Description

These Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits are a flavorful and spicy twist on classic flaky biscuits. Made with sharp cheddar cheese, fresh jalapeños, and a touch of buttermilk, they are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a savory snack. Baked to golden perfection in a hot cast iron skillet, these biscuits offer a tender crumb with a delicious kick.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

2.5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Wet Ingredients

6 tablespoons cold butter
2 fresh jalapeños, minced
1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 eggs
⅔ cup buttermilk
A splash of buttermilk (for brushing)
12 thin jalapeño slices (for topping)
1-2 tablespoons melted butter (for brushing)
Flaky sea salt (for sprinkling)

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Instructions

Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and place a cast iron skillet inside to heat up as well. This ensures the skillet is hot for the biscuits to bake evenly with a crispy bottom.
Prepare the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper. Add the cold butter, then pinch and rub it into the flour mixture using your hands until it resembles coarse crumbs with small pea-sized bits.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk until frothy. Stir in the freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese and the minced fresh jalapeños until evenly combined.
Form the dough: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg and buttermilk mixture. Gently cut the mixture together with a fork or two knives, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough.
Shape the dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently press it flat. Fold the dough like an envelope horizontally, then vertically, and repeat this folding 2-3 times to create flaky layers. Roll the dough out to about 1½ inches thick.
Cut and arrange biscuits: Use a biscuit cutter to cut out about 12 biscuits from the dough. Carefully place the biscuits into the preheated cast iron skillet. Brush the tops with a splash of buttermilk and top each with a thin slice of jalapeño for an extra kick and attractive presentation.
Bake the biscuits: Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are puffed up and golden brown on top and bottom.
Finishing touch: Once baked, remove the skillet from the oven and brush the tops of the hot biscuits with melted butter. Finally, sprinkle flaky sea salt over the biscuits to taste. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

Cold butter is crucial for flaky biscuits; keep it chilled until just before mixing.
Folding the dough multiple times helps create flaky layers inside the biscuits.
The cast iron skillet must be preheated to get a crispy biscuit bottom and even cooking.
Adjust the number of jalapeños or jalapeño slices to control the spice level.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute it by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to ⅔ cup milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.