Regina's Cheddar Biscuits

These biscuits pack sharp cheddar right into a flaky, buttermilk-tender dough that rises tall and golden during the bake. The cheese melts in pockets through the layers, leaving little salty bursts in every bite and a crackly, cheese-crusted top if you sprinkle a bit extra before baking.

Cold fat is the foundation here. Working cold butter and margarine into the flour until the pieces are the size of peas creates the steam pockets that puff into flaky layers in the oven. Buttermilk brings tang and reacts with the baking powder for extra lift, while sharp cheddar folds into the dough at the end so it stays in distinct bites rather than dissolving.

Pro Tips

• Keep everything cold. Cold butter, cold buttermilk, even a chilled bowl helps. Warm fat melts into the flour instead of staying in pea-sized pieces and you lose the flake.
• Don’t twist the biscuit cutter when you cut. Press straight down and pull straight up. Twisting seals the edges and stunts the rise.
• Place biscuits close together on the baking sheet, almost touching. They rise up rather than out, giving you tall, soft-sided biscuits instead of squat, crusty-edged ones.
• Use sharp or extra-sharp cheddar. Mild cheddar bakes out flavorless and disappears into the dough.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of chopped chives, fresh thyme, or chopped jalapeño to the dough for an herbed or spicy version.
• Swap half the cheddar for grated parmesan for a deeper, nuttier savory bite.
• Brush tops with melted butter and garlic powder right out of the oven for a Red Lobster-style finish.