Joy the Baker

Brown Sugar Bacon Biscuits

by 189 Comments

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My hair is in rollers.  Like… kickin’ it old school in Velcro rollers.

No one needs to know that besides the 137 of you who read this  blog, my cat, and any random person who comes to this blog after Google searching “the most awesome biscuits ever made, for real”.

Ah.. the rollers.  It’s amazing how un-cute you have to look to eventually look cute-ish.  Boys don’t do this.  They just put on cardigans and look hot.

Now… there’s a lot of good news I need to tell you about these biscuits.  First:  bacon.  Second:  brown sugar.  Third:  butter.  Fourth:  they’re freaking biscuits!!!  And fifth:  they do not have an un-cute phase.  They’re all cute/delicious/freak-out-worthy, from beginning to end.

Do you really need convincing?  No.  Do I really need these rollers?  Um… today?  Yes.

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I love when baked goods start with salty bacon and brown sugar.

It’s really a good path.

Cold butter is the key to big, fluffy biscuits.

It gets incorporated into the dough with fast fingers.

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Sweet and salty bacon is paired with very coarsely crushed black pepper.

Every day needs a bite of spice!

Just mix biscuits with a fork… no biggie.

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Try not to sneak all of the bacon bits out of the dough and into your mouth.

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I could just stare at this picture all day.  It’s like being in love.

These biscuits… besides being completely delicious… are smack dab in the middle of sweet and savory.

You could top them with butter and jam, and feel just right.  Or!  You could add a fried egg and tomato jam and have a perfectly tasty morning.

It’s up to you.  Choose your own bacon biscuit adventure!

Brown Sugar Bacon Biscuits

makes about 8 biscuits

For the Bacon:

6 slices of bacon

1 tablespoon brown sugar

coarse ground black pepper

For the Biscuits:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 large egg

3/4 cup buttermilk

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and spread bacon across baking sheet in a single layer.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and black pepper.  Bake until crisp and cooked through, about 13 to 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and carefully use tongs to place the hot bacon on a cutting board.  Don’t put the bacon on paper towels or they might stick.  Ick!  Allow to cool until you’re able to handle the slices and chop into medium chunks.  Set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F.  Line another baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and black pepper.  Add cold butter and use your hands to quickly break the butter into the flour until mixture resembles coarse meal.  In another bowl, combine egg and buttermilk and beat lightly with a fork.  Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring to incorporate.  Once batter is nearly incorporated, add bacon and mix in.

You may want to dump the shaggy biscuit mixture onto a lightly floured board to knead together a few times.  Don’t overwork the dough and melt the butter, Just make sure it comes together.

Roll or pat dough 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.    Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes.  Serve biscuits warm with jam or a fried egg.

I love these biscuits the day they are made.  They can be kept in the fridge and will last for two days.  The shaped, uncooked biscuit can also be frozen.  Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake up in the morning.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Erins @FoodiesMeow

    Hi! I made these for a pre-New Year’s brunch. People “oohed” and “aahed” and demanded that I make more. Too bad I had used the last bit of bacon to make the first batch.

    Joy, I can say that I have made many of your recipes and they’ve caused me to be a slave to my kitchen. No. Really. It’s that serious. As a result, I have a number of people willing to purchase me your cookbook. Is there any way to have one personalized?

    Thanks,
    Erins

    Reply

  3. Jan

    HI,

    It looks like you don’t answer questions but I am hoping they are still good with whole wheat pastry flour or just whole wheat. I try to stay away from refined flour and sugar but a little brown sugar every once in a while won’t hurt. I may even try using maple syrup but not today. I am going to make them and eat them!

    Reply

  4. Abbie

    Made these yesterday! Haven’t eaten any yet, but can officially say that I can ONLY EAT bacon with brown sugar on it now. It’s too amazing and I can’t go back. Thanks so much!

    Reply

  7. Victoria

    I’m a little slow on the uptake here but I made these shortly after the recipe came out and these may have been the best little things I’ve ever made or eaten or both :)

    Reply

  8. Soha

    This morning we had these biscuits with tomato jam (epicureous) that I had prepared last night with eggs over easy on the side. My husband and 3 and 1 year olds ate such an inappropriate amount of food that they are still uncomfortable and in pj’s at 1pm. Is it ok that I feel sick but I just want one more bite?

