Herb and Gruyère Cream Biscuits

Name: Herb and Gruyère Cream Biscuits
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) cubes; ¾ cup (75 g) Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated; 2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, and chives), finely chopped; ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream, cold; ½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) freshly ground black pepper; ⅛ teaspoon (¼ g) cayenne pepper (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

These flaky, tender savory biscuits combine the buttery richness of the classic biscuit method with nutty Gruyère cheese and bright fresh herbs. The key is keeping all ingredients cold and working the dough minimally to achieve a delicate, tender crumb. Perfect for serving warm with butter, alongside a salad, or crumbled into a soup.

Prep: 18 min
Cook: 15 min
Wait: 3 min
Total: 36 min
Makes: 12 biscuits (serves 4–5)

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Steps

Before you start

Keep your butter and heavy cream very cold; store them in the refrigerator until you're ready to use them—this is essential for flaky biscuits
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) while you gather ingredients
Measure and arrange all ingredients before you begin mixing (mise en place) to minimize handling of the dough

1
Preheat oven and prepare panOven 400°F / 205°C
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Ready when: oven is fully preheated and baking sheet is ready
2
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using) until evenly combined, about 1 minute.
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Ready when: dry ingredients are evenly combined with no streaks
3
Cut cold butter into flour
- Cut the cold cubed butter and scatter it over the flour mixture.
- Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour with quick, light motions until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
- This should take 3–4 minutes.
- Avoid overworking or the biscuits will be tough.
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Ready when: mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized butter pieces throughout
Tip: Work quickly to keep the butter cold and separate, which creates flaky layers in the baked biscuits.
4
Fold in cheese and herbs
- Gently fold in the grated Gruyère cheese and chopped fresh herbs using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
- Fold gently until they are evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture, about 1–2 minutes.
- Be careful not to overwork.
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Ready when: cheese and herbs are evenly distributed throughout the flour
Tip: Fold gently; the goal is to keep the butter in small separate pieces, not to blend everything into a smooth dough.
5
Add cold cream and mix
- Pour the cold heavy cream over the flour mixture.
- Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the ingredients together until just combined.
- The dough will be slightly sticky and have a shaggy appearance.
- Stop folding as soon as you no longer see dry flour—overmixing will toughen the biscuits.
- A few streaks of flour are preferable to overworking.
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Ready when: dough is shaggy and slightly sticky with no visible dry flour
Tip: Less mixing equals fluffier biscuits; resist the urge to make the dough perfectly smooth.
6
Shape and cut biscuits
- Lightly flour a work surface.
- Turn the dough out and gently pat it into an even layer about ¾ inch thick.
- Using a 2-inch (5 cm) biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut out biscuits with a straight downward motion (do not twist).
- Arrange each biscuit on the prepared baking sheet with about 1 inch of space between them.
- You should get 10–12 biscuits.
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Ready when: 10–12 biscuits are cut and evenly spaced on the baking sheet
Tip: Use a straight, downward cutting motion (not a twisting motion) to help biscuits rise evenly and straight rather than tilting.
7
Bake until goldenOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes until the tops are light golden brown.
- The biscuits should feel firm to the touch on top.
- Check at the 12-minute mark; biscuits typically reach perfect color right around 13–14 minutes.
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Ready when: tops are light golden brown and biscuits feel firm on top; not dark brown
Tip: Limit oven opening to once, around the 12-minute mark. Each opening causes temperature drop and can deflate rising biscuits.
8
Cool and serve
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the biscuits cool on the hot pan for 2–3 minutes; they'll firm up a bit as they cool.
- Serve them warm, ideally within a few minutes of removing from the oven.
- They're delicious plain, with a dollop of butter, or alongside soups and salads.
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Ready when: biscuits are slightly firm and cool enough to handle
Tip: These biscuits are best enjoyed warm. If they cool completely, you can refresh them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–4 minutes.

Good to know

Tips

Keep all ingredients and equipment cold: refrigerate the mixing bowl, measure out the cold butter and cream just before using, and work quickly to prevent the butter from softening.
Do not overmix the dough: the more you work it, the tougher the biscuits become. A slightly shaggy texture is ideal.
A straight downward cut with the biscuit cutter (no twisting) helps biscuits rise straight and tall rather than tilting to one side.
For extra flavor, brush the tops of the shaped biscuits with a thin layer of egg wash or heavy cream before baking for a golden, shiny finish.

Make ahead

You can prepare the dry ingredients (flour, salt, pepper) up to 1 day ahead. On the day you want to bake, mix in the cold butter, cheese, and herbs, then add the cream and shape. Alternatively, you can shape unbaked biscuits and refrigerate them for up to 4 hours before baking—add 2–3 minutes to the baking time.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–4 minutes before serving. Freezer: Freeze unbaked biscuits on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 400°F (200°C) for 18–20 minutes. Baked biscuits can also be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature and reheat as directed above.

Substitutions

Gruyère cheese → Swiss cheese, Emmental, or sharp white cheddar. Use the same amount (¾ cup, 75 g). Swiss and Emmental will be milder; cheddar will be sharper and more tangy.
fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, and chives) → Fresh tarragon, dill, or a mix of fresh parsley and chives. Use the same amount (2 tablespoons, 8 g), or replace 1 tablespoon fresh with ½ teaspoon dried herbs for a more concentrated flavor.
heavy cream, cold → Buttermilk mixed with 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter. Use ¾ cup (180 ml) of the mixture. The biscuits will be slightly less rich but still tender and flaky.
all-purpose flour → 1½ cups all-purpose flour + ½ cup whole wheat flour. Whole wheat will add a nuttier flavor and slightly denser crumb. Mix the flours before combining with the other dry ingredients.