Why are my biscuits dense and heavy?

There are two main reasons that biscuits can be heavy and dense. 1. The butter is not kept cold. Make sure to keep the butter COLD! If it starts getting warm, place the entire mixture into the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes before adding liquid. 2. There is too much flour. Measuring flour by volume (cups) is notoriously unreliable. For best results use a kitchen scale.

What does cutting in butter mean?

Cutting in fat, in this case butter, is a common term in baking. It means to mix fat (butter) into dry ingredients in a way that evenly distributes the small pieces throughout the mixture. The intent is to coat the butter with flour while still keeping the butter in solid bits - not melting or fully blending it in. As the butter melts in the oven, it creates steam, which forms little air pockets, creating a flaky, tender texture in your baked goods. You can 'cut in' butter using a pastry cutter, a fork, your hands, or a food processor. If using a food processor, be careful not to over-mix the fat and dry ingredients leaving a fully blended mixture which will lead to a drier, less flakey result.

Do I have to use a food processor?

NO! We use one because this is a recipe for a crowd and it makes cutting in the butter much faster and easier. You can cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or your hands for an equally fluffy biscuit. Remember a key is to keep the butter cold so work quickly and chill as needed.

What if I don't have a biscuit cutter?

This isn't a problem! Pat the dough into a rectangle and use a knife to cut your biscuits into 24 equal sized squares. For a perfectly smooth side on your biscuits, trim the edges of the dough before cutting into squares.

Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits for a Crowd

Name: Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits for a Crowd
Prep time: 23 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) COLD unsalted butter; 4-7 medium sized jalapeño peppers - 1 cup diced (number will depend on the size of the peppers); 640 grams (5 to 5 1/3 cups) all purpose flour - please use a kitchen scale!; 38 grams (2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) baking powder; 10 grams (2 teaspoons) baking soda; 12 grams (2 teaspoons) kosher salt; 1 1/2 cup (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese; 2 cups milk; 2 Tablespoons butter, melted (OPTIONAL)

Description

Warm, buttery, and packed with cheesy, spicy flavor, these jalapeño cheddar biscuits are the perfect savory twist on a classic. Easy to make and ready in just 35 minutes! Vegetarian.

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup (2 sticks) COLD unsalted butter
4-7 medium sized jalapeño peppers - 1 cup diced (number will depend on the size of the peppers)
640 grams (5 to 5 1/3 cups) all purpose flour - please use a kitchen scale!
38 grams (2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) baking powder
10 grams (2 teaspoons) baking soda
12 grams (2 teaspoons) kosher salt
1 1/2 cup (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups milk
2 Tablespoons butter, melted (OPTIONAL)

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Instructions

PREP THE BUTTER

Cut the butter into 1 inch pieces and place in the fridge until ready to use.

PREP THE JALAPEÑOS
NOTE: We recommend wearing gloves while working with hot peppers and being extra careful not to touch your face, especially your eyes.

Trim the stem off the jalapeños. Cut 1 jalapeño into 24 thin round slices. Set these slices aside, we’ll use them on top of the biscuits later.
Deseed and dice the remaining peppers. You should have about 1 cup of diced jalapeño.

MAKE THE DOUGH

In the bowl of a Cuisinart stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the cold cubed butter to the bowl and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas. This should only take a few pulses. Work quickly so the butter stays cold! Transfer to a large mixing bowl and use your fingers to break up any leftover large pieces of butter.
Add diced jalapeño and shredded cheddar cheese to bowl and stir to combine.
If the butter is warm, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 10 minutes until it's cold again.
Add milk and stir until just combined. The dough will be shaggy, but not sticky, and may not completely hold together yet - that’s fine!

CUT THE BISCUITS
Remember to work quickly here so the butter stays cold!

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board.
Gently press the dough together until it holds and any remaining dry bits get mixed together.
Lightly pat the dough out, then fold the dough over on itself.
Pat dough to about 2/3″ thick and use a 2" biscuit cutter to cut as many biscuits as possible. Place cut biscuits on a lined sheet pan.
Gather scraps, pat out and cut. Repeat until all dough is cut.
Top each biscuit with one slice of jalapeño pepper.
Brush the tops of each biscuit with melted butter. (OPTIONAL)
Place the biscuits in the refrigerator for 20 minutes while the oven pre-heats.
Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.
Once oven is pre-heated and biscuits have chilled, bake for 10-15 minutes until biscuits are lightly browned.
Serve warm.

Notes

Jalapeños: The number of peppers will depend on the size of your peppers. You want 24 thin slices for the top and about 1 cup diced jalapeños. If your peppers are smaller you will need more, larger peppers you'll need fewer. Not a fan of spicy heat? Use Anaheim or poblano peppers for less spicy. Want more heat? Leave the seeds in the jalapeños or use serrano peppers for some or all of the jalapeños.

Food processor? Don't run the food processor continuously, use short, quick pulses to prevent overmixing. No food processor? No problem, use your hands or a pastry cutter to cut butter into the flour mixture until mixture is coarse and has small butter pieces throughout.

No biscuit cutter? Use a glass or small bowl. Cut into squares instead.

A note about baking powder. Use an aluminum-free baking powder for best results. Baking powder with added aluminum can leave a slightly metallic taste in biscuits.

Work quickly and keep everything cold! Handle the dough as little as possible and remember to pop the bowl back in the fridge to chill the butter if needed, especially before adding liquid. Chill the biscuits before baking.

Substitutions: Pre-shredded cheese works fine here, but you can absolutely shred your own if you want. Use any type of cheddar cheese (sharp, medium, white, or yellow) or substitute with Colby, Monterey jack, gouda, or pepper jack cheese. Sub buttermilk for the milk.

Prep Time: 23 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 biscuit
Calories: 215
Sugar: 1.3 g
Sodium: 1334.2 mg
Fat: 11.3 g
Carbohydrates: 22.9 g
Protein: 5.4 g
Cholesterol: 30.3 mg