These Ham and Cheddar Biscuits are soft, flaky, and filled with smoky ham and melted cheese, making them perfect for breakfast, brunch, or supper.
A while back, I got tagged with bringing something to a graduation brunch. After a little back and forth in my head, I landed on biscuits, but I couldn’t leave well enough alone, so I gave them a ham and cheddar twist. Ever since, these Ham and Cheddar Biscuits have ended up being the thing everyone makes a beeline for at just about any brunch spread.
They’re flaky, buttery biscuits loaded with melty cheddar and dotted with salty, smoky ham. And hear me out, they’re oddly perfect with a little strawberry jelly or jam. That sweet and salty thing just works.
You can serve these for breakfast or brunch, tuck one into a lunchbox, or put them on the table with supper. They’re also dangerous just warm from the oven all by themselves. I may or may not have eaten one as soon as I finished taking the pictures.
Can I Use a Different Cheese?
Absolutely! While sharp cheddar gives these biscuits that classic, tangy flavor, you can easily swap in your favorite. Colby Jack, Swiss, or even pepper jack all work great. Just be sure to use a cheese that melts well so you still get that gooey, cheese biscuits effect.
What Kind of Ham Should I Use?
I typically use something along the lines of a ham steak for these Cheddar and Ham Biscuits. I like to chop it into small pieces. It’s thick, flavorful, and gives the biscuits that perfect bite of smoky, salty ham in every piece. That said, pretty much any kind of ham will work once chopped up. Leftover ham, like baked or smoked ham, also works great, especially when you’ve got it around the holidays.
Can I Make These Biscuits Ahead of Time?
Yes! These biscuits reheat so well and make for perfect leftovers. You can bake them a day ahead, let them cool completely, and store them in an airtight container. They also freeze well. Simply wrap tightly before putting in the freezer and thaw overnight before reheating.
What’s the Best Way to Serve Ham and Cheddar Biscuits?
These biscuits are great all on their own, but they are also delicious when served warm with a little strawberry jelly or pepper jelly for that sweet-and-salty combo. They pair great with scrambled eggs or grits for breakfast, and they’re right at home alongside soups, salads, or a hearty supper.
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) block sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 ½ cups self-rising flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter divided
- 1 cup finely diced smoked ham
- ¾ to 1 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Shred the cheese on a box grater and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Add ½ cup of the cold butter to the flour mixture and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into pieces about the size of peas.
- Stir in the cheese and ham and mix well to combine. Pour about ¾ cup of buttermilk into the bowl and mix well. If the dough is still too crumbly, gradually add more milk to get it to the point there you can roll it out, but not too sticky.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Sprinkle some additional flour over the dough. Knead the dough lightly, being sure to fold it over on itself three to four times. Gently roll or pat the dough to about ¾-inch thick. Use a 2 ½" to 3" biscuit cutter to cut the biscuits by pressing strain down to cut them. Take care to not twist the cutter. Use a straight up and down motion. Transfer the biscuits to the prepared pan. Rework the dough and continue to cut biscuits until all the dough has been used.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and brush the tops of each biscuit. Bake 14 to 16 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
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Can please tell me the butter in grams because many of us that follow you are not from America
You’ll need 113 grams of butter for the biscuit dough and about 28 grams to melt and brush the tops.
I’m going to use country ham in my biscuits, do I need to cook the ham first?
You could certainly dice it up and sauté it quickly to be safe.
Good morning😊 I made these last night & they were delicious. The only thing I had to change was the oven temp. to 400🥰
So glad you enjoyed them!
If I choose to use bagged grated cheese, how many cups should I use? I know it is better when you grate it yourself but I have 2 bags of grated on hand I need to use. Thanks
It should be 1 a 8-ounce bag or about two cups.
Can I use Bisquic mix instead? I don’t have a whole lot of time, I work 16 hours a day, 5 days a week, otherwise I will use your recipe.
You can! I’d recommend using the instructions on the box for making biscuits and just stir in the ham and cheese before adding the wet ingredients.
Does it matter what type of ham that you use? Ham steak diced or a thick cut piece of lunch meat type ham? Thank you
I typically use something more along the lines of a ham steak, but I suppose sliced ham would work as well.
I was wondering if they could be made with regular sweet milk? I just absolutely detest buttermilk. Thank you.
I would imagine it could work. You could also make a buttermilk substitute by adding about a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of whole or 2% milk and allowing it to curdle for a few minutes.
These are amazing! Thank you!
So glad to hear you enjoyed them!!
We don’t buy self rising flour, you might want to include a recipe for making your own. Thanks, we love your recipes! So many good ones.
Thanks, Kathy! Unfortunately, I can’t include substitutions for every family’s dietary requirements or shopping preferences, but I’m going to link the video I have showing how to turn all-purpose flour into self-rising here. Hope that helps! https://southernbite.com/turn-all-purpose-flour-into-self-rising-flour/
Hi there Stacey!
I just made these today for the first time, to use up some leftover ham. Wow! They are so good! They ended up making 16 due to the size of my cutter and now I am down to three! I am guarding the remainder with my life so I get to enjoy one more… Thanks for the recipe! It will be a repeat. It was so easy too!
Ha! I’m tickled you enjoyed these so much!
Hi Stacey, I have been meaning to comment on this recipe for a long time now. I have made these biscuits about a million times. I don’t even need to refer to the recipe anymore! LOL Everyone that I share them with absolutely loves them! Thanks for a winner! Love your website.
Thanks, Lisa! I’m so happy to hear you’ve enjoyed this one so much!!
Hi Stacey! Wondering if the biscuits can be made ahead and frozen, then baked just before serving? Tiny kitchen, lots of people…make-ahead is crucial! Thanks!
Absolutely!
Ooooh Stacey! Sounds absolutely DELISH! A MUST try for this Southern girl. Love the Borden cheese idea and the wonderful story behind it! Time to by-pass all the KRAFT. Thanks Stacey! 🙂
Ha! Enjoy, Kae!
Do you think these would work as drop biscuits, without rolling and cutting?
You’ll probably want to add a little extra milk to get them to the consistency that they can be dropped, but yes.
These look so good, I’m going to make them for dinner tonight!! If you want to omit the Ham, do you need to adjust any other ingredients? Thanks, Stacey, we really enjoy Southern Bite!
Thanks, Kathy! The recipe should still work just fine. 🙂
Oh my goodness, Stacey! I don’t even eat ham but I would eat these biscuits. They look absolutely amazing and sound delicious. I can totally imagine them being amazing with jelly! I love salt/sweet.
Thank you! I just love that salty/sweet combo!!
Oh Mercy!
These look fantastic! Can’t wait to make them. Hopefully, this weekend!
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Sure hope you’ll enjoy!!