Cheddar Jalapeño Biscuits

Flaky biscuits get a savory touch with this recipe for cheddar jalapeño biscuits. The jalapeño peppers do not make the biscuits spicy, but compliment the cheddar cheese perfectly!

These cheddar jalapeño biscuits are perfect to serve with Chili, hearty soups like chicken corn chowder, or fill them with eggs and sausage for a delicious breakfast sandwich.

This biscuit recipe is for rolled and cut biscuits, but can be easily adapted for drop biscuits, or turn the biscuit dough into biscuit bites for a great appetizer! 

The secret to making fluffy biscuits with flaky layers is COLD ingredients and not overworking the biscuit dough. Getting the right hydration in the biscuit dough is also important. If they are too moist, they will be denser and too dry and they will fall apart. 

The ingredients are simple and homemade biscuits are easy to make when you follow this step-by-step technique. 

Suggested Kitchen Tools for Biscuits

• 2½"-3" biscuit cutter or a circle cookie cutter
• pastry blender or fork
• pastry mat or large clean work surface
• rolling pin (optional)
• baking sheet
• large mixing bowl
• cooling rack

Ingredients & Substitutions

Biscuits only require a few ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your pantry and fridge. You can make plain biscuits or add in the cheese and jalapeño peppers for a savory biscuit.

Dry Ingredients

Flour

I use all purpose flour in this recipe and that is what I recommend using for the best outcome.

Self Rising Flour, which is a combination of all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt can be used with the following changes.

• Use 2 cups self rising flour
• Omit the salt and baking powder in the recipe

If you want to add whole wheat flour, only substitute up to ½ cup of whole wheat flour for the all purpose flour. You may also need to increase the water by a small amount.

I have not tested the recipe with alternative flours, so I cannot say how the recipe will turn out if you use a different flour.

Baking Powder

Baking Powder is prefered in this recipe for consistent results, however you can substitute with baking soda.

The sour cream is the acid needed to neutralize the baking soda to prevent a metallic taste. ONLY use baking soda if you use sour cream or buttermilk in the biscuits.

• 1 Tablespoon of baking powder = 1 teaspoon of baking soda

Butter

You can use salted or unsalted butter in the recipe. I use salted because that is what I always have on hand.

If you use unsalted butter, increase the salt in the recipe to ½ teaspoon.

I use generic butter from the US grocery store, but you absolutely can use a higher fat butter like Kerry Gold or any European butter and it is a 1:1 substitution.

You can also use other types of fat like Crisco shortening, lard or bacon fat in place of the butter, but remember the fat has to be cold. Lard and bacon fat tend to melt easier so you may need to refrigerate the dough after rolling it out and before cutting the biscuits.

You would also use a 1:1 substitution when using alternative fats in place of butter.

I do not recommend using margarine or any type of "butter" spreads when making biscuits.

Cheese

You can use any type of cheese that can be grated (not cream cheese, ricotta cheese, etc). I use sharp cheddar, but mild cheddar works great.

You can spice up the biscuits by using pepper jack cheese.

No matter what type of cheese you use, only use 4 ounces (approximately 1 cup) of shredded cheese or your biscuits may not bake correctly. This is one of the few times where more cheese isn't better!

Seasonings

You can add various seasonings to your cheddar jalapeño biscuits. I kept it simple with garlic powder and a little sea salt.

If you want your biscuits to be a bit spicier, add ¼-½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or ground chipotle pepper.

You can also add some smoked paprika to add a smoky flavor to the biscuits.

Sugar

I tested the recipe with and without sugar and found the sugar did not make the biscuits sweet, but it did help bring out the flavor in the cheddar cheese and jalapeño peppers.

You can omit the sugar if desired.

Jalapeño Peppers

Fresh jalapeño peppers are recommended in this recipe. I only use one jalapeño diced, which is about 3-4 Tablespoons. You can double this if you want a little more kick of spice.

The jalapeño did not make the biscuits spicy, but you can certainly omit them or use a green bell pepper instead.

Wet Ingredients

Sour Cream

In my traditional biscuit recipe I use Greek yogurt and those biscuits are so delicious. However, in this recipe I use sour cream because it gives that little extra tang that pairs so well with the jalapeño cheddar biscuit flavors.

If you want to use Greek yogurt instead, use the same amount (½ cup) and make sure it is plain and not flavored.

