Red Chili Biscuits

These biscuits bring serious heat. Three types of chili, chili powder, red pepper flakes, and dried hot chili peppers, get mixed into a biscuit dough that’s built on sourdough starter instead of buttermilk. The tang from the starter plays off the spice in a way that regular biscuits never could.

Biscuit baking mix keeps the base simple, but the sourdough starter transforms the flavor completely. Its natural acidity adds a fermented depth and slightly chewy texture that you don’t get from a standard quick biscuit. The starter also contributes moisture, so the dough comes together without any added liquid.

Shredded cheddar melted through the dough ties the heat and tang together with rich, savory fat. It also creates little pockets of melted cheese throughout each biscuit that you hit with every bite.

Knead lightly, just enough to bring the dough together. Overworking biscuit dough builds gluten, and gluten means tough, dense biscuits instead of tender, flaky ones.

Pro Tips

• Use an active sourdough starter. The more active and tangy your starter, the more complex the finished biscuit tastes.
• Pat to exactly half an inch thick. Thinner and the biscuits are flat and crispy. Thicker and they don’t cook through evenly.
• Don’t twist the cutter. Push straight down and lift straight up. Twisting seals the edges and prevents the biscuits from rising evenly.
• Bake until golden on top and firm on the bottom. The cheese can make the bottom brown faster, so check early.

Variations

• Green chile cheddar: Swap the dried red chilies for chopped roasted green Hatch chiles for a milder, smokier heat.
• Jalapeño jack: Replace the cheddar with pepper jack cheese and add diced fresh jalapeno for a Tex-Mex version.