Biscuits

These Jalapeño Cheddar biscuits are a cheese lovers biscuits, with cheese baked in and under each biscuit.
5 stars from 2 ratings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 8 biscuits

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, reduce to 1 teaspoon if using salted butter
  • 2 teaspoons granulated white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch dry mustard powder, optional
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into 8 pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated and well packed
  • 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, drained and roughly chopped
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk, cold, plus more for topping *See Note 1 below for how to make-your-own buttermilk from regular milk
  • Flaky salt, for topping

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425F with a rack in the centre of the oven.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and mustard powder, if using. Add the cold butter pieces and a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are roughly pea-sized. Add 1 cup of the shredded cheese and the jalapeños and stir to combine.
  • Pour about half of the the buttermilk over the flour mixture and using a fork, stir in. Continue adding the remaining buttermilk, a bit at a time, until the dough is evenly moistened, but not sticky. You may not need all of the buttermilk, or, if the dough seems dry and won’t come together, drizzle in additional buttermilk, a tiny bit at a time, just until it forms a rough mass.
  • Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold it gently a few times until it comes together. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into quarters. Stack the pieces on top of each other, then pat or gently roll into a rectangle about 4 x 8 inches. Transfer the dough to a plate or baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
  • Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese into eight piles at least 2-inches apart.
  • When dough has chilled, cut into eight even pieces. Place a biscuit on top of each mound of cheese, ensuring the cheese peeks out a bit around the biscuit. Brush the tops of the biscuits with buttermilk and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until edges and tops are golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Note 1: Make your own buttermilk by adding 2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to 3/4 cup of regular dairy milk.
You can use fresh jalapeños if you prefer. I like to cook them slightly, just to remove the raw flavour. You can use the microwave, skillet or oven to soften them slightly. Cool, chop and use in biscuits. You can adjust the amount to taste.
Be sure to have a look at the information above the Recipe Card, where you’ll find step-by-step photos as well as some biscuit-making tips.
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Side Dish
Calories: 336kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 634mg, Potassium: 197mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 676IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 229mg, Iron: 2mg
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Recipe adapted from a Savour Ontario recipe.