Pimento Cheese Biscuits

There is a little bit of irony in the fact that South Florida, despite its southernmost positioning in the great US of A, could hardly be described as "Southern" in culture. With our tropical climate and proximity to Miami, we've got our own vibe going on -- more "plantain" than "plantation", if I'm being honest.

And yet, I have always had this fascination with all things Dixie. Sweet tea and porch swings and bourbon and grits. In fact, I'm fairly certain that the only fiction books I've read to completion in the past 10 years or so have all been set in the South. I even overlooked my aversion to horses {I know, I'm weird} to host a Kentucky Derby party a few years back because I'd always loved all the pomp and circumstance that came with the much anticipated sporting event.

So, when my friends at King Arthur Flour emailed me to see if I'd want to take part in their campaign for "Better Biscuits", I was just a little giddy. Because everyone knows that any Southern cook worth her cast iron skillet has a killer recipe for fluffy biscuits!

Because most biscuits are made with very few ingredients, the quality of each ingredient really matters. KAF makes a fabulous Self-Rising Flour that was made for things like biscuit-baking -- it's unbleached, with the addition of baking powder and a hint of salt, and it makes for tender, flaky baked goods. {Which is good because no one wants a gravy-covered hockey puck.}

When I opened the door to my KAF Better Biscuit delivery last week, I was psyched to see that they included just about everything I needed to really get my Southern on.

But I had to take it one step further.

PIMENTO CHEESE BISCUITS.

The rich concoction of cheese, pimentos and mayonnaise is a beloved Southern staple that shows up at just about every important occasion, from baby showers to funerals to game day tailgates. {And if you're not careful about the quantity consumed, thighs.} It's a perfect balance of tang and sharpness... and it works impeccably in these biscuits.

Now, there are just about as many biscuit-making methods as there are Southern grandmas out there, so you have to find what works for you. I actually made two versions of these, using a blender to pulse together the dough the first time, and trading in machinery for a cooks best tools {my hands} the second. I must report that while the first method works well in a pinch, there's just something about sticking your digits in the dough that makes for a better result.

Flaky biscuits speckled with bits of sharp cheddar and pimento, so good it'll bring tears to your eyes faster than a viewing of Steel Magnolias. Get to baking, y'all!

Pimento Cheese Biscuits 

The Kitchen Prep

Adapted from King Arthur Flour 

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 12 biscuits

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups King Arthur Self-Rising Flour
• ¼ cup {4 tablespoons} cold butter cut into small dice
• 4 ounces {½ a block} cold sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup to ⅔ cup cold milk {or buttermilk}
• 3 tablespoons finely diced pimentos drained

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment. {These are amazing and so convenient.}
• In a small bowl, combine milk and pimentos.
• In a large bowl, toss together flour, butter and cheese, making sure to coat the butter and cheese with the flour. With your hands or a pastry blender, work the mixture together quickly until the butter pieces are flaked into the dough. {I used the "snap" method where you rub your fingers together like you're snapping.} The goal is to get the butter incorporated into the dough without melting it too much.
• Add a little bit of the milk mixture at time and, with hands or a wooden spoon, stir it together until it is just moistened. You don't want to use too much liquid. A shaggy dough {with a bit of flour left at the bottom of the bowl} is just fine for now.
• On a well-floured surface, turn out the dough {which may still be a bit crumbly} and quickly squish it together just enough times to create a dough that holds the shape of a ball. {If you need to add a few splashes more of milk, go ahead.}
• Pat the dough into a rough disk shape, then using a floured rolling pin, roll it out to about ½ inch thickness. Punch out rounds using a biscuit cutter {or in a pinch, a round cookie cutter or an upside down drinking glass.} Don't twist, just push straight down.
• Place each biscuit onto the parchment-lined baking sheet -- you should get 12, but may need to re-roll the scraps for the last few. {Note: For soft-sided biscuits, place them with sides touching. For crunchier sides, leave about an inch of space between them.}
• Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the tops begin to turn golden. {If you'd like, you can give them a little brush of butter in the last few minutes of cooking to help the color along.}
• Serve hot!