Gruyere and Herb Biscuits

There is nothing like a good flakey tall biscuit. Spread with butter and jam, smothered with sausage gravy, turned into a biscuit breakfast sandwich, or enjoyed all by itself, a buttery biscuit is perfection. For a long time, I couldn’t figure out how to make the perfect biscuits and since they have relatively few ingredients, it seemed like a simple task. There are a few tricks that I’ll share below so that you can enjoy these gruyere and herb biscuits! Make them for your weekend breakfast or as a side for Easter dinner. They’re versatile and delicious. I used a mix of thyme and rosemary for my herbs, but you can use whatever herbs you like! For example, sage and thyme would give a hint of fall. You can also substitute the gruyere cheese for cheddar, Swiss, or parmesan cheeses.

How to Make the Best Biscuits

• Cold ingredients are so important. I keep my butter in the refrigerator or even freezer until I’m ready to use it and then shred it with a box grater. This insures my butter is kept very cold and that the pieces are already in the perfect size for flakey layers without needing to use my hands. Keep your buttermilk in the refrigerator until ready to use as well.
• Don’t overwork the dough! Mixing too much will give you tough biscuits.
• Cut your biscuits straight down. I used to use a biscuit cutter and rotate it after I cut, but what this does is seal the layers and prevents the biscuits from rising nice and tall. See the buttery, flakey layers in the picture? I use a bench scraper to cut these biscuits into square and ensure that I press it straight down.
• Freeze your biscuits. This is a tip that I also use for scones, but freezing the biscuits after they are cut gets them extra cold to make sure they rise up instead of spreading out. I freeze mine for 40-45 minutes before baking.
• Brush the tops. I use heavy cream but you can also brush with melted butter or even an egg wash to get a nice shiny top for the most aesthetically pleasing biscuit!

How to Make Gruyere and Herb Biscuits:

• In a bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Use a box grater to grate your cold butter. I keep mine in the refrigerator or freezer, whatever is easiest for you! Add this to the flour mixture and toss to combine.
• Add the shredded cheese and fresh herbs and mix again. If you’re shredded the cheese after you’ve added the butter to the flour, put the bowl in the refrigerator to stay cold.
• Pour the buttermilk into the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Overmixing will give you tough biscuits!
• Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and press it into a large rectangle. Fold the rectangle in half and press it again. Repeat this process for a third time.
• Use a bench scraper to cut the biscuits straight down into squares. You can also use a biscuit cutter, but whatever you use it’s important to cut straight down to ensure you don’t seal the edges and that the biscuits can raise up nice and tall.
• Transfer the cut biscuits to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 40-45 minutes.
• When it’s time to bake, preheat the oven and brush the tops with heavy cream, egg wash, or butter (I use heavy cream). Bake until golden brown and enjoy those flakey layers!

These gruyere and herb biscuits are delicious and this is the only biscuit recipe you’ll ever need! The perfect side dish to any meal and great for breakfast too!