Jalapeno Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

Thank y’all for stopping by the backyard! It’s Christmas time, and many of you are gathering around the fire with your families this season. We hope you’re sharing food and laughter and friendship.

When we wrote our second cookbook – Faith, Family, and the Feast, we included one of our favorite recipes: Jalapeno Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits. Biscuits have been on tables throughout the American South for more than a century, and I’m happy to share with you my favorite version of this recipe.

Praise the Lord and pass the biscuits – let’s get on to it, then.

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

This recipe is a family favorite. It follows the old-fashioned buttermilk biscuit recipe, but with a cowboy twist that is going to add flavor and make these biscuits rise a little higher.

If you are cooking indoors, go on and pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Proof the yeast to make sure that it is active – and always check the expiration date.

Tip: To ensure your yeast is good and active, mix some warm water into the yeast and let sit for 3-4 minutes. If the mixture is bubbly, the yeast is good and your biscuits will rise.

Stir well and make sure there are no lumps. Now, time to cowboy these biscuits up.

Jalapeno Cheddar

Now, in the spirit of Christmas I decided to perform an act of kindness to all of those people who will be eating these. I went ahead and removed the seeds from all of the jalapenos. This will give you all the flavor of a jalapeno with a limited amount of heat.

Chop those jalapenos up good and add them in the batter. Next, add about three cups of Monterey jack and cheddar cheese. At this point you should be seeing some bubbling in the batter. That means the yeast is doing its job.

Measure out your flour and start by stirring in about two and a half cups. Fold it in to the batter until it gets about right. Get as much flour in as you can until it gets to the consistency where it just barely sticks to your hand. You’ll be kneading in more flour so err on the side of the dough being a little bit too wet.

Flour the surface where you will knead the dough. Be very liberal with the flour to avoid sticking. Flour your hands and fold the dough together a few times. Add flour as needed and roll out the dough – you don’t need a fancy rolling pin – just mash the dough down with your hand.

Tip: Save a little can from diced green chiles – this makes the perfect sized biscuits.

Using your biscuit cutter, slide the cutter through the dough. Every once in a while, dip the cutter into flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Do not twist! Simply use the cutter to push the biscuit to the side and move on to the next one.

Tip: Never twist the biscuit cutter! This will seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising.

Its important to place the biscuits in a round cooking vessel. This will cause the biscuits to rise up and not out. Inside you can use a round casserole dish or cake pan, or you can use a Dutch oven just like I do out here on the fire.

Let the biscuits rise. Take a look at these – they are ready to cook.

Time to Cook!

Whether you’re cooking inside or out, keep an eye on the biscuits. When they separate from the edge of the pan, they are almost ready. If you’re using cast iron, you can remove from heat, because cast iron hold heat evenly and for longer than other types of baking dishes. The biscuits are done when they are doubled in size and golden brown.

Shannon and I would like to thank all of you for sharing our recipes all year round. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and check back every Wednesday for a new video. Enjoy your Christmas, and try to stay off the naughty list. I bet you’ll get a little something extra if you leave some of these jalapeno cheddar buttermilk biscuits by the fire for Old Saint Nick.