Bacon Cheddar Biscuits
Soft, tall, buttery, and flaky buttermilk biscuits filled with cheddar cheese and bacon. These Bacon Cheddar Biscuits are perfect for breakfast or even dinner!
I promise you’re not seeing things! I’ve had a few requests for some savory recipes on the blog, so today we’re going a little savory with these homemade bacon cheddar biscuits.
I’ve had the idea for these bacon cheddar biscuits ever since I shared my homemade buttermilk biscuits recipe. Because what’s not to love about anything with bacon and cheddar?
If you’ve ever felt intimidated when it comes to making homemade biscuits, I promise they’re not too difficult. I’ve broken everything down that you need to know along with step-by-step pictures so you can create super tall, flaky, buttery homemade biscuits!
Recipe Ingredients
This cheesy biscuit recipe comes together with minimal ingredients. Here’s everything you’ll need to make this recipe:
- All-purpose flour: Be sure to spoon and level the flour when measuring it so you don’t wind up with dense biscuits.
- Baking powder & baking soda: You may notice that there’s a tablespoon of baking powder in this recipe and I promise it’s not an error! In order to get a good rise in your biscuits, you need a hefty dose of baking powder and baking soda.
- Granulated sugar: Just 2 teaspoons helps balance out the salty cheese and bacon.
- Salt: Flavors the biscuit dough.
- Butter: Since there’s a good amount of salt in this dough, I recommend using unsalted butter.
- Cheddar cheese: I like to buy the blocks of cheddar cheese and shred it for these biscuits. The pre-packaged shredded cheese has a coating on it that keeps the cheese from sticking together but it also doesn’t allow the cheese to melt as well.
- Bacon: To make this recipe a bit easier, I buy the pre-cooked bacon and just heat it in the microwave and let it cool completely before using it.
- Buttermilk: Needs to be fridge cold when it gets incorporated into the dough.
How to Make Bacon Cheddar Biscuits
To make these cheddar cheese biscuits, you’ll start by whisking together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Once the dry ingredients are well combined, you’ll cut in some cold cubed butter with a pastry cutter. Why cold butter? The cold pieces of butter will melt in the oven and create little steam pockets, which means a taller and flakier biscuit.
If you don’t have a pastry cutter then a fork will work, but I love mine and use it all the time and it’s definitely easier than using a fork. Here’s a pastry cutter that’s similar to the one that I use.
Once you’ve cut in the butter, mix in the shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.
Once the cheese and bacon are mixed in, gently stir in some cold buttermilk. Remember the colder your butter, the better!
Then, flatten the dough into a large rectangle (I promise it’s not as flat as it looks, it’s about 1/2-inch thick) and fold it into thirds, similar to how you would fold a letter for an envelope. Then, pat it down again and repeat the process two more times.
Now, this step is optional but I really do recommend folding the dough a few times before you cut out the biscuits. Folding the biscuit dough helps to ensure a flakier biscuit!
Finally, use a biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits and place them on a baking sheet. One other important thing when it comes to making these biscuits is to avoid twisting your cutter as you cut them out. Twisting the cutter can seal off the edges of the biscuit dough and prevent them from rising as much as they should. Just press your biscuit cutter straight down, then pull it back up.
If you prefer softer sides on your biscuits, then I suggest placing them side by side on the baking sheet. This will also help the biscuits to rise taller. I also like to brush the biscuits with a little extra buttermilk before popping them into the oven for a shinier, slightly crispy top.
Once the biscuits are fully baked, let them cool for a few minutes, then serve them with anything you prefer. These biscuits are perfect served with breakfast or you could even serve them up as a side for dinner.
But to be honest, they’re pretty delicious with just a little butter smeared on top too.
FAQ’s
Can I Use a Buttermilk Substitute?
Yes! If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can make a DIY substitute at home.
How Long Do Biscuits Last?
You can store leftover cheddar cheese biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Can I Freeze Them?
Absolutely! Once the biscuits have cooled, place them on a baking tray and freeze until hardened. Then, seal in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To thaw, place on your counter and let them come to room temperature.
Baking Tips
- If you’re preparing your bacon right before you make these cheesy biscuits, make sure to let it cool completely first. If the bacon is too warm, it can soften or even melt the butter in the dough before it goes into the oven.
- Prepare your dry ingredients first, then take your butter and buttermilk out of the refrigerator to ensure that they are cold.
- When cutting out your biscuits, don’t twist your cutter. This will seal off the edges of your dough and they won’t rise as high. Just cut the dough straight down and pull the cutter right back up. I like to flour the biscuit cutter to make sure the biscuit dough doesn’t stick too.
- Lay the biscuits on a baking sheet touching each other. This will help them rise taller and give them soft edges when you pull them apart.
- If you feel that the dough is a little too warm, place the baking sheet with the biscuits in your freezer for 5 to 10 minutes so that the butter is cold before they go into the oven.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes to Try!
- Classic Buttermilk Biscuits
- The Best Scones
- Easy Blueberry Muffins
- Whole Wheat Pancakes
- Grandma’s Cinnamon Rolls
Bacon Cheddar Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) cold unsalted butter , cubed
- 3/4 cup (70 grams) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup (45 grams) crumbled bacon (about 8 slices)
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk , plus more for the tops of the biscuits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt until well combined.
- Add the cubed cold butter and cut into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter (you may also use a food processor for this step) until you have small pea-sized pieces of butter. Then, whisk in the shredded cheese and crumbled bacon.
- Pour the cold buttermilk into the mixture and gently work it together until the dough starts to come together.
- Scoop the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently work it together with your hands. Pat the dough into a rectangle and fold it into thirds. Turn the dough, gather any crumbs, and flatten the dough back into a rectangle. Repeat this process two more times.