    Reply

  10. Ashlen

    I, and every person I shared them with, absolutely LOVED these biscuits. I made these biscuits for a guy friend and he said he’d marry me shortly after eating a couple fresh from the oven. You totally rock, Joy.

    Reply

  11. Steve

    I made the Brown Sugar Bacon Biscuits today. Now I know what I am bringing to my family for Thanksgiving! Really delicious! I tried them with my favorite Blissful Blueberry tea. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

  12. Teri

    These look amazing! Bacon is one of my top 5 favorite foods. I can’t wait to try these :) I’m a new follower of your blog and you bring a smile to my face every blog entry I read! I feel like we could be best friends…

    Do you have a recipe to tomato jam? That sounds amazingly delicious!

    Reply

  13. Amy

    I love that your posts always sound like they came off the top of your head, yet they totally work. Whenever I say something without thinking it through first…well…so far nobody’s killed me, but I’m not going to count on my lucky streak lasting forever.

    Reply

  15. Wendy Darling

    Im making these right NOW! I’ve been craving them all week, but today is the day! Thanks Joy.

    I hope you enjoyed Baltimore while you were here

    Reply

    • Wendy Darling

      Oh no!!! What did I do wrong??? The biscuits were SO dry! Almost the texture of a sandy cookie. Tasty little things but so dry and crumbly that we couldn’t eat them.

      Reply

  16. Christina

    Hi Joy! I just made your biscuits and they were delicious! I’m from Scotland and I was surprised at how different they were to our version of biscuits, the scone. The general appearance was much the same but they were a lot lighter and flakier, very yummy. I had mine with maple syrup drizzled over and had to stop going back for more! The only query I have is, do you use a conventional oven or a fan assisted? I have a fan but so many recipes are for conventional that I usually adjust the temp down about 20 degrees or so. I baked these at 200 degrees celcius and they took about 20 mins or so, i’m wondering if I should have just left the temp at 220 degrees? Thanks for the awesome recipe!

    Reply

  17. Alma

    Hi Joy! I made the biscuits on Sunday and blogged about it with a link back to your post. The biscuits were delicious and my new favorite! Thanks Joy!

    vivianluna.blogspot.com

    Reply

  21. Ottavia

    I’m going to an international pastry school in Florence, Italy and I made these yesterday to bring to class with me this morning so all us american students could have a little break from all the Italian pastries we make every day and much on a taste of comfort food from home. I used diced smoked pancetta instead because Italy doesn’t have strips of bacon that easily available. They turned out amazing and everyone was stoked on them, even my Italian pastry teacher :)
    P.S. You’re awesome and I totally talk about you to like all my friends and my mom all the time!

    Reply

  25. Jamie

    Made these this morning. I figured they would brighten up a rainy morning. Ah-mazing! Thank you as always and thank you for loving bacon as much as I do :)

    Reply

  26. Emmy

    please do let us know how those curlers worked out for you….podcast material maybe? i’ve always been curious…my hair doesn’t like to curl. oh yeah, the biscuits look totally delish:) hm curled hair and bacon…trying to impress somebody perchance?

    Reply

  27. Luci

    these are great. I changed it up a bit because I don’t eat pork so I used turkey bacon instead. Because the fat content in Tbacon is lower than in pork I added a little butter on top of the bacon before sprinkling with sugar, pepper and salt and baked it. They were crispy in about 12-15 minutes. I also decreased the butter in the biscuits to compensate for what I used on the bacon. They were super delish! Thanks for the recipe!!

    Reply

  28. lulu

    Oh wow! These look soooo tasty! I can feel my resolve to not bake anything with bacon in the recipe crumbling… :S Damn you joy!
    I just know I will love it and end up putting bacon in everything thus ending up the size of a freaking house!

    Reply

  32. Ashlyn

    Wow! These look AMAZING!! Bacon with brown sugar?! Who knew, but it sounds perfect!
    By the way, you have way more that 137 people reading this blog. It’s pretty much the best one out there!

    Reply

  34. vicki in texas

    Joy ~ Lemme tell ‘ya girl, I was smitten and a teeny bit worried. Bacon and biscuits are my fav but pepper and sugar into biscuit dough had me wondering…so since I had an extra hour this morning (thank you Day Light Savings Time) I took a leap and BOY AM I GLAD I DID! These are yummy and I am gonna make up another batch and freeze. Thanks, Joy!

