Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits

Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits

It’s Friday.  I know you weren’t expecting this, but it’s time for a Pop Quiz.

Don’t worry.  If you’ve done the reading this should be easy… (I hated when teachers would say that to me).

Pop Quiz

1) True or False: The joining of chocolate and coffee is like a cosmic combination of all that is good, just, and rock and roll in the universe.

2) Fill in the Blank: Breakfast is the most _________________ .

3)  Multiple Choice: The best choice for this weekend’s breakfast treat is:

a) stale Cheerios.

b) Gerard Butler and hot fudge sauce.

c) breakfast sandwiches made on Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits.

Now… here are the answers:

1)  True….. duh!  2) Breakfast is the most important meal that ever was.  3) c… if and only if b is unavailable.

Perfect score?  We’re best friends.  Take note.

Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits

Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits

Breakfast.  Be still my heart.  I love you breakfast.

The combination of cheddar with buttery biscuits is divine.  Add a little kick of black pepper and holy yum!  These biscuits are made with both all-purpose and whole wheat flour.  I like the nuttiness of whole wheat flour.  Now you know.  The combination results in a dense but buttery and delicious biscuit.  They’re the perfect holder of turkey bacon and a fried egg.  Make a sandwich.  Dooooo it!

Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits

Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits

Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits

makes 10 to 12 biscuits

Print this Recipe!

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour (use all-purpose if you don’t have whole wheat)

2 Tablespoons sugar

4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening, cold and cut into cubes

1/4 cup butter, cold and cut into cubes

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup buttermilk, cold

3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

a touch of heavy cream and black pepper for topping the biscuits before baking

In a mixing bowl, sift together flours, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt.  Cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add the cheddar and black pepper and toss to combine.  In another bowl, combine egg and milk and beat lightly with a fork.  Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring enough to make a soft dough.

Turn out onto a floured board and knead about 15 times.  Roll or pat out into a 1-inch thickness.  Cut into 2-inch rounds using a biscuit cutter or cut into 2×2-inch squares.  Reshape and roll dough to create more biscuits with excess scraps.  Brush tops with a bit of heavy cream and a sprinkle of fresh ground black pepper.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes.  Serve immediately with softened butter or top with bacon and a fried egg as breakfast sandwiches.

Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits

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Questions

172 Responses

  1. I made these for dinner with potato-leek soup, then had the leftovers for breakfast as an egg sandwich! Delicious, I’m making them again today.

  2. These were beautiful but burnt in my oven at 12 minutes. I think 10 minutes in my oven would have been perfect. Thanks for a wonderful recipe :)

  3. Hi I have all the ingredients to make these yummy biscuits but the problem is I forgot the heavy cream.

    Is there anyway I can use melted butter to put on top of the biscuits instead of heavy cream???

  4. I’d call these scones too (because I’m British). But I’d call them delicious first of all.
    I haven’t made cheddar scones for ages now but I’m feeling inspired. The recipe I use adds a pinch of powdered English mustard which I think adds an extra kick.
    Just found your blog through another one and I love the way you connect your cooking to life. I also wish I’d realised just how good cooking was for impressing boys earlier in life.

  5. I love your writing and especially your recipes. You have a beautiful take on creative and expressive love of life and simple pleasures. Thank you for sharing of yourself and your ideas. You make me laugh and feel that you are right in the room smiling and being funny and real. I’m trying the Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits this evening for dinner for my beloved 17 year old son (who is a serious foodie) and my patient and appreciative husband (also my beloved) who always eats anything I make up. Cheers to your spirit and thanks to the universe for providing a window into your passion for life.

  6. I heart these biscuits SO MUCH I think I might cry. When you 1st posted the recipe, I made them every weekend. I think I will add some rosemary to them this weekend :)
    *love*

  7. Hi, I must say these look just lovely. It is funny that you call them biscuits as here in Australia we call them scones and what you call cookies we call biscuits…confused?? :) Keep up the good work!! :)

  8. Dear Joy,
    these biscuits look absolutely AMAZINGGG!! Anything with cheese is made instantly better, and we know it’s true :). Even though I probably have to buy half of these things, it so looks worth it :)))) a little egg, some turkey bacon, and this looks to be the becoming of perfect breakfast heaven. Thanks!!

