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Home » Recipes » Biscuits

Published: Sep 2, 2023 by Cynthia Christensen · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

Flaky Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits

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These Flaky Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits are cheesy, just the right amount of spicy, and just as good for breakfast as they are with a bowl of soup or stew for dinner. Add these to your must-make list!

A side view of a stack of jalapeno cheddar biscuits.

These Flaky Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits are my new favorite. I know I say that a lot, but really. It's not enough that I added some cheese and jalapeños into my biscuits. I added an entire cup of shredded cheddar and a quarter cup of chopped peppers, seeds and all, into my biscuits. The jalapeños give the biscuits a good spicy kick and the cheese adds a sharp savory bite.

I've become pretty obsessed with biscuits over the past few years. And people seem to really enjoy them too! My recipe for the Flakiest Buttermilk Biscuits consistently ranks in the top 5 of Google searches and I get dozens of comments about them every week. But everyday I find new ways to make them even tastier. These may be hard to beat.

Jump to:
  • ❤️ What you'll love about these biscuits
  • Ingredients
  • Substitutions
  • Buttermilk substitutions
  • Equipment
  • Instructions
  • Expert tip
  • Recipe FAQ's
  • Storage and Reheating
  • Serving Suggestion
  • More biscuit recipes
  • Flaky Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits

❤️ What you'll love about these biscuits

  • Flaky - My cut and stack biscuit technique builds the most amazing flaky layers.
  • Tall and fluffy - Buttermilk helps create big tall biscuits with a soft, fluffy interior.
  • Spicy kick - Jalapeños add just the right amount of spice. Remove the seeds if you want mild heat.
  • Cheesy - Cheddar cheese in every layer for a great savory bite.
  • Fast - Simple recipe and high oven temperatures means you can have delicious Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits in about 30 minutes

Ingredients

If you've been following along with me on my biscuit journey, you already have your biscuit pantry stocked! Grab some cheddar and some jalapeños and let's get going.

Labeled image showing ingredients to make jalapeno cheddar biscuits.

Note on buttermilk - There are a lot of compelling reasons to use real buttermilk in your biscuits. Low fat or whole fat, the acidity adds a subtle tang to your biscuits and also helps to snip the gluten strands, creating a softer and fluffier interior. It also reacts perfectly with the small amount of baking soda to give your biscuits a better rise than you would get with milk or cream.

Note on salt: Whenever I call for salt, I am specifically referring to Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. Why? Bon Appetit has an article that really dives into the whole salt story, but in my case, this is what I've found works best for me and I use it consistently throughout all of my recipes. I am a loyal salt bae.

See recipe card below for quantities.

Substitutions

There are very few ingredients, but some substitutions can be made.

  • Cheddar - You can use any cheese you like in these. Gruyere biscuits are also pretty amazing!
  • Jalapeños - If you don't have jalapeños, you can use any pepper you have. Poblanos will give a much milder heat and serrano will up the spicy kick a few notches.
  • Flour - If you have a gluten sensitivity, I have successfully made my buttermilk biscuits using King Arthur Gluten Free Flour, so it would work here as well.

Buttermilk substitutions

Buttermilk - I get that not everyone has buttermilk in their refrigerator, although with its long shelf life, you really should. But, if you don't have access to buttermilk, you can replace it with either plain or Greek yogurt. Because of the thickness of Greek yogurt, you'll need to thin it a bit with milk or water. Check out my Easy Yogurt Biscuits for all the details!

In a pinch, you can make your own substitute, although it won’t give the same amount of lift or flavor as buttermilk or my preferred substitutes. For every 1 cup of milk, stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes. You can scale the formula up or down depending on how much buttermilk the recipe requires.

Equipment

Food processor - Sometimes I have mobility issues with my hands, making cutting the butter in with my fingers difficult. On those days I utilize my food processor to incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients. Here's how I do it:

  • Measure all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of your food processor. Pulse a few times to mix it all together. Add cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients and pulse 5 to 6 times, or until most of the butter is in pea sized or smaller pieces. Pour into a mixing bowl and proceed with the rest of the biscuit recipe.

Biscuit cutter - I've read some articles that suggest that you can cut biscuits with any old round thing you find laying around your kitchen. I disagree wholeheartedly. The technique I use to build flaky layers is amazing. Using a rounded-edge drinking glass to cut out the biscuits would ruin that. The dull edge would seal the biscuit edges, keeping them from rising to their full potential.

