Smoked Cheddar Biscuits With Hot Smoked Paprika

Holy smokes!  We’re making biscuits!

To be honest, I can’t believe I haven’t posted a biscuit recipe on this site yet.  We love biscuits.  A warm, flaky biscuit pretty much complements any meal.  And now that cozy fall and dare I say winter (gasp) days are coming, biscuits are a comfort food like no other.
 

Biscuits and gravy, biscuits and soup, biscuits to top chicken pot pie.  Biscuits are awesome.  Even more awesome when you add a double whammy of smoke: smoked cheddar and hot smoked paprika. 

These biscuits were so easy.  Remember way back when I told you about this book Ratio that I was excited about?  Biscuits are one of the first things in that book.  A 3:1:2 ratio of flour to fat to liquid.  Add a pinch of salt for flavour and you’re there. 

So next time you make soup, make these.  You won’t be sorry.

P.S.  I added a lot of cheese to these biscuits, because I’m a grown up and I can do whatever I want.
 
Smoked Cheddar Biscuits with Hot Smoked Paprika

9 oz. all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 oz. (6 tbsp.) cold butter
1 1/2 cups (loosely packed) grated smoked cheddar cheese
6 oz. buttermilk
Heavy cream (to brush the tops)
Hot smoked paprika for sprinkling

When ready to bake, heat oven to 400F.  Prepare a parchment or baking mat lined baking sheet.
 
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cut cold butter into small pieces and cut into flour mixtures until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in grated cheese.  Add buttermilk and stir just dough comes together.  Use your hands to knead the dough a couple of times (not too many, we don’t want to melt the butter!).   

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about 1 inch thick.  Cut out circles for circular biscuits (I made mine about 2 inches in diameter), or cut into 2 inch squares.  Place on the prepared baking sheet.  Brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with hot smoked paprika (as much as you like).  Bake in the center of the preheated oven until golden brown and flaky all the way through, about 15-20 minutes. 
 
Makes about 10 biscuits.