Flaky Bacon and Chive Biscuits

If you love flaky biscuits with a tender texture and a lot of taste, then you'll love these flaky bacon and chive biscuits. Made with a few simple ingredients, they get their flakiness from the buttermilk and butter. Then enjoy them as a tasty snack or as part of a larger meal.

Why does the butter need to be cold?

Rubbing the grated, cold butter into the flour mixture is a key step that gives the biscuits their flaky texture. The moisture that evaporates when the cold fat comes in contact with the heat from the oven during baking is what creates the fine-grained layers and flaky texture in the biscuits. 

What other mix-ins can I use?

There is a load of options for adding extra ingredients to your biscuits. You may use ham cut into tiny pieces, shredded parmesan, chopped fresh rosemary, roasted garlic, prosciutto, jalapeños, thyme, or pepper jack cheese.

What can I serve with the biscuits?

One of our favorite ways to enjoy the biscuits is just covered with lots of butter when they are warm so it melts. Or you could make them into a breakfast option with some eggs and grits. Another option is to serve as a brunch item with white sausage gravy or even alongside a hearty stew.

What you need to make flaky bacon and chive biscuits

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Butter
• Buttermilk
• Crispy cooked bacon
• Fresh chives

How to make the recipe

Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and pepper with a whisk.

Grate the butter on the large hole setting and finely chop the remaining nub on a sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Add the butter to the flour mixture, kneading it with your fingers until it's uniform.

Make a hole in the center of the mixture. Pour in the buttermilk and fold everything together with a big spoon or rubber spatula. 

Sprinkle with the chives and bacon, then continue to fold the dough until it starts to come together. Do not overwork the dough or the biscuits will be tough.

Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and pat it into a 1-inch thick rectangle.

Fold one side in, then the other. Turn the dough horizontally. Gently flatten it into a 1-inch thick rectangle once again. Repeat the process three to four more times.

Using a 2 ½-inch round cutter, cut out the biscuits. Re-roll scraps until no more dough is available. You should be left with around 8 biscuits.

On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, arrange the biscuits close together. Make sure they are in touch with one another.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Storing and reheating the biscuits

Place the entire pan of uncooked biscuits in the freezer overnight to freeze them. You may remove them from the parchment paper and place them into a freezer bag for up to three months once they have been frozen.

Allow the frozen biscuits to defrost before baking them. Baking them as usual will cause them to cook unevenly and possibly shatter, so wait until they're completely thawed before cooking.

You may also freeze the cooled, biscuits after they've been baked. Simply defrost the biscuit and re-bake it to refresh its texture.

To reheat baked biscuits: Wrap them in foil and place in a 300°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes. If the biscuits are frozen, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, 

Recipe tips

When it comes time to cut the biscuits, press your biscuit ring straight down without twisting, and dip it in flour between each cut.

Place the biscuits close together on the baking sheet for soft crust. If you prefer a crispy crust, place them about 1-inch apart, 

You can change the size of the biscuit if you want them to be larger or smaller. Just remember to adjust the baking time accordingly as smaller biscuits cook quicker and larger ones take longer.