Bacon Beer and Cheddar Biscuits

Bacon beer and cheddar biscuits bring three big flavors into one warm, craggy round. When the air turns cool and you want something hearty next to a bowl of chili, these are the kind of biscuit that disappears fast.

These are forgiving biscuits, the kind you can make on a whim when company shows up. A light hand on the dough is really the only trick worth remembering.

Pat the dough together gently and stop mixing the moment it holds; overworking is what turns a tender biscuit tough.

Why You’ll Love These Cheddar Biscuits

• The bacon stays crisp and salty against the soft, buttery crumb.
• Sharp cheddar melts into pockets that turn golden at the edges.
• A heavier beer gives these bacon beer and cheddar biscuits a malty depth you taste in the background.

Ingredient Notes

Here are a few notes on the pieces that matter most; you will find the exact measurements in the recipe card below. A little planning on the bacon and beer goes a long way toward a great cheddar biscuit.

• Bacon: cook it until crisp, crumble it, and save a couple tablespoons of the fat for the dough.
• Cheddar cheese: shred it yourself for the best melt and a sharper bite.
• Beer: reach for something with body, like a lager or amber, not a light beer.
• Shortening: it works with the bacon fat to keep the crumb tender.

You do not need anything fancy in the way of equipment. A big mixing bowl, a baking sheet, and a round cutter or a sturdy glass will get you there.

How to Make Bacon Beer and Cheddar Biscuits

Making bacon beer and cheddar biscuits is mostly about mixing gently and not fussing. Here is the short version so you know what to expect before you start.

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper, then pinch in the bacon fat and shortening just until rough.
3. Add the cheese, bacon, and beer and mix only until the dough comes together.
4. Pat the dough into a round about 1 1/2 inches thick on a floured counter.
5. Cut into rounds, set them on the baking sheet, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden.

This batch makes about 6 biscuits, and you can double everything for a crowd. To get ahead, cut the rounds and chill them on the sheet for up to 1 hour before baking. For a different night, try them next to these blue cheese buffalo chicken meatballs.

Storage Options

These cheddar biscuits are best the day they are baked, but they keep well with a little care. Warm leftovers briefly so the cheese softens again.

1. Counter: store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
2. Fridge: keep sealed for up to 5 days and reheat before serving.
3. Freezer: wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months, then warm in the oven.

Variations & Substitutions

The base recipe takes well to small swaps, so use what you like for your bacon and cheddar biscuits. Just keep the dry-to-wet balance close to the original.

1. Swap in pepper jack for a little heat in place of cheddar.
2. Use turkey bacon if you want a lighter option.
3. Stir in a tablespoon of chopped chives or scallions for color.
4. No beer on hand? Buttermilk works as a tangy stand-in.

What to Serve with Bacon Beer and Cheddar Biscuits

Bacon beer and cheddar biscuits shine next to anything warm and saucy. They are built for sopping up broth and gravy on a cold night.

1. A big bowl of chili or beef stew.
2. Tomato soup for a grown-up grilled cheese moment.
3. Roast chicken with plenty of pan juices.
4. A hearty pasta night like this veggie and sausage bake.

Still have a few questions before you preheat the oven? Here are the ones that come up most often.

Once you pull a tray of these from the oven, do not be surprised when noses start pressing against the kitchen door. Serve them warm and watch the basket empty.

A Beautiful Bite

Bacon Beer and Cheddar Biscuits

4.67 from 3 votes

The perfect carb for the man in your life. Beer bacon and cheese biscuits. Earthy, smoky and addicting.

Prep:15 minutes mins

Cook:20 minutes mins

Total:35 minutes mins

Servings:6 biscuit

Author:A Beautiful Bite

Print

Rate Pin

Save this recipe

Enter your email and I’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.

Email address

Email me this recipe

Website

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 10 oz bacon cooked crisp and crumbled (reserve 2 Tbsp of bacon fat)
• ▢ 2 cups flour
• ▢ 3 tsp baking powder
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ fresh cracked black pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 Tbsp shortening
• ▢ 8 oz cheddar cheese shredded
• ▢ 1 cup beer use something heavier, not Bud Light

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 450º.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Add 2 Tbsp bacon fat and shortening. Using fingers, pinch the fats into the flour mixture. You want to just slightly work it into the mix.
• Add cheese, bacon and beer. Mix just until it comes together. Dump the dough onto a floured countertop and form dough into a 1½” thick round. Don’t overwork the dough. Just pat it together and lightly flatten it to the 1½” thickness. Overworking the dough will make it tough.
• Cut into rounds and place on baking sheet. Bake in a 450º oven for 15 to 20 minutes. They will be golden brown and people will have their noses pressed to the oven door. Especially the men.
• Serve warm.

Nutrition

Serving: 1biscuitCalories: 559kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 19gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4.9gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.6gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 806mgPotassium: 178mgFiber: 1.1gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 19800IUCalcium: 4130mgIron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this?Leave a comment!

💡 Kitchen guide: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Buttermilk