There isn’t a wrong time of day to indulge in these warm and tender biscuits, though they are particularly satisfying in the morning alongside a fried egg. Flavor boosts from the scallions and pancetta elevate them to the next level without a lot of extra work. As with any biscuit, keys to achieving light and fluffy results are to start with very cold butter, and to not overwork the dough once the liquid is added. Die-hard biscuit makers will also tell you not to twist the cutter when pressing down on the dough, as it compacts the layers and impedes the rise. Just do a straight down motion and lay it gently on your baking sheet. Biscuits are best hot out of the oven, but any leftovers can be frozen and reheated in a toaster.

Flavorful mix-ins.

Work cold butter into the flour.

Don’t over mix once the buttermilk is added.

Print Recipe

Pancetta, Gruyere and Scallion Biscuits

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• lots of freshly cracked black pepper
• 6 tablespoons very cold butter cut into cubes
• ¾ cup grated gruyere cheese or substitute mild cheddar
• 2 ounces pancetta or sub bacon
• 2 scallions chopped
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and powder, salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper. Mix with a whisk. Add the butter and using your finger tips or a pastry cutter, mix the butter into the flour until no large lumps remain. Stir in the cheese and place in the refrigerator while you cook the bacon.
• In a medium skillet, cook the pancetta in a little olive oil until crispy. Drain on paper towels then chop into small pieces.
• Mix the pancetta and scallions into the dry mixture, then pour in the buttermilk. Mix with a spoon until it comes together, kneading with your hands gently to make sure it is thoroughly combined.
• Turn out onto a floured board and pat into a 1 inch thickness. Use a biscuit cutter and cut rounds, gathering up the scraps and patting out again until you’ve used all the dough. (At this point you can refrigerate them overnight if you prefer to bake them off in the morning.)
• Bake on the parchment lined sheet for 15-20 minutes until browned. Serve warm.

Tips & Tricks

• Sometimes I put together my biscuit dough the night before so I can simply bake them off in the moring. See notes in recipe if you'd like to do the same.