- Pat the dough down into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle (make sure to measure!). Using a floured 2.5-inch biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits. Continue to gather any scrap pieces of dough, patting it back down to 1/2-inch thickness, and cutting it until you have 9 to 10 biscuits. I suggest trying to get as many as you can the first time, as you continue to work the dough the biscuits won't be quite as good.
- Arrange the biscuits on the baking sheet touching each other. Brush the top of each biscuit with a little bit of buttermilk.
- Bake at 450°F for about 16 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. If the biscuits begin to brown too much before they're finished baking, cover loosely with foil. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter if desired. Allow to cool for a few minutes, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
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These turned out terrific. The first time I try a recipe I always trust the process, then I add my flair. This time around I have a whole onion cooked with the bacon. Adding a touch less butter to balance the ratio of fat to flour. I don’t know how they will turn out though the dough felt “true” when I cut it. Any thoughts?
I haven’t tested it that way, but I probably would have reduced the butter slightly as well. Hopefully they turned out great!
Why did mine turn out flat? Still delicious, but not puffy.
It could be for several reasons – baking soda/baking powder wasn’t fresh, butter wasn’t cold enough, the dough was over worked, or you twisted the biscuit cutter too much (this seals off the edges and prevents them from rising).
Quick question:
Do we use raw bacon or already cooked bacon?
Thank you!!
I use cooked bacon in these biscuits 🙂
I love this recipe. I came home from a trip to the USA wanting to a recipe similar to one I had a bakery every morning of my trip and this matched perfectly, these biscuits are soo good! Thank you for sharing!
These biscuits were amazing. They were tender and moist. I served them with smothered pork chops and used the biscuits to dip in the gravy. Perfect compliment to the meal.
I cooked them at 425 for the suggested time, 16 minutes & I found they were a little burnt, I’d say 12-15 minutes would be enough, but everyone’s oven is different. I also used regular 1% milk & they were fine.
I made these 2 days ago. I added fresh chives and used a larger biscuit cutter and also doubled the recipe. They were ok,but definitely not the best I’d ever had,they did rise some but not a lot.Will probably not make again and find another recipe that will rise more and be more fluffy.
I made these yesterday and they turned out great. Only change is that I used self rising flour and I grated a stick of frozen butter vs cutting in the butter. They lasted approximately 1 hour before they were devoured by my two grandsons. They want more!
Quick Question:
Does this recipe double well? I have a bigger family and can tell by the reviews that one biscuit per person will not be enough! Thanks.
LouAnne
I think it would probably be fine to double it. You may want to divide the dough into two pieces, so there’s not too much and you don’t over work your dough.
Making these cheddar bacon biscuits for brunch Easter Sunday, can’t wait to see how they turn out. Love all the tips given and will follow them all. ?
Hope you enjoy the biscuits, Shirley!
Just made this for a ladies gathering potluck and the biscuits were delicious and easy to make. Thank you for sharing this hearty gem, that will be going in my recipe box for future use.
Wow! These were absolutely fabulous. I never have had much luck with making homemade biscuits before. This recipe was foolproof and simple to follow. The biscuits are so versatile, they are perfect for breakfast, dinner or just a snack. Thank you for putting three of may favorite ingredients into one great treat. This recipe is going into my 5 star file.
Just made 2 batches. These are delicious, the second batch I turned the oven to 425, they turned a nice light brown for me that way. The first batch was a little dark but still tasty!! Great recipe!
Just made these and they’re heavenly! I actually used the kitchen aid mixer to mix all of the ingredients together, and it worked really well. And it saved a ton of energy and clean-up time too. Just had to wash the bowl and attachments, and put the rest of the measuring cups and spoons in the dishwasher.
I made these and they taste delicious but they didn’t rise? Also they burnt on the bottom before they were cooked and the tops didn’t brown at all. Any suggestions?
Hi, Stephanie! There’s several reasons that could cause them not to rise, like the butter not being cold enough, twisting the biscuit cutter when you cut them out, or your oven temperature was not hot enough. As for burning on the bottoms and not cooking on the top, it could just be your oven temperature or where you placed them in the oven. Have you used an oven thermometer and did you bake them on the center rack?
I wonder if I can replace the buttermilk for regular milk?
You do need buttermilk for this recipe, I have a homemade buttermilk substitute here.
I can’t wait to make this recipe, it sounds delicious! It made my mouth water just reading it. Do you think that it would work to halve the recipe?? Want to make in the morning.
I look forward to making your carrot cupcakes (among others) also. Too many others to list! ?
It should be fine to cut the recipe in half! Hope you enjoy the biscuits and cupcakes too, Cheryl!
Hi Danielle! My family just got back yesterday from our vacation in Florida. My brother and I had to take a detour to drop a friend off, which added 3 hours to our drive. Because of this, my parents had to take the brunt of unloading their car. I woke up early this morning and saw this recipe on a food blog on tumblr, so I decided to (quietly) make this recipe at 5:30 am so they would wake up to fresh hot biscuits and coffee. They’re cooking now, but they smell absolutely heavenly. Thanks for the recipe!
Hope everyone enjoyed the recipe, Lucas!
Absolutely devine! This is the first recipe of yours that I have tried. I love your informative tips. I’ll definitely be trying more of your treats. Thank you!
Oops, that should be a 5 star rating!
So glad to hear that, Susan. I’d love to hear if you try any other recipes!
Hello from Australia!
Can I use the bacon crumbles from Costco? Or is that too small/hard?
I think that would be fine!
I’m so excited about the few recipes ive seen so far. Soft chewy oatmeal raisin cookies. Bacon cheddar biscuits, no bake peanut butter choc bars. I love that uou use old and tested procedures. Right on girl.
Marie Conant
Thank you, Marie! I’d love to hear if you try any recipes!