Tom's Cheddar Biscuits

Cold butter and a hot oven are the two rules these biscuits live by. Sharp cheddar gets tossed with the dry ingredients first so every shred is coated in flour, which keeps the cheese suspended through the dough instead of sinking to the bottom. Cut the butter in until it looks like coarse meal with a few pea-sized pieces still visible. Those pockets are what create flake. Milk goes in last and you mix only until the dough comes together. Overworking is the fastest way to a tough biscuit. A quick knead, a pat to about ⅜ inch thick, and they go straight into a 450°F (230°C) oven where the steam from the cold butter does the lifting. Serve hot, split open, with butter melting straight through.

Pro Tips

• Grate the cheese yourself from a block. Pre-shredded cheddar is coated in starch that keeps it from melting cleanly into the crumb.
• Keep the butter cold until the moment it hits the flour. Freeze it for 10 minutes if your kitchen is warm.
• Press the cutter straight down without twisting. Twisting seals the edges and stops the biscuits rising tall.
• Push leftover scraps together gently and re-cut. Don’t re-roll aggressively or those biscuits will be dense.

Variations

• Add ½ teaspoon garlic powder and a tablespoon of chopped chives for a Red Lobster-style copycat.
• Swap half the cheddar for grated Parmesan and add a pinch of cayenne.
• Brush the tops with melted butter the second they come out of the oven for a glossy, salted finish.