You can also use cold buttermilk in place of the sour cream and water. I recommend starting with ½ cup of the buttermilk and adding more as needed to get the correct dough consistency.

Water

Make sure to use COLD water and don't add too much.

You can also use COLD milk in place of the water, but I have not tested the recipe that way.

Seasoned Butter Topping

Seasoned butter for the top of the biscuits is certainly optional, but if you want that over-the-top experience like the Cheddar Bay Biscuits from Red Lobster, don't skip it!

The only ingredient you may not have on hand is the (affiliate link)powdered buttermilk but it is readily available in most grocery stores.

Other than that the ingredients are simple: onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, salt, and melted butter.

Variations of Homemade Biscuits

You can use this base recipe for biscuits and add various ingredients to make your own signature biscuit!

Cheddar Bacon Biscuits: Instead of the jalapeño, crumble up 4-6 slices of crispy bacon and add to the biscuit dough. Remember to make sure the bacon is fully cooked and not hot when you add it to the dough.

Cheese biscuits: Switch up the type of cheese used (as long as it isn't a high moisture cheese) and make any type of cheese biscuit you like!

Cheddar Onion: Substitute the jalapeño pepper with diced onion for a cheddar onion biscuit. For even more flavor, sauté the onion until it is caramelized and then cool completely before adding to the biscuit dough.

There are so many more options, get creative and let me know what flavor biscuit is next on your list to make!

Tips for Making Flaky Rolled Biscuits

If you have trouble getting your biscuits to rise or they are dense instead of flaky, follow these tips for perfect fluffy biscuits every time!

• Cold Ingredients are a MUST. Especially the butter and liquid ingredients.
• Refrigerate the biscuit dough if you are not directly working with it.
• If your kitchen is hot, refrigerate the rolled out biscuit dough BEFORE cutting the biscuits.
• Don't use too much liquid. The biscuit dough should not be sticky and wet. This leads to dense biscuits.
• Don't handle the dough more than absolutely necessary, especially with your hands. The heat generated by your hands can melt the butter.
• Preheat the oven, but not the tray the biscuits are going on.

How to Make Homemade Cheddar Jalapeño Biscuits

Keep your ingredients cold until just before you are ready to make the biscuits.

I even measure out the flour and put it in the fridge for a bit, but that is optional.

The most important ingredients to keep cold are the butter, sour cream, and water. You can either measure out the water and put it in the fridge for a few hours or stick an ice cube in it and leave it on the counter until you are ready for it.

Mixing the Dry Ingredients

You will see that I cubed and put the butter in the flour before I added the salt, baking powder, and sugar. I usually add those ingredients and whisk the flour mixture before adding the butter, but either way will work fine.

Make sure your butter is very cold. I do not freeze the butter, but some people do.

I also do not grate the butter because it ends up too fine and it melts very easily when forming the biscuit dough.

You will need 6 Tablespoons of butter, but reserve the other 2 Tablespoons for the delicious seasoned butter to brush on top of the biscuits!

Cut the butter in half lengthwise and then cut each half in half again. This will give you 4 thinner sticks of butter.

Cut small cubes about ¼-½ inch in size.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cubes of cold butter, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, and salt.

Toss with clean hands to coat the butter with flour and to mix the other ingredients into the flour.

You can use a pastry blender (pictured below) or a fork to break up the butter and combine the pieces with the flour. This is called "cutting in the butter."

You can also use your hands to do this, but be careful that you don't start to melt the butter. If you feel the butter softening, stop and pop the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Many people use a food processor to make their biscuit dough, but I find that it makes the butter pieces too small so I prefer to do this by hand.

Continue to cut in the butter until you have small pieces about the size of small peas or pebbles.

Add the shredded cheese and diced jalapeño pepper (I remove the pith and seeds and dice in about ¼" dice) to the flour/butter mixture and toss gently to combine.

Mixing Wet Ingredients into Dry

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the sour cream to the well. Mix the sour cream into the dry ingredients and you will see larger pieces of "dough" forming.

It will look incredibly dry at this point.

Add ¼ cup of COLD water and fold it into the crumbly mixture. It will still look very crumbly and dry. You will want to add more water. Don't. Put the bowl in the refrigerator uncovered for 10-15 minutes.

This is a good time to preheat the oven or the appliance you are baking your biscuits in.

Preheat

It is a good idea to preheat the oven or the appliance you will be using to bake the biscuits. I find that preheating to a slightly higher temperature than the actual baking temperature gives a little extra boost in the rising of the biscuits.

