Pimento Cheese Biscuits
Cookbook
Pimento Cheese: The Cookbook: 50 Recipes from Snacks to Main Dishes Inspired by the Classic Southern Favorite
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
The combination of two Southern favorites-the buttermilk biscuit and pimento cheese-is ingenious. Standing in front of the open fridge door the night of a holiday brunch party years ago, I spread some pimento cheese on a leftover biscuit, and it hit me that I could save that pesky spreading step and create a one-bite wonder. These gems are the perfect pairing for a bowl of soup, but it doesn’t end there, Try a dab of butter and a little country ham, or a dab of butter and some crispy bacon. Make that candied bacon and you are on your way to heaven. I also make these in little cocktail-size bites and serve them at parties, either with butter alone, or something yummy tucked inside.
Makes8 biscuits
Cooking MethodBaking
CostInexpensive
Make Ahead RecipeYes
Kid FriendlyYes
OccasionBuffet, Casual Dinner Party, Family Get-together, Game Day
Recipe CourseAppetizer, Side Dish
Dietary ConsiderationHalal, Kosher, Peanut Free, Soy Free, Tree Nut Free
EquipmentElectric Mixer
MealBreakfast, Brunch, Dinner
Taste and TextureButtery, Cheesy, Savory
Type of DishBiscuits, Bread, Quickbreads
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, plus a bit for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cold
- ½ cup buttermilk, well-shaken and cold, plus a little for brushing
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup grated extra-sharp orange cheddar cheese
- One 4-ounce jar diced pimentos, rinsed, drained and patted dry
- Sea salt for sprinkling, preferably maldon sea salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Put the flour; baking powder; salt, paprika, and garlic powder in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir together with a fork. Cut the butter into small cubes and drop them in the flour. Attach the bowl to the mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, and blend the butter and flour on low speed until the butter is the size of small BBs. You want some butter blended in, but the visible small pieces of butter will make the biscuits fluffy.
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Measure the buttermilk in a measuring cup, crack in the egg, add the Worcestershire sauce, and beat it with a fork until the mixture is well blended. With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk mixture all at once and blend just until everything is moistened.
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Toss the cheese with a little flour; and do the same to the pimentos. This step keeps the cheese and pimentos from clumping together so they blend throughout the dough. Drop them both in the mixer and, still on low speed, beat until everything just starts to come together.
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Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and gently bring it all together, kneading just a few times. Handle it with care and don’t overwork the dough, or the biscuits will be tough. A few pimentos may stick to the board or fall out; just stick ’em back in. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 6 x 10 inches, using the back of a large knife or bench scraper to square off the ends. Flour the knife or scraper, and cut the dough into 8 squares (see Recipe Note). Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, lightly brush the tops with a little buttermilk, and sprinkle with sea salt.
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Bake the biscuits for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned and baked through. Serve warm, or wrap tightly and store in an airtight container. Reheat gently before serving.
Note
I generally cut these into squares to avoid wasting or rerolling dough, but if you prefer, you can cut them into rounds as you would a regular biscuit.
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2014 Perre Coleman Magness
