North Carolina Cheese Biscuits

It can't get any cheesier than a North Carolina cheese biscuit. Stuffed with a whopping amount of Cheddar, these biscuits have a molten cheese center seeping into each bite of the ultra-moist and tender biscuit. Its crisp edges contrast its fluffy interior. And they wouldn’t be North Carolina biscuits if they weren’t the size of a cat’s head. Massively large and rich, these biscuits combine a buttery classic with Eastern Carolina tradition. These would be great on any plate of sausage and eggs, but honestly, they stand on their own as a satisfying breakfast.

⏱️ 25

Prep Time (min)

🔥 25

Cook Time (min)

🍽️ 6

Servings

Medium

Difficulty

Dinner

📝 Ingredients

8 Tbsp. (4 oz.) cold unsalted butter, divided, plus more for greasing
8 oz. mild Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
4 cups (about 1 lb. 1 oz.) soft-wheat all-purpose flour (such as White Lily), plus more for work surface
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 cups whole buttermilk

👨‍🍳 Instructions

Gather all ingredients.
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Heavily grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with butter; set aside. Working with 1/3 cup (about 1 1/3 ounces) of cheese at a time, press tightly into a firm ball (about 1-inch in diameter). Repeat with remaining 1 2/3 cups cheese to form 6 balls and set aside.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Cut 6 tablespoons of the butter into 1/2-inch cubes, and toss in flour mixture to coat. Using your hands, pinch butter firmly to flatten and break up pieces until mixture resembles coarse meal, with small chunks of butter remaining.
Stir in buttermilk with a flexible spatula until just combined. (Dough will be slightly wet.)
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and lightly sprinkle with flour; divide evenly into 6 equal pieces (about 6 ounces each). Working with 1 dough piece at a time, gently flatten into a 4-inch round (about 1/2-inch-thick). Place 1 cheese ball in center of dough, and gently pull edges over cheese to completely enclose; pinch to seal. Repeat with remaining 5 dough pieces and 5 cheese balls, arranging biscuits in prepared skillet seam-side down.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium-low. Brush biscuits with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter.
Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Brush biscuits immediately with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Let biscuits cool in skillet for 5 minutes, then invert onto a large plate. Break biscuits apart and turn right side up. Serve warm.

💡 Notes & Tips

Store leftover, cooled biscuits at room temperature for up to one day or in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Reheat in a 350ºF oven for 8 to 12 minutes. Or you can microwave for 15 to 30 seconds.

You can freeze unbaked and stuffed biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet until firm, then place in a resealable plastic bag. Bake from frozen at 425ºF in greased skillet, adding an extra 5 to 10 minutes as needed.

Make sure you shred your own cheese for this recipe. Pre-shredded will not compact into a ball or melt as well and create that molten center.

Your butter should be as cold as possible. You can cut it into cubes and keep in the fridge until ready to use. Don’t overwork butter into dough as you want it to stay fairly cold.

If the dough gets too warm after mixing, you can place it back in the fridge for about 10 minutes before stuffing and baking.

Hoop cheese will offer the best molten cheesy center. However, it can be hard to find, so use mild Cheddar as an alternative.