Cheddar Squares

These are essentially savory cheese biscuits baked in a pan and cut into squares instead of stamped into rounds. Sharp cheddar, chopped onion, and pimento mixed into a butter-cut biscuit dough, spread in a 9-inch pan, and baked hot at 450F until golden. Serve them warm when the cheese is still soft and the edges are crisp.

Cutting cold butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse crumbs is the biscuit technique that creates flaky layers. Those small pieces of butter melt in the hot oven and leave behind pockets of air that separate into layers. Overmixing or using melted butter would give you a dense, cakey texture instead.

Sharp cheddar (not mild) is important here. With only a cup of cheese in two cups of flour, you need the most flavorful cheddar you can find. Mild cheddar would disappear into the dough. Extra-sharp announces itself in every bite.

The pimento is a small but smart addition. Just two teaspoons of chopped pimento add flecks of color and a sweet, mild pepper flavor that balances the sharpness of the cheese and the bite of the raw onion.

Mix the milk in until just moistened. The moment the flour is hydrated, stop. Overworking biscuit dough activates too much gluten and turns the squares tough and chewy.

Kitchen Tips

• Use cold butter, cut into small pieces. Warm butter melts into the flour instead of creating flaky layers
• Spread the dough evenly in the pan. Thick spots will be doughy in the center while thin spots overbake
• Cut into squares while still slightly warm. They’re easier to cut and hold together better than when completely cooled
• These are best served within an hour of baking. They lose their flaky texture as they cool

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of dried herbs (thyme, rosemary, or chives) to the dry ingredients
• Use pepper jack cheese for a spicier version
• Fold in crumbled cooked bacon for a cheddar-bacon square