Cheddar-Pepper Biscuits

These cheddar pepper biscuits come out of the oven golden and fragrant, with pockets of melted sharp cheddar cheese and a gentle bite of freshly cracked black pepper running through every layer.

The method is classic biscuit-making at its simplest: cut cold butter into flour, fold in cheese, add milk, and barely mix. That restraint is what keeps them tender and flaky instead of tough.

A generous half-cup of cheese sprinkled on top before baking creates a crispy, golden crust that shatters when you pull one apart.

Pro Tips

• Keep the butter cold. Cut it into small cubes and work fast so it stays in distinct pieces, which creates flaky layers as they melt in the oven.
• Mix the dough just until the dry ingredients are barely moistened. Overworking develops gluten, which makes biscuits dense and chewy.
• Use extra-sharp cheddar for the strongest cheese flavor. Pre-shredded works, but block cheese freshly grated melts more smoothly.
• Pat the dough out rather than rolling it. A rolling pin can compress those butter pockets you worked to preserve.

Variations

• Jalapeno Cheddar: Fold in 2 tablespoons of finely diced jalapeno for a Tex-Mex kick.
• Herbed Biscuits: Add a teaspoon each of dried rosemary and thyme to the flour mixture.
• Garlic Butter Tops: Brush warm biscuits with melted garlic butter as soon as they come out of the oven.