Loaded Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

Making homemade cheddar biscuits is so quick and simple, and the result is so much better than storebought. The cheesy, flaky layers of these bacon cheddar biscuits even give Red Lobster’s cheddar bay biscuits a run for their money. 

I like to call this Southern buttermilk biscuit my loaded biscuit. The creamy butter, crunchy salty bacon, and cheddar cheese along with the buttermilk make these biscuits simply irresistible. Once you try this recipe, you’ll always want to make your biscuits from scratch. Be sure to watch the video in this post for extra biscuit making tips.

Baking them in a cast iron pan gives the bottom of the biscuits a nice crunch. Served with jelly or simply a little more butter and honey — well, life doesn’t get much better.

In the South, biscuits are more than just a food; they’re a tradition. Every Southern cook has their own spin on the classic buttermilk biscuit recipe, handed down through generations. If you’re looking for a “non-loaded,” foolproof buttermilk biscuit recipe, be sure to check out my post Southern Buttermilk Biscuits: Three Ways with One Recipe. That tried-and-true recipe is the perfect starting point for any biscuits.

What’s so special about these cheddar biscuits?

What sets these biscuits apart from the rest? Well, mostly, it’s about the cheese. While your basic flaky, buttery Southern biscuits are melt-in-mouth good, some real magic happens when you add sharp, tangy cheddar cheese into the mix. 

And then along with the gooey cheese, there’s the crunchy bacon! (I did say these were my “loaded” biscuits.) Don’t let the savory-salty flavor stop you from slathering strawberry jam onto them, either. Actually, my bacon jam recipe may be the perfect accompaniment. 

Secrets to the Best Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe

The base of these cheddar biscuits is my original Southern buttermilk biscuit recipe. One key is to use cold ingredients: instead of room temperature butter and shortening, you will want them straight out of the fridge. You won’t so much stir as cut them into the dry ingredients. This step ties into the other secret: for fluffy, flaky biscuits, be sure not to overwork the dough. 

Storing the Biscuits

I like to make a double or even triple batch of these biscuits to have them on hand for a quick meal or snack. You can freeze the uncooked dough in airtight freezer bags for up to 6 months. Leftover cooked biscuits will stay good in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Cheddar Bacon Buttermilk Biscuits

I like to call this southern buttermilk biscuit my loaded biscuit. The creamy butter, crunchy salty bacon, and cheddar cheese along with the tangy buttermilk make these biscuits simply irresistible.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course Bread, Breakfast

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings 12 servings

Calories 193 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups all-purpose flour plus enough for dusting
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for the tops of biscuits
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cold
• 3 tablespoons shortening cold
• 3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon about 1/2 pound
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a cast iron skillet in the preheating oven.
• In a large bowl, sift dry ingredients together. Work the shortening and butter mixture into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cheese and bacon and mix until incorporated. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, then slowly pour the buttermilk, gently incorporating the buttermilk with your hands until the flour is wet. The dough isn’t going to have a form or shape at this point.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold on top of itself for about 1 minute. Roll or press dough to a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle and, using a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible. Gather leftover dough and roll it out to get more biscuits. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer biscuits to the hot skillet, making sure the biscuits are touching one another. Put a light thumbprint in the middle of each biscuit to ensure they rise at the same time. Brush the top of each biscuit with buttermilk or melted butter and sprinkle with kosher salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until the biscuits have risen and the tops have begun to brown.

Notes

Stacy Lyn’s Note: You can double—or even triple—this recipe for a quick make-ahead meal! Once you cut the rounds, just place them about an inch apart on a cookie sheet and place them in the freezer for 6 hours, or until completely frozen. Then remove from the pan and place in a freezer bag for up to 6 months. When you are ready to cook the frozen biscuits, remove the amount you need from the bag and place on a baking sheet and cook in a 450°F oven for 12 minutes, or until cooked through and golden.

Nutrition

Calories: 193kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 6gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 421mgPotassium: 82mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 194IUCalcium: 137mgIron: 1mg

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