I’m a decent baker. Some things turn our great, some just okay. But, there is one thing that I have completely mastered…and that, my friends, is the biscuit. I’ve got the technique down to a science, and at a moment’s notice, I can produce a tender, flaky and buttery biscuit that’s a mile high. Okay, so maybe a mile-high is an exaggeration, but my biscuits are impressively tall and damn good too.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!My Cheddar and Thyme Biscuits are a departure from my traditional buttermilk biscuit, but they are just as delicious. Instead of cutting the biscuits into circles and baking them on a cookie sheet, these biscuits are cut into squares and baked in a square pan. Other than that the technique remains the same. Use very cold butter, don’t overwork the dough, fold in many layers and never, ever use a rolling pin.
These Cheddar and Thyme Biscuits are full of flavor from the tang of the cheddar cheese to the lemony-herbal notes from the thyme. They are great served on their own, with honey, or as a sandwich. In fact, because these biscuits are so substantial, they make for perfect sandwich-building. Try filling the biscuits with egg and cheese or slices of baked ham and grainy mustard. Yum!
To make, start by placing a stick of butter in the freezer. Preheat the oven to 450 deg F. Grease an 8”x8” square metal baking pan with softened butter and set aside. Next, grab a food processor. You will use this to make the biscuit dough.
To the processor, add three cups of all-purpose flour, 1½ tablespoons of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme) and 1½ cups of shredded mild cheddar cheese. Pulse the contents a few times until well mixed. Next, take the butter from the freezer, chop it into pieces and add it to the processor. Pulse the processor again a few times to break up the butter into pea-sized pieces. Next, add 1½ cups of buttermilk to the processor and pulse again until the dough just comes together.
Dump the dough out onto a hard surface that has been dusted with flour. Using your hands, press the dough into a rectangle. Fold the dough in half, press it out into another rectangle and fold again. Repeat, pressing and folding five times. Place the dough into the greased baking pan and gently push the dough down so that it completely fills the pan. Using a knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into nine equal pieces (3 cuts in each direction). Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, take the pan out of the oven, cover it with foil and place it back in the oven to bake for another 20 minutes.
While the biscuits bake, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. As soon as the biscuits are done, coat the biscuits with the melted butter. Cut the biscuits a second time (in the same spots that you cut them the first time). Scoop the hot biscuits out of the pan and serve them on their own, with honey, or halve and fill them with your sandwich fillings of choice.
Cheddar and Thyme Biscuits
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup (or one stick) very cold salted butter + more butter for basting
- 1½ cups very cold buttermilk
Instructions
- Place stick of butter in the freezer. Preheat oven to 450°F. Grease a 8"x8" baking pan and set aside.
- To a food processor, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, thyme and shredded cheddar cheese. Pulse until well combined.
- Chop very cold butter and add to the food processor. Pulse until the butter is pea-sized.
- Next, add buttermilk to the food processor and pulse again until the dough just forms a ball.
- Turn the dough out onto a hard surface that has been dusted with flour. Using your fingers, press the dough into a rectangle. Fold the dough over and press it out into another rectangle. Repeat folding and pressing five times.
- Place the dough into a prepared baking dish and press the dough out so that it fills the pan. Using a knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 9 equal squares (three slices on one side, three on the other).
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, cover it with foil and bake for another 20 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through.
- Baste the biscuits with one tablespoon of melted butter when they first come out of the oven. Serve while hot.
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