For best results, use a sharp metal edge, like a biscuit cutter, or a even a knife, to cut clear, sharp edges to your biscuits. To avoid sealing the edges, do not twist your cutter. Press straight down and lift straight up.

Instructions

Like all of my biscuit recipes, this one utilizes flour, butter, and buttermilk, along with diced jalapeños and shredded cheddar. Using my cut and stack technique will give you the flakiest and most tender biscuits.

Adding butter to biscuit dry ingredients.

1. Toss cold butter cubes into your dry ingredients.

Using a finger snapping motion to cut butter into flour.

2. Use a finger snapping motion to mix in the cold butter.

Hand holding biscuit dough dry ingredients to show the size of butter pieces after being cut into flour.

3. Continue until you have a mixture of flat pieces and crumbly, pea sized bits of butter mixed into the flour.

Mixing shredded cheddar and diced jalapeno into biscuit ingredients.

4. Add the jalapeños and cheddar and toss to coat.

Mixing buttermilk into biscuit ingredients.

5. Add buttermilk and mix.

Mixed jalapeno cheddar biscuit dough.

6. Combine the buttermilk with everything else until you have a fairly uniform, loose dough. `

Using a bench scraper to square off jalapeno cheddar biscuit dough on counter.

7. Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using your hands, and a bench scraper or other flat edge, gently bring it together into a rough square.

Stacking quarters of jalapeno cheddar biscuit dough to make flaky layers.

8. With a bench scraper or knife, cut into four smaller squares. Stack the pieces of biscuit dough on top of each other. Press it all down into a square again. Repeat this cutting and stacking procedure 2 more times.

Rolling out jalapeno cheddar biscuit dough.

9. Roll or pat into a rectangle ½ to ¾ inch thick.

Using a square biscuit cutter to cut out jalapeno cheddar biscuits.

10. Using a 2 or 3 inch biscuit cutter, or cookie cutter (I used my new square biscuit cutters today), cut out your biscuits . Gather your scraps as you go, gently re-form them together, and cut as many biscuits as you can. You should get 6 to 8 biscuits.

Hand holding a newly cut out jalapeno cheddar biscuits.

11. Flaky layers coming soon!

Brushing egg wash on square biscuits.

12. Brush the tops of the biscuits with an egg wash of one egg whisked with one tablespoon of water or milk. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.

A sheet pan of jalapeno cheddar biscuits on parchment paper.

Bake in a 450° oven for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then pull open those flaky layers!

A single jalapeno cheddar biscuit side view.

Expert tip

Do not twist the biscuit cutter when cutting your cheddar chive biscuits out. That will effectively seal the edges of the biscuits, keeping them from fully rising. Just press straight down and lift straight up. You can also use a sharp knife or square biscuit cutters to make square biscuits.

Recipe FAQ's

My freezer is too small to fit the sheet tray of biscuits. Can I put them in the refrigerator instead?

Yes. The butter won't chill as quickly, so try to give them another 10 minutes, if you can. If pressed for time, don't worry about it. I've rushed baking my biscuits before and they came out amazing.

Can I make these biscuits ahead?

Yes, you can and should! My suggestion is to follow the instructions in my Freezer Biscuit Recipe to freeze some, or all, of your biscuits ahead and bake them from frozen when you have a biscuit emergency!

Do I have to reheat leftover biscuits?

In my opinion, biscuits should be reheated before eating. Butter, in its natural state is a solid. When eating cold biscuits, they will taste and feel like they are dry. Reheating them, even for a few minutes, will soften the butter and return them to their original delicious flavor.

Storage and Reheating

Storage

Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. I do not recommend refrigerating biscuits as that can change their texture.

Reheating

I recommend wrapping the desired number of biscuits in aluminum foil, and reheating in a 400°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Unwrap and heat another 3 to 4 minutes. You can also microwave them for about 20 seconds on high.

Serving Suggestion

Add pulled pork and your favorite sauce to your biscuit for the most epic BBQ sandwich you'll ever eat! You might even want to make a double batch of biscuits - one for breakfast and one to make these for dinner!

