Small Batch Biscuits

Looking for buttery, flaky biscuits to serve alongside dinner? These Small Batch Biscuits are cheddar biscuits for two that are tender and packed full with flavor from bacon and cheese. Recipe makes 6 homemade biscuits.

One of my favorite activities to do especially when I’m stressed is to bake.

However, I don’t always have enough people around to eat my Guinness brownies or peanut butter blondies.

That’s why when the urge to bake strikes, I tend to focus on savory baking I can eat for dinner, such as small batch dinner rolls and homemade crescent rolls.

But those recipes require yeast. Which I’m totally cool with but that means it needs time to rest and rise.

That’s where these Small Batch Biscuits comes in handy! They’re considered a quick bread, which means they rely on baking powder for leavening rather than yeast. Which means they can be ready in an hour.

Homemade biscuits from scratch on a weeknight? Yes please!

They’re different than the drop biscuits I make for my biscuits and gravy because these ones you roll and cut.

Although it may be a little more work, the end result is worth it. The kneading of the dough is what gives your small batch biscuits those flaky, buttery layers.

If you’re wondering why you should make small batch biscuits instead of a full batch, it’s because cheddar biscuits are best eaten the day of, so leftovers aren’t the greatest if you’re cooking for two.

However, you can reheat them for a few minutes in the oven or air fryer or freeze a few for future meals.

For a little extra flavor I added cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, and sliced green onion. But of course if that clashes with your meal, you can leave them out for plain buttery biscuits.

Ingredients For Small Batch Biscuits

Here’s what you need to make your cheesy biscuits for two:

• Flour: Binds the dough together as well as helps the dough not stick when rolling
• Baking powder: A much needed leavening agent that creates air bubbles, which is essential for a light and fluffy texture
• Salt: Trust me – you do not want bland biscuits! Because cheese and bacon are salty, I didn’t add as much salt to the dough. However if you leave those ingredients out, you’ll want to increase the amount slightly.
• Butter: It’s very important your butter is cold because when it melts in the oven, small pockets of air form which help creating the flaky texture you love. If the butter is warm, it incorporates too much into the dough and does not make air pockets, causing dense biscuits. Frozen is best but if you don’t have time, use butter straight from the fridge.
• Heavy cream: Also important to keep cold because cold fat = flaky biscuits. I highly recommend using heavy cream due to the fat content.
• Cheese, bacon, and green onion: Optional mix-ins but they take your biscuits from good to great

How To Make Small Batch Biscuits

Here’s how to make your biscuits for two:

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until mixture looks like small pebbles.

Stir in heavy cream, cheese, bacon, and green onion until everything is moistened and a dough forms.

Knead the dough gently on a lightly floured surface. This will help create flaky layers in the dough.

Roll out dough to 3/4 inch thickness then cut out 3-inch biscuits, being careful you don’t twist the dough as you cut. If the dough gets too warm, refrigerate 15 minutes before baking.

Bake at 400F for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes then serve warm or at room temperature.

Homemade biscuits are best eaten the day they’re made. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Reheat in the oven or air fryer.

How To Make Air Fryer Biscuits

Did you know you can make cheddar biscuits in the air fryer?!

Add to the fry basket without overcrowding (you may need to do this in two batches). Air fry at 330F for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Repeat until all of the biscuits are baked.

What To Serve With Small Batch Biscuits

There are several ways you can serve your biscuits:

1. For breakfast: Serve with sausage gravy as a hearty breakfast.
2. For a snack: As written you can serve cheddar biscuits with peach jam without pectin or raspberry jalapeno jam. If you make plain biscuits for two, serve them with small batch strawberry jam or blueberry jam without pectin.
3. For dinner as a side: Serve with air fryer fried chicken or chicken pot pie soup (instead of pie crust).