Ultimate Flaky Buttermilk Bacon Cheddar Biscuits Recipe

Prepare to be amazed by these incredibly tender, buttery, and irresistibly flaky Buttermilk Bacon Cheddar Biscuits. This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a culinary journey that transforms simple ingredients into a breakfast, brunch, or dinner side dish that will have your entire family asking for more. Loaded with savory crispy bacon bits and sharp cheddar cheese, these Southern-style biscuits are truly a taste sensation that stands out from the crowd.

Why You’ll Love These Buttermilk Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

These aren’t your average biscuits. What makes our Bacon Cheddar Biscuits so special and utterly beloved? It’s a combination of texture, flavor, and the sheer satisfaction of a homemade classic. Here’s why you’ll want to add this recipe to your regular rotation:

• Unmatched Tender and Flaky Texture: Each bite reveals delicate, buttery layers that practically melt in your mouth. The secret lies in cold butter and minimal handling, ensuring a light, airy crumb every time.
• Irresistible Savory Flavor: The delightful crunch of crispy bacon bits perfectly complements the tangy, sharp notes of cheddar cheese. This savory duo elevates the classic buttermilk biscuit to gourmet status, offering a harmonious blend of salty, cheesy, and rich flavors.
• Easier Than You Think: Don’t let the thought of homemade biscuits intimidate you. This recipe breaks down the process into simple, straightforward steps, proving that superior flavor doesn’t have to mean complicated cooking. It’s surprisingly quick to mix up, especially if you have some leftover bacon ready to go!
• Versatile for Any Meal: While perfect for breakfast or brunch alongside eggs and coffee, these biscuits are equally fantastic as a savory side for dinner. Imagine them with a hearty chili, a comforting soup, or even roasted chicken. They’re also excellent for packing in lunchboxes or enjoying as a satisfying snack.
• Customizable to Your Liking: This recipe provides a fantastic base for creativity. Want to add a fresh twist? Incorporate finely chopped green onions, chives, or parsley into the dough for an herbaceous kick. Prefer a pure cheesy delight? Simply omit the bacon for delicious cheddar biscuits. The possibilities are endless!

Forget the store-bought, canned varieties; nothing compares to the fresh aroma and superior taste of biscuits baked right in your own kitchen. These Bacon Cheddar Biscuits are a testament to the joy of baking from scratch.

Beyond these savory delights, we also love making other breakfast favorites like Puff Pastry Morning Buns, Sweet Potato Muffins, Sausage Muffins without Bisquick, Ham and Cheese Strata, Zucchini Muffins, and Bakery Style Pumpkin Muffins.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Biscuits

Crafting the perfect biscuit starts with understanding the role of each ingredient. For our Bacon Cheddar Biscuits, quality and temperature are key:

• All-Purpose Flour: The backbone of our biscuits. While self-rising flour can be used, all-purpose gives you more control over the leavening agents. Sifting the flour before mixing can help create an even lighter biscuit.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These are your leavening agents, working together with the buttermilk to create that beautiful rise and flaky texture. Ensure they are fresh for optimal results.
• Kosher Salt: Essential for balancing the flavors and enhancing the savory notes of the bacon and cheese.
• Crispy Cooked Bacon: The star of the show! Use good quality bacon, cooked until perfectly crisp, then finely diced. This ensures maximum flavor distribution and texture in every bite.
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded sharp cheddar offers the best flavor and melt. Avoid pre-shredded varieties which often contain anti-caking agents that can hinder melting and affect texture. The sharpness cuts through the richness of the butter and bacon beautifully.
• Frozen Unsalted Butter: This is a non-negotiable secret to flaky biscuits! Grating frozen butter ensures tiny pockets of butter throughout the dough. As the biscuits bake, these butter pieces melt, creating steam that separates the dough into distinct, flaky layers. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall saltiness.
• Cold Buttermilk: The acidity in buttermilk reacts with the baking soda, aiding in leavening and contributing to a tender crumb. It also adds a slight tang that complements the savory ingredients. Keeping it very cold helps maintain the overall low temperature of your dough, which is vital for flakiness. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can easily make a substitute (see FAQs).

Please see the full recipe card below for exact measurements and step-by-step instructions.

How to Make Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

Making these glorious Bacon Cheddar Biscuits is a straightforward process when you follow a few key techniques. Let’s walk through it:

1. Prepare Your Savory Add-ins: Begin by cooking your bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches peak crispiness and a beautiful golden-brown color (typically 6-8 minutes). Once cooked, drain the bacon on paper towels to remove excess grease, then set it aside to cool. While the bacon cools, take your frozen unsalted butter and, using the large holes of a box grater, shred it into a bowl. Immediately return the grated butter to the freezer to ensure it stays perfectly cold. This step is critical for achieving those coveted flaky layers.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: Preheat your oven to a blazing 450ºF (230ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and non-stick baking. In a spacious mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Whisking ensures these leavening agents and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour. Next, gently stir in your cooled, diced bacon and the freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, making sure they are well incorporated into the dry mix. Finally, retrieve your grated butter from the freezer and stir it into the flour mixture, using your fingers to break up any large clumps. The goal is to keep the butter in small, distinct pieces.
3. Introduce the Buttermilk: Create a shallow well in the center of your flour, bacon, cheese, and butter mixture. Pour the cold buttermilk directly into this well. Using a spoon or a spatula, stir the mixture gently and just until combined. Stop mixing as soon as a soft, shaggy dough begins to form. Overmixing at this stage will develop the gluten in the flour, leading to tough biscuits rather than tender, flaky ones. A few dry spots are perfectly acceptable – resist the urge to keep stirring!
4. Form and Cut the Biscuits: Lightly flour a clean work surface. Carefully turn the shaggy biscuit dough out onto the floured surface. Gently knead the dough 3 to 4 times, just enough until it barely comes together. Pat the dough out evenly into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter (or your preferred size), cut out the biscuits. Remember to press straight down with the cutter and avoid twisting, as twisting can seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising properly. Arrange the cut biscuits on your prepared baking sheet so that they are almost touching each other. This close proximity helps them rise higher and more evenly by creating steam and support for one another. Place the entire baking sheet into the freezer for 5-10 minutes – this quick chill helps firm up the butter once more, contributing to ultimate flakiness.
5. Bake to Golden Perfection: Just before baking, if desired, you can brush the tops of the chilled biscuits with a little extra buttermilk for an extra golden finish. Transfer the baking sheet to your preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the biscuits are beautifully golden brown on top and cooked through. Once removed from the oven, for an extra touch of richness, you can brush the warm tops with melted unsalted butter. Serve these divine Bacon Cheddar Biscuits warm, straight from the oven, and prepare for a chorus of compliments!

Expert Tips for Flawless Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

Achieving biscuit perfection is all about a few simple techniques. Keep these expert tips in mind for the most tender, flaky, and flavorful Bacon Cheddar Biscuits:

• Embrace the Cold: Frozen Butter and Cold Buttermilk are Crucial! This is perhaps the most important tip for flaky biscuits. Tiny pieces of very cold butter melt slowly in the hot oven, creating pockets of steam that lift the dough into beautiful layers. If your butter isn’t frozen solid, grate it on the large holes of a box grater and then pop it back into the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Similarly, cold buttermilk helps keep the butter cold and contributes to tenderness.
• Do NOT Overwork the Dough: Gentle handling is key. Overworking the dough develops gluten, which results in tough, dense biscuits instead of light and airy ones. Mix just until the ingredients are combined and a soft dough forms. A few dry streaks are better than an overmixed dough.
• Use the Right Cutting Technique: When cutting your biscuits, use a sharp, floured biscuit cutter. Press straight down firmly without twisting. Twisting the cutter can seal the edges of the biscuit, which inhibits its rise and can lead to lopsided results.
• Arrange Biscuits Almost Touching: Place your cut biscuits on the baking sheet so they are nearly touching each other. This creates a cozy environment where they can support each other as they rise, encouraging them to puff up taller and more evenly.
• The Pre-Bake Chill is a Game Changer: After cutting and placing the biscuits on the baking sheet, a quick 5-10 minute chill in the freezer helps solidify the butter again. This ensures maximum flakiness when they hit the hot oven.
• Don’t Skimp on Quality Ingredients: Good quality sharp cheddar cheese (freshly grated is always best!) and flavorful bacon will make a noticeable difference in the final taste.
• For Extra Golden Tops: Brush the tops of your biscuits with a little extra buttermilk before baking. For a rich, buttery finish, brush them with melted butter immediately after removing them from the oven.

Common Questions About Bacon Cheddar Biscuits (FAQs)

More Delicious Biscuit Recipes You’ll Love

If you enjoyed these savory Bacon Cheddar Biscuits, be sure to explore more of our delightful biscuit creations. From sweet to savory, we have a biscuit for every craving!

Bacon Cheddar Biscuits Recipe

Buttery, tender, flaky, buttermilk biscuits loaded with crispy bacon bits and sharp cheddar cheese. A sure-to-please biscuit perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner!

• Course: Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner
• Cuisine: American
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Servings: 12 biscuits
• Calories: 359 kcal per serving
• Author: Leigh Harris

Ingredients

• 1 cup Cooked bacon, diced (8-9 slices)
• 4 cups All-purpose flour
• 4 tsps Baking powder
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 cup Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3/4 cup Unsalted butter, frozen, shredded
• 1 3/4 cups Buttermilk, cold

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crispy and brown, about 6-8 minutes. Drain on paper towels, once cooled dice into small pieces.
2. While the bacon is cooling, shred the frozen butter using the large holes of a box grater into a bowl and place it back in the freezer.
3. Preheat the oven to 450ºF (230ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Stir in the diced bacon and shredded cheese. Then, stir in the grated butter, breaking up any large clumps.
5. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour in the cold buttermilk, and stir just until combined and a soft, shaggy dough is beginning to form. Do not overmix.
6. Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 3 to 4 times until the dough barely comes together. Pat it out into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Cut the biscuits using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Place them almost touching on the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.
7. Brush the tops of the biscuits with additional buttermilk if desired. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. You can also brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter when you remove them from the oven for extra richness. Serve these Bacon Cheddar Biscuits warm.

Notes

Use frozen butter and cold buttermilk! This is key to achieving flaky biscuits.

These are best served fresh as most biscuits. Store any leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To reheat, warm them in a toaster or wrapped in aluminum foil and warmed in a 350ºF (175ºC) oven for 8-10 minutes.

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Calories: 359 kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 642mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 2mg