    Sincerely,
    Catherine

  9. I made breakfast sammies out of these again this morning…we sooo enjoy them. (I use a 3 in. cutter, as my egg rings are 3 inchers.) Being a bit wicked, I post a picture on Facebook, and torture my friends and family with the gloriousness (is that a word?!) of them.
    Thanks, again, Joy!

  10. I just made these for a family “breakfast for dinner” meal and they’ve officially been declared repeat-worthy. Everyone LOVED them. Thanks so much for an awesome recipe, Joy!

  11. made these biscuits yesterday morning as breakfast sandwiches as you suggested. with the two inch biscuit cutter they came out so tiny and tall. my housemates and i called them breakfast sliders and each had three or four. they were pretty cute. next time i’m going to use the bigger biscuit cutter for both the biscuits and the sausage. that’ll be lookin’ pretty profesh i fig.

  12. OMG! I have never baked anything harder than cakes from a box or chocolate chip cookies. Tonight I had my BFF, her husband and her new baby over for dinner. My meal was baked chicken and mashed potatoes . . . starring these biscuits! Honestly, they were amazing! I seriously impressed even myself. Joy the Baker, thank you so much for this recipe. I feel like I actually accomplished something on this random Wednesday night! Can’t wait to make some egg mcmuffins with these mofos! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  13. Wow. A+. I omitted the cream of tartar and had to add a little more milk to make it come together. Baked on a stoneware pan, these were absolutely gorgeous with a knobbly crust and tender insides. Thank you!

  14. Hi,
    I would like to try this recipe, but I don’t like to use shortening because it is hydrogenated. Would it be alright for this receipe if I used margerine for the shortening and butter?
    Also, what do you think of using other cheeses in this recipe?
    Thanks!

    1. Jackie, I think I might need to point this out- margarine isn’t any bit healthier than shortening, because it also contains trans fats.

  15. Joy, Joy, Joy….. No words. Well a few. These are delicious! The wheat flour, black pepper and cheddar are such a wonderful combination. I substituted butter for shortening and I skipped the cream of tartar because well I wouldn’t know where to find either in these parts. I just started making biscuits and have tried several recipes but these actually rise. SWEET! I also used turkey bacon (I like pork bacon but the smell of it frying makes me sick, like I have to leave the room or I’d vomit)and honestly after one of these I definitely had the ‘itis. I’m going to go lay down. Thanks for the recipe!

  16. Oooh those scones look great! Tomato, tomato…

    I love cheddar scones those babies will definately be getting a blast of black pepper from now on! Cheers!

  17. LOVING your recipes from the very VERY tip of South Africa. Our lingo is SLIGHTLY different.

    See, these would be called savory scones in my neck of the woods…

    So I dont understand some of your terms. What ‘shortening?’ cornflour?

    1. I lived in England for a couple years, and I still used American recipes, so I might be able to help with the substitutions. I used lard for shortening over there, I don’t know if it’s readily available to you, but it worked perfectly fine for me. Cornflour, or cornstarch, can be substituted with rice flour (equal amounts), or instant tapioca (double amount). I hope that helps! :D

  18. these pictures are making my tummy all rumbly, and it’s 2am! we haven’t got any shortening in the house – can i substitute it with more butter?

  19. I just wanted to let you know that I made these for my boyfriend this weekend, and he was in absolute heaven. They were so good. I even ate two! Thanks for such a delicious recipe.

  20. In fact, Joy, these are the best things I have ever tasted. Thanks so much. My wife *pleads* with me to make these biscuits for “breakfast” on Saturday “morning” (i.e. 2 pm). Absolutely wonderful!

  21. HOLY YUM! I can’t wait to make these for me and my children. I will try and balance the fat with some fruit. ;)

  22. Mmm – mmm – mmmm. So going to try these! Just need some chedd-ah… hmm, and perhaps a pepper grinder and whole black pepper (for quality yum-factor) YES!