    Reply

  36. Victoria

    Recently started following your blog an have truly loved reading it. I made these biscuits today for breakfast and they were amazing! Can’t wait to make another batch!

    Reply

    • Sarah

      Hear, hear! I swear by my old school hand-me-down pans. I was also given a cast iron skillet for Christmas last year and I can’t believe I ever used anything else.

      Reply

  38. Kristi

    I am continually astonished by how incredibly awesome you can be. I was just yesterday contemplating bacon and all its wonderful savorysweetsmokeygoodness. And now here you are with these. Awesome :)

    Reply

  39. Sarah

    These look delicious! I actually played with bacon today. That sounds a little suspect. I’ll revise: I added bacon to apple fritter batter today and it was glorious. Next time that happens, I’ll use your brown sugar bacon technique. In the mean time, I’ll give your biscuit recipe a try. I imagine apple or pumpkin butter would be tasty on them.

    Reply

    • Luci

      You can leave the bacon out, and serve them with veggie bacon.

      Veggie bacon
      1 block extra firm tofu
      2 parts liquid smoke
      1 part soy sauce

      Slice the tofu and freeze it.
      Marinate it over night in the liquid smoke/soy sauce mixture.
      Brush sesame oil over it and either pan fry or bake until crispy.

      Reply

  44. Anne

    Oh man, I’m all over these biscuits! Salty sweet flaky goodness with bits of spicy black pepper..mmm These would be amazing to bring on a camp-out for mornings actually!!!!

    Hm, I’ve never thought much about hair rollers since I have naturally (unruly) curly hair. I’m always trying to straighten it not make it curly! I guess we all have to go through an un-cute phase no matter where we start out. Except those boys! Jeesh, who do they think they are? (Except maybe some of them should put in a LITTLE more effort to look nice. You should totally talk about un-cute things boys do in your next podcast!)

    Reply

  45. Michelle

    Perrrfect! Was too lazy on a Saturday morning to pick up buttermilk, so I curdled 3/4 cups of milk with some vinegar. Worked just fine! Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

  47. Tanashati

    Wait, why are there only 137 of us…doesn’t the world know how AMAZING you are!! I kind of feel special its like listening to a underground rapper before he blows up. When your book comes out they’ll recognize… just don’t go all commercial on us ok Joy.

    Ok enough of that off to prepare these biscuits for tomorrow’s breakfast.
    Much love.
    T

    Reply

  48. Bethany

    Made these this morning, and then because they smelled so wonderful, ate one warm out of the oven, open faced with an over-easy egg and a piece of extra sharp cheddar. Heaven.

    Reply

  55. Ruth

    Oh Joy. Literally. These look amazing. I have to make them this weekend. I do hereby solemnly swear that I will caramelise some bacon whatever happens! I might just eat it though, and then I’ll need to caramelise some more to make the biscuits….worse things have happened, though, eh?

    Reply

  56. Kim

    Love your blog! Haven’t been here for a while but stopped by and have been reading your last 6 or 7 posts. You are very witty and your posts are enjoyable to read! You make me realize that sometimes I just slap my posts together to get them out there and there is probably no consistency in the writing from one to the other. I guess I compare blog posts like you compare nightstands. :)

    Reply

  57. Mav

    Oh man, these look so good!
    I might have to try and use turkey bacon because my brother (with whom I am staying with at the moment) doesn’t eat pork.
    Or…
    I could wait till he is gone on business, make them with REAL bacon and keep them all for myself! Ha ha ha ha…

    Reply

  58. Anna

    Hi. Um, I love you a little bit? Everyday at work I have to cook a pan of bacon, and lately all I want to do is run in the back room and eat the whole thing. This gives me an excuse to make some for myself. With sugar. And biscuits. You read my heart. Thanks. xx

    Reply

  61. Ann P.

    You just gave me a flashback! Bacon, pepper, and brown sugar together are all things that remind me of my past roommate. I have the urge to make these for her and mail them tomorrow morning! A gift like that would be especially appropriate, since her room was right off the kitchen and she had to put up with all the noise I made there… these would quite make up for all of that :)

    Reply

  62. Monica

    These look delicious!! And I’m so glad to see that you have baking sheets that look like some of mine :D I’ve had friends tell me that I should get new ones when they start getting like that, but most of them don’t know much about cooking, so I tend to not listen, lol. Plus I’ve had the pans for a long time and they still cook things just fine, so I don’t see a harm in keeping them :)

    Reply

  63. Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out

    I really do hate that boys never have to go through an un-cute phase to get to the cute phase. They just jump out of the shower, throw on some nice jeans and a sweater and call it a day. REALLY??? And then they don’t understand that THIS *points to face/hair/outfit* is a process. It takes time. It gets ugly sometimes before it gets cute again.

