These cheddar tea biscuits are my go-to when I want something warm and homemade on the table fast. They’re golden on the outside, soft and flaky inside, and loaded with sharp cheddar in every bite. No yeast, no rising time, and from start to finish they’re ready in under 30 minutes, which makes them perfect alongside soup, chili, or a weekend breakfast.
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Better Than Tim Hortons Biscuits
If you’ve ever grabbed a Tim Hortons biscuit with your coffee, you know the appeal: warm, cheesy, and comforting. These homemade cheddar tea biscuits hit that same spot, but they’re taller, flakier, and packed with real sharp cheddar in every bite. They also come out of your own oven fresh and hot, with no preservatives, for a fraction of the price of buying them one at a time. Once you’ve made a batch, the drive-thru version just doesn’t compare.
Why You’ll Love These Cheddar Tea Biscuits
They use simple pantry ingredients you probably already have. They’re quick enough for a weeknight and cozy enough for a holiday table. And like all my homemade bread, they skip the preservatives and mystery ingredients you’ll find in store-bought biscuit mixes and tubes.
They’re also incredibly budget friendly. I buy organic flour in bulk from Costco, which works out to about $0.25 a cup, so the flour in a whole batch costs around $0.75. If you love that kind of savings, my Pullman loaf recipe breaks down how I make organic sandwich bread for about $2 a loaf.
Cheddar Tea Biscuit Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (old or sharp cheddar gives the best flavour)
- 1 1/2 cups cold milk
Makes: about 12 biscuitsBake: 400°F for 15 to 17 minutes
Optional mix-ins: 1/4 cup diced jalapeños (fresh or pickled, patted dry) and 1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon or ham
I also double the batch and get roughly 16 large tea biscuits. You can also freeze the unbaked tea biscuits to bake at a later date.
How to Make Cheddar Tea Biscuits in a Stand Mixer
I make most of my bread in my KitchenAid stand mixer , and biscuits are no exception. The paddle attachment cuts the butter in quickly and keeps it cold, which is the secret to flaky layers.
1. Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use silicone liners like I do.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt to your stand mixer bowl and mix on low with the paddle attachment for a few seconds to combine.
3. Cut in the butter. Add the cold cubed butter and mix on low for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
4. Add the cheese and mix-ins. Toss in the shredded cheddar, plus the jalapeños and bacon or ham if using, and mix on low for a few seconds, just until everything is scattered through.
5. Add the milk. Pour in the cold milk and mix on low just until the dough comes together, about 15 to 20 seconds. Stop as soon as there’s no dry flour left. Overmixing is what makes biscuits tough.
6. Shape and cut. Turn the dough onto a well-floured counter. It will be soft and a little sticky, so flour your hands. Gently pat it to about 1 inch thick, then cut biscuits with a floured round cutter, pressing straight down without twisting so they rise tall. Gently press the scraps together to cut a few more.
7. Bake. Place the biscuits on the lined baking sheet ( I use these baking mats) , close together if you like soft sides or spaced apart for crispier edges. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until tall and golden on top.
8. Serve warm. Brush the tops with a little melted butter if you like, and serve right away.
Tips for Tall, Flaky Tea Biscuits
Keep everything cold. Cold butter and cold milk create steam pockets in the oven, which is what gives you those flaky layers.
Use sharp cheddar. Mild cheddar tends to disappear once baked. Old or extra-old cheddar holds its flavour.
Handle the dough gently. Pat, don’t knead. The less you work it, the more tender the biscuits.
Press straight down. Twisting the cutter seals the edges and keeps the biscuits from rising as high.
Jalapeño Bacon Cheddar Tea Biscuits
When I want to turn these into something heartier, I add diced jalapeños and chopped cooked bacon or ham. The jalapeños bring a little heat that plays perfectly with the sharp cheddar, and the bacon or ham makes them filling enough to grab for breakfast on the go.
A few tips for mix-ins: make sure the bacon is cooked crisp and cooled, pat pickled jalapeños dry so they don’t add extra moisture to an already soft dough, and remove the seeds from fresh jalapeños if you want milder biscuits. ( I keep a stock of 1/4 cup chopped jalapenos in baggies in my freezer for ease) Ham works great for using up holiday leftovers.
What to Serve with Cheddar Tea Biscuits
These are made for soup and chili nights, but they’re just as good split and filled with an egg for breakfast, served alongside a roast, or eaten warm with butter or cream cheese.
How to Store and Freeze Tea Biscuits
Keep leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Warm them for a few minutes in a 350°F oven to bring back that fresh-baked texture.
To freeze, cut your raw biscuits and then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen at 350°F for about 10 minutes. Baking may need an extra minute or two when baking from frozen.
Cheddar Tea Biscuit FAQs
Can I make tea biscuits without a stand mixer?Yes. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks, then stir in the cheese and milk with a spoon.
Can I leave out the cheese?Absolutely. Skip it for classic plain tea biscuits, perfect with butter and jam.
Why are my biscuits flat?Usually it’s warm butter, overmixed dough, twisting the cutter, or baking powder that’s past its date.
What else can I add to tea biscuits?Diced jalapeños, chopped cooked bacon or ham, green onions, or garlic powder all work well. Keep mix-ins to about 3/4 cup total so the biscuits still rise.
More Homemade Bread Recipes
If you love easy baking from scratch, try my Pullman loaf recipe for soft homemade sandwich bread.
Follow along on Pinterest at pinterest.com/MsJenniferDawn for more everyday baking, recipes, and a little bit of real life from my kitchen.
Happy baking,Jennifer Dawn