More biscuit recipes

  • ham and swiss biscuits on a sheet pan.
    Ham and Swiss Biscuits
  • fluffy drop biscuits on parchment paper.
    Fluffy Drop Biscuits Using Melted Butter
  • square pic of cheddar chive biscuit.
    Cheddar and Chive Biscuits
  • Side and top views of cacio e pepe biscuits.
    Cacio e Pepe Biscuits

Did you try this recipe? Tell me all about it!
Leave a ⭐️ review and comment below!
Take a pic and tag @butfirst_webrunch on Instagram!

A side view of a stack of jalapeno cheddar biscuits.

Flaky Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits

These Flaky Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits are cheesy, just the right amount of spicy, and just as good for breakfast as they are with a bowl of soup or stew for dinner.
5 from 3 votes
Author: Cynthia
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Chill time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Course Bread, Breakfast, Dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 8 biscuits
Calories 297 kcal

Equipment

  • Danish dough whisk
  • Bench scraper
  • Biscuit cutter
  • Parchment paper
  • Large sheet pan

Ingredients
 

Biscuits

  • 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon (12 g) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (4 g) sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
  • 8 tablespoons (112 g) butter cut into cubes
  • 1 cup (120 g) shredded cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup (40 g) finely diced jalapeño pepper
  • ¾ cup (180 g) buttermilk

Egg wash

  • 1 (50 g) large egg
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) water or milk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil and set aside. 

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  • Toss cold butter cubes into the dry ingredients and, using a pastry cutter or your fingers, mix in the cold butter until you have a mixture of flat pieces and crumbly, pea sized bits of butter mixed into the flour.
  • Toss in your shredded cheese and finely diced jalapeño pepper.
  • Add the cold buttermilk and gently mix together with the dry ingredients until you have a loose dough. The flour won't look all mixed in and it will be crumbly, and that's okay. It will come together in the next steps.
  • Dump the dough mix out onto a lightly floured surface. Using your hands, gently bring everything together into a rough square.
  • With a bench scraper or knife, cut into four smaller squares. Stack the pieces of biscuit dough on top of each other. Press it all down into a square again. Repeat this cutting and stacking procedure 2 more times.
  • Pat or roll the dough into a rectangle about ½ to ¾ inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut out your biscuits. Gather your scraps as you go and gently re-form them together and cut as many biscuits as you can. Place sheet pan in the freezer for 10-15 minutes while you preheat your oven.
  • Remove biscuits from the freezer. Brush the tops of the biscuits lightly with an egg wash and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Bake in a 450° oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Notes

Alternative food processor instructions: Place cubed butter in the freezer for 10-15 minutes while you get all your other ingredients together. Measure all of your dry ingredients into the bowl of your food processor. Pulse a few times to mix. Add chilled butter to the dry ingredients and pulse 5-6 times, or until most of the butter is in pea sized, or smaller, pieces. Pour into a mixing bowl and proceed with the rest of the instructions.
Round biscuits: Do not twist your biscuit cutter when cutting them out! That will effectively seal the edges of the biscuits, keeping them from fully rising. Just press straight down and lift straight up.
To make square biscuits: Using your bench scraper, knife, or square biscuit cutter, cut into square biscuits and place each piece on your parchment lined baking sheet. Place in freezer while you preheat the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 699mg | Potassium: 87mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 562IU | Calcium: 226mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutritional and caloric information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It does not assert or suggest that readers should or should not count calories, and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s or doctor’s counseling.

Tried this recipe?Mention @butfirst_webrunch or tag #butfirstwebrunch!

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    Easy Yogurt Biscuits
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    Peach Biscuits with Streusel Topping
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Charlie says

    September 07, 2023 at 9:43 am

    5 stars
    FLAVOR!!!

    Reply
    • Cynthia Christensen says

      September 07, 2023 at 10:37 am

      You know it!

      Reply
  2. Shannon Williams says

    September 22, 2023 at 4:04 pm

    5 stars
    These are absolutely delicious! I've made them three times in the last week, my husband and son can't get enough of them!(Me either!)

    Reply
    • Cynthia Christensen says

      September 22, 2023 at 5:17 pm

      I’m so glad you love them so much!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Cynthia! In our house, we get up with the sun and most of us don't stop working until late in the night, so breakfast and brunch are our family meals. So join me at the kitchen counter, where I cook up delicious food for my busy family, starting first thing in the morning!

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