    But I think you’re totally right about these biscuits. Pretty sure there can be nothing ugly about bacon and brown sugar combined in a biscuit. LOVELY.

    Reply

  66. Jen

    Pink foam rollers that you have to sleep in overnight = old school
    Hot rollers my mom used before I was born (that I still use) = old school
    Soda cans as rollers = old school or Gaga video
    Velcro rollers = totally not old school
    However, I agree around girls having to go through hell to look cute, while boys just wake up cute. Jerks.

    Also, these biscuits = awesome.

    Reply

  67. linken

    Is it bad that I am fantasizing having these biscuits covered in my husband’s vegetarian ‘sausage’ gravy? (I bake and cook, he grills and makes all sauces.) I think my son and I would be in heaven. It would be breakfast for every meal. Followed by cinnamon rolls for snacks. :)

    Reply

  68. teawithhazel

    rollers are good..they work..i use them too and they make my fluffy grey hair look..well..less fluffy..and i look like i care..here in australia we would call your biscuits ‘scones’..but whatever the name they look fantastic and i will be making them..i fancy them with a big bowl of soup..

    Reply

  70. Awn

    It’s perpetually unfair that boys look good with so little effort on their part. These biscuits almost make up for the primping we do. They sound amahhhzing.

    Reply

  71. jenny

    I just made biscuits. but not these biscuits. so now I’m sad. actually, I’m sadder than sad because the biscuits I made (bon appetit? hello! they should have been good but…) were a rather wretched state of affairs. I may fob the icky biscuits off on unsuspecting acquaintances and make some of these for myself. yum.

    Reply

  72. Missy

    Velcro rollers are old school? What? Man, I’m always the last to know. Good thing there are biscuits. I think I will make these and think about what it means to be old school. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

  84. Angela @ Mind Over Batter

    Ooh, ooh – I used to kick it old school with the MESH rollers until I cut off all my hair – WHAT?! AND my mom still rocks those – Since like the 70’s! Bacon and brown sugar in a biscuit? I can’t even process this level of awesomeness right now…
    P.S. Love your well used cookie sheet. Love it! My mama makes me shine mine… Old school with a brillo pad and baking soda… Fo sho’…

    Reply

  87. cory

    gorgeous!!! these are PERFECT for this sunday – to make up before the football craziness begins. we are having some friends over for brunch and these will be a nice addition – i may make them in a ‘mini’ size, which i always think are so fun (and then i dont feel as bad for popping 7 of them in my mouth!). thanks much!

    Reply

  88. Hannah

    I know this is a total betrayal of everything these biscuits stand for, but do you think there is any possibility of substituting almond milk for the buttermilk? This recipe is the cornerstone of my weekend…literally everything is going to revolve around making it happen.
    Thanks Joy!

    Reply

  91. Sophie

    These are amazing. I can’t wait to make them. I mentioned you in my blog today. It’s very new but I’m inspired by how awesome your recipes are. Sophie :)

    Reply

  92. brandi

    You and your brown sugar bacon waffles got me and my husband HOOKED on brown sugar baked bacon. it’s the best snack/dessert/breakfast side dish ever.

    Reply

  95. Stephanie

    Immediately upon reading the title of this post I swore aloud and exclaimed, “WHAT??!!”. I can’t believe I have to work for 6 more hours and then attend some football game or something (just kidding–that’s going to be a kick) and then probably sleep until I get to make these. Nooo!

    Also, every time I see one of your delicious looking food photos taken on top of or next to that Anna Maria Horner fabric I have the tiniest of itty bitty heart palpatations. Just a little one. But it sure does make for a pretty photo!

    Reply

  96. Jennifer

    These look incredible, Joy! I’ve made sweet and spicy bacon several times, which is already insane greatness, and the pairing IN BISCUITS???!!! Genius. I wonder, though, if you have ever made tomato jam. I was trying to find some a couple of weeks ago for a grilled cheese and couldn’t find any (at least not at the Venice Whole Foods). Do you have a recipe?

