There was a period in my life when I thought that biscuits were only made from Bisquick.  Boy am I glad I was wrong about that.  I just couldn’t understand why the biscuits I would make tasted so different from the biscuits I would get elsewhere.  Then I made my first buttermilk biscuit, and I was forever changed.  Biscuits made from flour and buttermilk can be so fluffy they almost melt in your mouth.  I love when they get crisp on the outside, and so nice and tender on the inside.  My favorite way to eat a biscuit is dipped in honey.  Although, a biscuit stuffed with a fried egg and ham is also pretty fantastic.

I saw these biscuits in Bon Appetit, and they were calling out to me.  Ok – biscuits made with bacon and cheddar – what could be better?  Nothing.  And these biscuits, they were amazing.  Beautifully fluffy on the inside, and so buttery tasting, they didn’t even need butter.  After I had one plain, I took another and dipped it in honey, and oh my goodness – what a treat.

This recipe makes 12 large biscuits – if you are looking for smaller biscuits, drop them by 1/3 cup instead of 1/2, and cook them for about 15 minutes or less.  Also – I cooked the bacon in the oven using my convection setting – at 400°F.  I left the recipe as is, since many people prefer to fry bacon up in a pan – but if you have a convection oven, I highly recommend that – it is easy, clean, and makes very crispy bacon.

Ingredients

• 6 thick-cut bacon slices
• 3 3/4 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus melted butter for brushing
• 2 1/2 cups (packed) coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 12 ounces)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1 3/4 cups chilled buttermilk
• Honey (optional)

Preparation

Position rack just above center of oven and pre-heat to 400°F. Line heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, then chop coarsely.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter cubes. Blend until coarse meal forms, about 30 seconds. Transfer flour mixture to large bowl. Add cheddar cheese, fresh chives, and chopped bacon; toss to blend. Gradually add buttermilk, stirring to moisten evenly (batter will feel sticky).

Using lightly floured hands, drop generous 1/2 cup batter for each biscuit onto prepared baking sheet, spacing batter mounds about 2 inches apart.

Bake biscuits until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Brush biscuits lightly with melted butter. Let cool 10 minutes. Serve biscuits warm or at room temperature with honey, if desired.  Makes 12 large biscuits.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Cheddar, Bacon, and Fresh Chive Biscuits