    Ahem, just so you know, you are totally getting “the blame” for my “needed” purveying of a pepper grinder (which I’ve needed and excuse to buy) … so… THANKS! I’m sure I’ll be thanking you between piggish bites of this delicious biscuit!

  23. I’m guessing that Gerard Butler covered in Hot Fudge Sauce is gonna cause me to work up an appetite and these will be perfect!
    Quick question – you said use All Purpose Flour if you don’t have White Whole Wheat, but can you use regular Whole Wheat?

  24. Those look fantabulous. I love adding black pepper to just about everything- and PILES of it- but I hadn’t thought to add it to cheddar biscuits! Such a good idea.

  25. I made these! They were fabulous! I made bacon and egg sandwiches with them to feed the crew working on my new house and they went over very well! I wrapped each one in parchment paper and drove them to the site wrapped in a warm casserole dish and covered in a towel so they were still hot when the guys dug in. They enjoyed the individual wrapping :)

  26. These look outstanding! I’ve been making biscuits sort of often (ahem, more often perhaps than my waistline needs …) and I’ve used the Bittman recipe in Veg. How to Cook Everything, and that uses yogurt, (very handy because I always have vats of yogurt around). So, 2 questions: 1, can I substitute yogurt for buttermilk, and if so, use the same amount? 2, what does shortening do, and can I use all butter instead?

    If the answer is: “who knows? Go try it and report back,” by golly, I will! :)

  27. I had to google Gerard Butler because I’m so out of touch, but, um, yeah…I concur!
    These biscuits look just amazing, and way more accessible :)

  28. I’m not sure Gerard Butler and hot fudge sauce would have made it on my answer sheet. The biscuits however, look amazingly delicious. Thanks for the idea…about the biscuits that is, not the fudge sauce:)

  29. Love the combination of cheddar and black peppar. These look great, Joy! I make a really nice traditional buttermilk biscuit to have with soups and stews…and breakfast. But I’m thinking it’s time to dress them up a little. Happy weekend!

  30. Joy,I’m thirteen years old and have been following your blog for i dont know how long. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your recipes, I always cook them for me and my mom. But shes trying to lose weight now, and I know she really loves peanut butter. I was just wondering if you could make a breakfast that’s healthy that I could make for us? Thank you Thank you!

    With love and sweet smelling aromas, Marlee.

  31. Mmm…Perfect with an egg and bacon. And the chocolate with coffee combo? I’ve been known to add premade chocolate milk to my coffee if that’s all that’s available. Maybe have a small banana or citrus fruit cup, too. How much better-balanced breakfast could you ask for? I do think these biscuits would also be good with a cup of chowder or a nice salad. Thanks for another fabulous recipe, Joy. Have a great weekend.

  32. Being at college without a kitchen and reading your blog is hell. You and your blog are heavenly though. Can’t wait until break to try those biscuits.

  33. Once again you’re making my mouth water! Biscuits are soo good. I don’t like the idea of using shortening though. Would more butter do?

  34. Gerald Butler with Hot fudge all the way!!! But your cheddar black pepper biscuit looks super delicious. If I can’t have Gerald Butler with hot fudge, your biscuits will be a good enough substitute.. Jut kidding! Hope you win the Best food blog award! =)

  35. oh yum! Weird, but I only really like pepper on my breakfast…I’m not a big lunch or dinner pepper gal..but it’s a must on my eggs, and a MUST in sausage gravy. I can’t wait to try these biscuits!

  36. Oh my goodness, those sound WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!! I wish I could try some, but my mom is in china taking care of my grandmother (shes sick) and my dad doesnt have time to help me bake…so…no baking for catherine (for a while, at least!) please visit alta loma, ca, some time joy! it’d COMPLETELY make my day! i wish i had those biscuits…..i’ll have to settle for kfc biscuits (Which im sure, just arent the same….) bye joy!

    -catherine eng, age 12

  37. Ooooh, these look marvelous. I have a weakness for breakfast, too. I make all kinds of things for breakfast, even if it’s just me and my 4 year old and 2 year old to enjoy it. :) I’ll definitely have to make these too. :)

  38. LOVE these! I haven’t tried whole wheat flour though so I’m anxious to do so. I wish I had a pan of these already baked…I am starving.