    Reply

  98. Abbe

    I make this bacon all the time. You can never have enough of this bacon and EVERYONE wants more. The only difference is that I bake it on a rack over tinfoil so there is less clean up. Now, I’ll have to try it in biscuits-it also makes a great BLT. Loving your blog, Joy.

    Reply

  105. Bakerkat

    The above post is from me even though it says B.
    I don’t understand what happened my computer jumped or something.

    Well,got to go and bake some biscuits now -they look so good.

    Reply

  109. muddledmom

    And I thought there was nothing better than cheese biscuits. I have a freezer full. Man. Bacon inside. Where do you come up with this? Thanks for your wonderful ideas and the darling way you present them. : )

    Reply

  115. Jenni

    Whoa. Shut the front door! I’ve been on the hunt for a biscuit recipe to try, and now I know EXACTLY what I’m going to do!
    And I agree with you, it takes so much for us to look cute (who invented the eye lash curler anyway?! I’m pretty sure it used to be a torture device!) and all guys have to do is run their fingers through their hair and throw on a nice pair of jeans and BAM – instant hotness.

    Reply

  118. tj

    …Oh Joy, I love you. :o)

    …Really. I do.

    …And I am gonna LOVE these biscuits, yes I am. I. Am. So. Making. These. Today, my friend. These are perfection in its rarest form. Oh yeah. ;o)

    …You know when I am in a culinary, taste sensation overload when I start talking in one & two word sentences here. Thank you for sharing what is going to become a fav’ recipe!

    …Oh, and one must really ‘see’ a photo of you in the rollers, you know, to get the whole picture. ;o)

    …Have a wonderful weekend!

    …Blessings :o)

    Reply

  119. Shushmi

    I can’t eat bacon but this recipe makes me wish I could :( they look so scrummy… Is there any bacon alternative – everyone tells me no, as nothing tastes as good…lol.

    you are totally right abt boys just needing to wear a cardi to look cute. They have it so easy! :)

    Reply

    • Stina

      My husband and I sometimes use turkey bacon instead of regular pork bacon because its lighter and WAY easier to prep. It tastes pretty decent too.

      Reply

  120. Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles

    YOU’RE RIGHT! Boys don’t have to go through the ugly stage to get all hot looking… Yet another thing they’ve got on us! …… However, they don’t cook things like this and then get the chance to hide a few because after all- this recipe only made 3 biscuits. Sorry, husband ;)

    Reply

  122. Meg H.

    And I just made biscuits last night!! Did not even think about bacon but boy, would that have been perfect?! I just ran out of my White Lily flour (which we Southern cooks use for the best biscuits) but will restock tonight. I know what’s for breakfast tomorrow – fried eggs on bacon biscuits. MMMmmm.

    Reply

  124. Lys

    Ok, this may sound crazy, but is it true that in order to prevent over-mixing the biscuits, it’s best to use only one hand? I may just be making this up as I’m extremely pre-coffee and the keurig is still warming up. …I may have also shaken it to “make it go faster.” I pity Roo and the cats for encountering *this* everyday.

    Reply

  128. Rachel

    Brilliant! The other day I was actually pondering what could go in a biscuit besides cheese. I’m adding this to the list.

    I also love the suggestion in the comments of using maple syrup. Its like a McGriddle, only not gross. (Did I really just reference McDonalds… eek!)

    Reply

  130. Amy

    They look soooo good. I think I might have to make some today as it’s a rainy, horrible day outside and I don’t want to go out.

    Reply

  131. Jessica Ann

    Oh. My. Goodness. Looking at those bacons covered with brown sugar has just made me swoon. SWOON. These are genius. If there is a Nobel Prize for Baking you would have it in the bag.
    Jess

    Reply

  135. selina

    Hi Joy
    Now I am new to your blog and I have to say that you are adorable. Your recipes are pretty damn delicious and your writing is very sweet. Long may it continue!

    Reply

  138. Stef

    These look so good!!

    Also, I’m pretty sure you don’t need rollers to look cute… so only do it if you’re having fun!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  29. […] you know, Awkward Family Photos style.  Or perhaps  even see if they wanted me to whip them up a batch of these over some coffee.  But then I remembered what I’d think about a girl who always takes […]

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