Jalapeño Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits
Savory drop biscuits studded with sharp cheddar and bright jalapeños, with cornmeal adding a subtle sweetness and tender crumb. The drop method means no rolling or cutting—just fold and scoop. Perfect alongside chili, hearty soups, or breakfast scrambles, or enjoyed on their own.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 13 min
- Wait
- 4 min
- Total
- 32 min
- Makes
- About 12 biscuits
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) so it's ready when the dough is mixed
- Use cold butter and buttermilk straight from the refrigerator; cold ingredients create flakier biscuits
- If using fresh jalapeños, wear gloves to protect your hands from the capsaicin oils
- Have your baking sheet lined with parchment paper before you start mixing
Preheat and prepareOven 400°F / 205°C
- Heat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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Tip: Start preheating while you gather ingredients; the oven will be ready by the time your dough is mixed.
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper (if using).
- Whisk for about 30 seconds to distribute the leavening evenly throughout the mixture.
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Ready when: Mixture is uniform with no white streaks
Tip: Whisking the dry ingredients thoroughly ensures the baking powder is evenly distributed for consistent rise.
Cut in cold butter
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes (about ½ inch / 1 cm) and add to the flour mixture.
- Using a fork, two knives, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
- This should take 2–3 minutes of work.
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Ready when: Mixture resembles coarse meal with visible pea-sized butter pieces
Tip: Keep the butter cold; if your kitchen is warm or your hands warm it up, pop the bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes before moving to the next step.
Add cheese and jalapeños
- Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and diced jalapeños, folding them in gently with a spatula until evenly distributed.
- You're combining, not kneading—just 30–45 seconds of work.
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Ready when: Cheese and jalapeños are evenly distributed throughout
Tip: Resist the urge to overmix. Excess stirring develops gluten and toughens the biscuits.
Add buttermilk
- Pour the cold buttermilk into the dry mixture all at once.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the ingredients together just until a shaggy dough comes together with no dry pockets of flour visible.
- The dough will look slightly rough and lumpy—this is correct.
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Ready when: Dough is shaggy and holds together with no dry flour visible
Tip: Stop mixing even if small lumps remain—they disappear during baking. Overmixing toughens the biscuits permanently.
Drop onto baking sheet
- Using a small ice cream scoop or a spoon, drop heaping tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- If using the egg wash, gently brush the top of each biscuit with beaten egg.
- If desired, sprinkle lightly with coarse salt.
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Ready when: Biscuits are on baking sheet, spaced evenly with egg wash applied
Tip: Using an ice cream scoop ensures uniform size so all biscuits bake evenly.
Bake until goldenOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
- A toothpick inserted into the center of a biscuit should come out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- The biscuits should smell savory and inviting.
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Ready when: Tops are golden brown; toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs
Tip: Overbaking dries them out. If the tops brown quickly but the insides seem underbaked, tent loosely with foil and bake 2 minutes more.
Cool briefly
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the biscuits cool on the pan for 3–5 minutes—they'll firm up slightly, making them easier to transfer.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Biscuits have cooled enough to handle but are still warm
Tip: They're at their best eaten warm. If serving later, store in an airtight container and reheat gently at 300°F for 5–7 minutes.
Good to know
Tips
- Keep all ingredients cold: cold butter and cold buttermilk create flakier, more tender biscuits. Pull both from the fridge just before use.
- For less heat, remove all seeds and white pith from the jalapeños. For more heat, keep some seeds in or add another ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- These biscuits are best enjoyed warm, straight from the oven, with butter or split and used as a base for breakfast sandwiches, but they reheat beautifully in a low oven.
- The drop-method dough is slightly softer than traditional rolled-and-cut biscuit dough, which is why scooping is key—it keeps the dough from spreading too thin.
Make ahead
You can prepare the dry ingredients (flour through cayenne pepper) in advance and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Cut in the cold butter and add the cheddar and jalapeños just before adding the buttermilk to keep everything cold and ensure the best texture.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Refrigerator: Layer with parchment in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat at 300°F for 5–7 minutes. Freezer: Cool completely, then wrap individually or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Reheat frozen biscuits wrapped in foil at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes until warm.
Substitutions
- Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded → Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or Gruyère cheese. Monterey Jack will be milder, Pepper Jack adds extra heat, and Gruyère adds a nuttier, more sophisticated flavor.
- Fresh jalapeños → Jarred pickled jalapeños (drained and minced), or fresh serranos. Pickled jalapeños add tanginess with less heat. Serranos are slightly hotter and smaller; use about 3–4 medium ones.
- Buttermilk, cold → Whole milk mixed with fresh lemon juice (1 tablespoon juice per 1 cup milk, let sit 5 minutes). This creates a mild acid that helps tender biscuits. Regular milk alone will work but may yield slightly denser results.
- Yellow cornmeal → Additional all-purpose flour (use 1 cup total flour + 1 cup, omit cornmeal), or polenta for a more rustic texture. Without cornmeal, you lose the subtle sweetness and slight grit, but the biscuits will still be delicious. Polenta creates a crunchier texture.
