Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

These are unbelievable easy to make, especially if you have a  food processor.  

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

1/2 cup cold buttermilk, shaken

1 cold extra-large egg

1 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk

Maldon sea salt, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

First cut up the butter into small cubes.  The key to good biscuits is to use cold butter.  So once you dice them, put them in the fridge again for a few minutes to firm up again.  

Place 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.  

Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened.   I used a food processor for this and pulsed it a couple times for the dough to come together.  

In a small bowl, mix the Cheddar with small handful of flour.  This will prevent the cheese from clumping together. 

With the mixer still on low, add the cheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.  Dump out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly about 6 times. Roll the dough out to a rectangle 10 by 5 inches. 

With a sharp, floured knife, cut the dough lengthwise in half and then across in quarters, making 8 rough rectangles. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with salt.

I made these for a party and had tons of leftovers so I froze the unbaked biscuits and they have come in so handy!  All I do is toss them into the oven to bake for a few minutes before last minute company comes over.

Here are my frozen morsels of cheddar goodness.  

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the biscuits are cooked through. Serve hot or warm.  Enjoy!