    Thanks for all the great things you share with us!

  39. Hi Joy, Yummy yummy biscuit recipe. I have a question….what kind of shortening do you use? Do you think the biscuits will be not as light if I use all butter? Thanks for two years of delight, Amy

  40. these look awesome… i’ve become mega obsessed with jalapeno-cheddar scones… but now i want to try these. once again Joy… another successful recipe :0)

  41. OMGosh..I soo agree with the other comment..I want to reach right through the screen and grab one of those delectable breakfast morsels!!!

  42. OK, I’m drooling right now I’m soo hungry!! These kind of remind me of Red Lobster cheddar biscuits… but even better b/c they have black pepper! Awww I just love your blog, your recipes and all the pretty pictures!!

  43. I keep wanting to reach in and grab a biscuit from my computer screen! Torture! Can’t wait to try these beauties for myself :)

    And girl, you eat that turkey bacon and you eat it proud! I like TJ’s, too. Of course pork bacon is divine, but you’re right. Can’t have it every day, lest you hanker for a coronary.

  44. First of all TOTALLY backing you up on the TJ’s Turkey Bacon – YUM-MERS!
    Secondly this post is hilarious and I can’t wait to make these :)
    My Husband has been begging me to make him biscuits for a couple weeks… I think I’ll make him these.

  45. Joy, I recently discovered your blog, and I am in love. Your writing and photographs are beautiful. (The recipes are pretty great too!)

    Quick question about this recipe:
    Can butter (or anything else) be substituted for the shortening? I never bake with it, but I’d love to try these biscuits. Thanks!

  46. I might just have to try this recipe this wknd! I’m always looking for new ways to have my usual “biscuit, eggs, & bacon” breakfast!

  47. are you sure you don’t have a twin and were separated at birth? if you are not sure, i think i am that twin!! seriously we are so alike in our thinking it’s uncanny!! love, no LOVE all your stuff, i’m going to look for B&B’s for sale this weekend so I can buy one and start making stuff for the weekenders, would be so awesome!!

  48. Here I am drinking my smoothie, and you make this flipping delicious looking biscuits. Do you think I can pretend that my smoothie is cheddar black pepper biscuit flavored?? Yeaaaaaah, maybe not. This weekend I know what I’ll be doing :-)

  49. HA! My daughters and I had a good laugh over the original Gerard Butler and hot fudge sauce post – then promptly went and made the hot fudge (yum!!).

    These look delicious. Gonna try them out this weekend.

  50. Ok, yes we are best friends…..lol….I MUST make these today! I’m drooling at the thought! Thanks so much for the recipe….will let you know how I do! :)

  51. These look fabulous, and I just might end up making them this weekend. But…. I have to agree with the others who were opposed to the turkey bacon. *YUCK* I’ve eaten it once in my life ever and thought it just tasted like a flat bland piece of turkey lunch meat that was fried for too long. Real bacon on mine please!!

    And for those that were talking about the gravy on them, my hubby’s family does that sometimes. Although it’s just usually with plain biscuits, not ones that have been made into a sandwich already. But I’m sure that if I make the gravy for them they won’t hesitate to pour it on xD

  52. If I weren’t sitting here eating a hunk of Cardamom Crumb Cake,(Dorie Greenspan’s), I’d be in the kitchen cranking these out. There’s always tomorrow! Yet another reason to adore you…

  53. oh… oh my! I think I might actually have to drag my butt out of bead before 8am this weekend to make these (and yes, that’s sleeping in for me).

  54. Joy,

    I don’t know how you find the time to post so frequently about such amazing looking recipes but don’t stop! I love your blog and it always cheers me up to read your latest post and contemplate the yummy goodies.

    Thanks a mill!

  55. Okay, so I tried to make buttermilk biscuits a bit ago, and it went okay, but they turned out kinda flat. I think I made the dough too thin when I was cutting them. I have a question though, I have used two knives to cut the butter and shortening into the flour, but I’m wondering if I could use my wire whisk and get better/faster results? I don’t want to buy a pastry cutter just to make biscuits once in a blue moon. Thanks!

