Cheddar-Jalapeno Biscuits

I needed a side to go with a big ol' bowl of Crab and Corn Chowder, and also wanted something a little spicy. So I jazzed things up a bit and created these Cheddar-Jalapeno Biscuits. They are sooo good. They're light and fluffy, but the cheddar cheese gets nice and toasty, giving them a pleasant crunch.

Like all biscuits, they start with a bowl of flour. The flour gets blended with baking powder and salt.

Next is some cold butter. It's important for flaky biscuits that the butter be cold, like right-out-of-the-fridge cold.

Cut the butter into the flour. You could use a fork or a pair of knives, or use a pastry cutter, like I've got. You could also give the flour and butter a few whirrs in a food processor. Or you could use a grating tool and grate the stick of butter right into the bowl of flour.

Once the butter is in small pieces and the flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs, you can add your flavors to the biscuits.

I used a small can of diced jalapenos (you could use fresh if you had them), lots and lots of freshly ground black pepper, and shredded cheddar cheese.

Mix the cheese, pepper, and jalapenos into the flour mixture. Then use your spoon to make a well in the center of the mixture.

Pour your buttermilk in, and stir just enough to make sure everything is nice and moist.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface.

Pat (or roll) your dough about an inch thick.

Dip a biscuit cutter (or, if you don't have a biscuit cutter, a drinking glass) in flour and then press it into the dough. Do not twist when you cut! Twisting will prevent your biscuits from rising to their full potential.

Place the biscuits on a greased cookie sheet. If you like biscuits with crisp outsides, make sure you keep your biscuits at least an inch apart from one another. If you like softer biscuits, put them right up next to each other.

I used a smaller, 2" biscuit cutter, rather than the larger 3" one. That's why it looks like I've got so many biscuits.

Brush the tops of the biscuits with more buttermilk. If you don't have any more buttermilk, melted butter, milk, or a beaten egg will do the job too.

Grind a little more pepper over the tops of the biscuits.

Pop the biscuits in the oven for 15-20 minutes (add another 5 minutes if your biscuits are spaced close together or are larger.)













Serve these biscuits with Chunky Minnesotan Chili, Crab and Corn Chowder, or Tortilla Soup. Fill them with ham, turkey, or even BBQ beans. You and your family will love them!

Recipe: Cheddar-Jalapeno Biscuits

2 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
4 tablespoons cold butter
1 small can (4 oz.) chopped jalapenos
lots of freshly ground black pepper
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. buttermilk

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.

Add butter; using knives or pastry cutter, cut butter into flour. Continue cutting until the flour mixture appears crumbly.

Add jalapenos, black pepper, and cheese. Mix well.

Use a spoon to dig a well into the middle of the dry ingredients. Add buttermilk. Stir to combine.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat to about a 1" thickness. Cut the dough into biscuits. Place on a greased cookie sheet. For biscuits that are crisp all the way around, leave about 1" between each biscuit. For fluffier, softer biscuits, leave the edges of the biscuits touching.

Brush the tops of the biscuits with more buttermilk. Grind more black pepper over the tops.

Bake at 425F for 15-20 minutes if biscuits are evenly spaced; add about 5 minutes more if biscuits are touching.