Happy Belated Father’s Day!  I meant to get this posted last week, but it has turned out to be a busy few weeks for me!  It’s never too late to make or give something to your dad to show your appreciation.

Cheddar, Bacon, and Chive Buttermilk Biscuits are delicious anytime, not just for Father’s Day!

These are a type of drop biscuit, so there’s no need to fold or roll out the dough.  This saves a lot of time and no dough goes to waste!

Cheddar, Bacon, and Chive Buttermilk Biscuits

Yield: 24 biscuits

Ingredients:

6 bacon slices, cooked and coarsely chopped
3 3/4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes, plus melted butter for brushing
2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, plus 1/2 cup shredded cheese for sprinkling on tops of biscuits (about 15 oz)
1 Tbsp dried chives
1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Pulse to combine.  Add butter, a little at a time, and blend (pulsing a few times) until a coarse meal forms.  Transfer to a large bowl.  Stir in cheddar cheese, chives, and bacon.  Slowly add buttermilk, until batter is evenly moistened.  Don’t worry, it will be somewhat sticky.  (Do not over mix.)

2.  Using a large spoon, drop large scoops (about 1/4 cup of batter) onto a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet.  I fit 9 biscuits per baking sheet.  Top each biscuit with a little bit of shredded cheese.

 3.  Bake biscuits until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.  Brush biscuits with melted butter while warm.  I enjoy mine best when served warm.

Tips and Thoughts:

These biscuits are best when made with bread flour, but if you don’t have bread flour, you can use all-purpose flour.  The texture will be slightly different, but they will still taste good!

The original recipe called for fresh chives, and they are excellent if you have them on-hand (substitute about 1/4 cup).  I’m not always great at planning ahead, so it’s nice to have dried chives stocked in your spice pantry, which you can use at any time.

I love aged sharp cheddar cheese, but if the taste is too strong, feel free to substitute a milder cheddar.

Using a food processor saves a lot of time, but you can always cut the butter in (during step 1) with a pastry cutter or two knives.  You don’t necessarily need large pieces of butter in this dough as with some biscuits.

**These biscuits freeze beautifully!  You can either shape them, freeze, and then bake them for an additional few minutes. Or, they can be baked first and then frozen.  In this case, I reheat mine in the toaster oven or microwave, but you could also use the oven.

Source: Adapted from Bon Appetit, February 2010