    1. hey amy,

      i don’t think a wire whisk will give you the results you want. i agree, using two knives is kinda annoying. i just use my clean hands and work fast to incorporate the butter, shortening and flour so the fats don’t get too warm from my hands. go with your hands… it’s the easiest!

      also..
      leave the dough pretty thick. 1-(generous) inch thick… then cup them into biscuits. flat biscuits kinda suck.

      hope this helps!

  56. B e a uuutiful! These look delish! They would look even more delish if Gerard Butler was serving them… Covered in hot fudge sauce.

  57. These look yummy – I mean, Yum, Meeeee!
    And though I won’t disagree that Gerard Butler would make a great meal, my heart still has this little spot for Kevin Costner. How weird is that? Think, Revenge -Costner. Bodyguard – Costner. Yummy.

  58. I bet these would be awesome with sausage gravy!
    Does anyone else ever do that? Sandwich a biscuit with some fried eggs and sausage and smother it with gravy?
    It’s a heart attack on a plate..but it’s such a dee-licious heart attack!

  59. What a wonderful way to start the weekend! They look DIVINE! I am way into breakfast at any time of the day. These savory biscuits would bw wonderful for a brunch or maybe with some avacado and fried egg??? Thanks again for being so awesome and inspiring us to do things we didn’t think we could!

  60. Joy, I’m with Mike. Turkey Bacon? These beauties deserve not just the real thing, but also the best bacon–you know that stuff they sell at the farmer’s market that costs like $5/pound.

    Okay, now I’m sad. I’m imagining the flavor combination of biscuits and that bacon…and I’m stuck at work. Gah!

  61. Joy, we think alike. And I like that. Perhaps it means that I need to relocate to California. The midwest doesn’t hold a lot of thinkers like myself. And we definitely don’t have beaches here. Just cold rainy weather, and a lot of republicans. For real. :-)

  62. I’d always go for breakfast as my favorite meal of the day, until brunch came along. Any meal where I can eat sweet, savory, breakfast, dessert, and alcohol is a meal that I want to be a part of. But these definitely put breakfast in the running.

  63. Turkey bacon? That pretender to the holiest of holies, that challenger to the throne, that usurper that dares to unseat the King of Meats!

    Really Joy, I expected better from you.

    1. oooh dearest and most darling mike… please don’t question my love of pork bacon. that would be a bad idea. that would mean that we have to fight.

      i love pork bacon. i’m pretty sure that bacon is the perfect food because i have not yet found a more perfect food. bacon. i’m in love with bacon.

      now… turkey bacon. it’s not the outrage you might think. have you ever had the turkey bacon from trader joe’s? it’s delicious. it’s real meat. it’s not full of nitrates and weird fake flavors.
      the best part is… it keeps my thighs skinny-ish. i need to keep my thighs skinny-ish. i’m afraid that means not eating pork bacon every time i want to.

      you might not understand this. i do. my thighs thank me.

      and geeez! please don’t be so disappointed in me! i’m sensitive.

      1. Now I feel bad :-( I don’t want us to fight!

        Turkey bacon isn’t so common over here in the UK so maybe that’s from where my instant aversion to it stems… our bacon differs from American bacon too; I think as a whole it’s meatier and less fatty – but still delicous with that sweet-yet-salty cured and smokey pork flavour! Nom.

        And anyway, I do understand why your thighs would thank you; maybe I’ll keep my mind open when it comes to turkey ‘bacon’ in the future. But I won’t sanction beef ‘bacon’ – that stuff is just plain wrong.

  64. Like jade this makes so much more sense when these little beauties are called scones! I thought you wanted to make a bacon sandwich out of savoury cookies which was kind of weird, possibly delicious, but definitely weird.

  65. We made something like this, although called them cheese scones this week and have been enjoying them for breakfast – unfortunately Gerard Butler and hot fudge sauce was unavailable – there’s always hope for the weekend though.
    Jade

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