Description
These traditional Irish Biscuits are tender, flaky, and packed with rich Irish Cheddar cheese and fresh green onions. Perfect for breakfast or as a savory snack, they combine cold butter and buttermilk for a light, flaky texture and a deliciously cheesy flavor. Baked to golden perfection, these biscuits are simple to make and guaranteed to delight any cheese lover.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising flour (plus more for kneading)
- ¼ tsp baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 7 Tbsp very cold salted butter (cut into small pieces)
- ¾ cup buttermilk (plus additional for brushing)
Flavorings and Toppings
- ½ cup shredded Irish Cheddar cheese (such as Dubliner), divided, plus more for topping
- ⅓ cup sliced green onions, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the biscuits from sticking and to ensure even baking.
- Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter: In a large bowl, whisk together the self-rising flour and baking soda. Add the cold, cubed butter pieces, and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, about 5 minutes.
- Add buttermilk: Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in ¾ cup of buttermilk. Stir gently with a fork just until the mixture begins to come together into a dough ball with some lumps – avoid over-mixing for tender biscuits.
- Shape the dough: Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Press it into a rectangular shape and fold it into thirds using a bench scraper, then press into a rectangle again, flouring the surface as needed.
- Roll and layer: Roll the dough out to ½-inch thickness with a rolling pin. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese and sliced green onions over the dough. Fold the dough into thirds again, dust with flour if sticky, and roll out to ½-inch thickness once more.
- Final shaping: Top the rolled-out dough with the remaining cheese and green onions. Fold once more and roll out to ½-inch thickness. Use a 2- or 3-inch round cutter to cut out 12 biscuits from the dough.
- Prepare for baking: Place the cut biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Lightly brush the tops with a bit of buttermilk to encourage browning.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and serve: Remove the biscuits from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is very cold before cutting into the flour to achieve a flaky texture.
- Do not over-mix the dough; some lumps and unevenness are desirable for tender biscuits.
- Folding the dough multiple times creates layers for flakiness similar to puff pastry.
- If buttermilk isn't available, you can substitute with regular milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to sour it.
- Use a sharp biscuit cutter without twisting to keep biscuit edges clean and allow proper rising.
- Serve warm with butter or your favorite jam for a traditional treat.