You do not want to preheat the baking tray.

• Traditional Oven: Preheat to 450℉/230℃
• Ninja Combi: Preheat to 425℉/220℃
• Small Convection/Toaster Oven: Preheat to 425℉/220℃
• Large Convection oven: Preheat to 450℉/230℃

Forming the Dough and Cutting the Biscuits

You will want a large clean work surface to form the biscuit dough. I like using my (affiliate link)pastry mat, but a clean cutting board or countertop will work fine.

The biscuit mixture is very crumbly at this point, so it will take up a good amount of space on the work surface.

Begin to press the dough together using a press and fold action similar to kneading dough. After about 2-3 folds, the crumbly mixture will start to form a shaggy dough.

After 4-5 folds, the biscuit dough should come together into a round disc but not be sticky.

*If the dough is still crumbly after 5 folds, you can add 1 teaspoon of cold water at a time until it forms a disc that holds together.

Press or roll the biscuit dough into a thick rectangle that is between ½" and 1 inch thick.

Using a 2½"-3" biscuit cutter, cut as many biscuits as you can from the dough. Press the biscuit cutter straight down into the dough and pull it straight up. Don't twist it or you can seal the edges of the biscuit which impedes rising.

Once you have cut as many biscuits as you can, pull the biscuit dough away from the cut biscuits and place the biscuits on your baking tray.

Press the remaining biscuit dough together and roll out again. Cut as many biscuits as you can and repeat this process until you run out of dough.

The number of biscuits you get from one batch of dough will depend on the size of your biscuit cutter and how thick or thin you roll the dough. In my experience making this recipe, these are the approximate number of biscuits I've gotten from one batch of dough.

• 2½" biscuit cutter with dough rolled to ½" thick: 12-14 biscuits
• 2½" biscuit cutter with dough rolled to ¾" thick: 10-12 biscuits
• 2½" biscuit cutter with dough rolled to 1" thick: 9-11 biscuits
• 3" biscuit cutter with dough rolled to ½" thick: 10-11 biscuits
• 3" biscuit cutter with dough rolled to ¾" thick: 8-9 biscuits
• 3" biscuit cutter with dough rolled to 1" thick: 6-7 biscuits

Baking the Biscuits

Once all the biscuits are cut and on the baking tray, place the tray on the middle oven rack and decrease the temperature to 425℉/220℃ and bake for 14-15 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Remove the tray and immediately transfer the biscuits to a cooling rack. If you let them cool on the tray, the cheese causes them to stick.

Combine the melted butter with the seasoning blend and brush the butter mixture over the warm biscuits.

These biscuits are so good, they don't need anything else, but they are delicious with a little jalapeño pepper jelly spread on the inside!

Allow the biscuits to cool for just about 5 minutes and they are best served immediately after that.

Serve & Enjoy!

Ninja Combi or Ninja Foodi Baking Instructions

These biscuits can be made in the Ninja Combi using the bake function. I do not recommend using any functions involving steam when making biscuits.

If you want to make the biscuits in the Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker and Air Crisper, follow this recipe: Ninja Foodi Homemade Biscuits

You can also use any style toaster oven or convection oven to make the biscuits, but I recommend using bake and not air fry on any appliance you want to use.

The instructions for making and cutting out the biscuits remains the same no matter how you choose to bake them.

Ninja Combi Baking Instructions

Preheat the Ninja Combi (it should be empty inside) on the bake function on 425℉/220℃.

Place the cut biscuits on the black tray that comes with the combi and slide it into level one. There is nothing else in the Combi, but this tray.

Lower the temperature to 400℉/200℃ and bake the biscuits for 12-14 minutes or until they are golden brown on top.

Remove the tray of biscuits and immediately transfer them to a cooling rack.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

How to Store Leftover Biscuits

While biscuits are best served right after baking, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.

Refrigeration

Make sure the biscuits are in a sealed bag or container and you can keep them 5-7 days in the refrigerator.

Freezer

Biscuits can be stored in the freezer for longer storage, but they should be used within 3 months for the best quality.

How to Warm Leftover Biscuits

Oven

I recommend warming biscuits in a 375℉/190℃ preheated oven for 5-10 minutes.

What to serve with Jalapeño Cheese Biscuits

While these biscuits are delicious on their own, they make the perfect side dish to so many delicious recipes.

Here are a few suggestions.