Ham and cheese go together like… Well, you know the song. And when there’s leftover ham to use up, these homemade ham and cheese biscuits are the perfect solution! They’re tasty by themselves, or serve them up with a nice warm soup.
I love baking biscuits for their sheer ease and flexibility. Combine some simple ingredients and pop them in a hot oven for less than fifteen minutes, and the aroma will make you swoon. These biscuits are a great way to use up leftover ham bits, and of course, that ham [here’s how to cure your own ham] will add to the aroma!
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Leftover Ham and Cheese Biscuits
These homemade biscuits call for the usual biscuit ingredients, but the leftover ham and cheese worked into the dough gives them an extra boost of flavor. You can make the beautifully shaped biscuits you see here, or make an easier drop biscuit.
Ingredients
Ham — You can smoke or cure your own ham, or simply purchase one at the store. It’s also the perfect recipe for leftovers, such as when you are sent home with ham from a holiday meal.
Cheese — I like classic cheddar. Sharp cheddar cheese will give a bolder flavor. Swiss cheese is also a perfect pairing. Don’t buy anything special, just use what’s in the fridge.
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Flour — When I bake with all purpose flour I opt for the unbleached version. Bleached flour is very white, but it’s also treated with bleaching agents that I don’t really need in my food.
Buttermilk — This is an ingredient that not everyone has on hand on the regular, but using it creates a thick texture and tangy flavor.
Butter — I used salted butter; if you prefer unsalted, that will work fine.
Making Buttermilk Biscuits
Preheat the oven and mix dry ingredients. Cut butter into thin slices and then cut it into the flour until it is coarsely combined.
Slowly stir in the buttermilk until the dough just comes together into a somewhat shaggy biscuit dough.
Sprinkle some flour on a clean counter and dump out the dough. Gently knead in the ham and cheese, then pat the dough out flat.
Cut with a biscuit cutter or glass.
Set on a baking sheet and bake!
FAQs
How do I keep my biscuits tender?
One of the major tenets of making biscuits is: Don’t overmix. Stir the ingredients for this cheese biscuit recipe just until they’re combined. It’s okay if you see a little bit of flour that hasn’t quite been incorporated. Remember that with these, you’ll be working the ham and cheese into the dough, giving you a chance to incorporate the rest of the flour, too.
Can I make drop biscuits?
Not a fan of rolling and cutting biscuits? To make ham and cheese drop biscuits, simply increase the amount of buttermilk by 1/2 cup. This will make for a looser dough that’s a bit sticky. Too sticky to roll out, but easy to scoop! So no floured counter here – stir in the buttermilk, ham, and cheese all at once.
Serving these Biscuits
You know those savory breakfast egg muffins one might pick up at a famous fast food joint? With the leftover ham biscuits, these buttermilk biscuits have a perfect flavor base to become their own wonderful breakfast muffins.
Just cut the biscuit in half, toast it, and top with butter and a fried or poached egg and you’ll have a great breakfast to start the day.
Of course, they’re great as a side dish, too. Serve them with a fried egg breakfast or a batch of ham hocks and beans.
Related: 100+ Easy Egg Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
★ Did you make these leftover ham and cheese biscuits? Don’t forget to give them a star rating below! ★
Leftover Ham and Cheese Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 3 cups unbleached organic all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup salted butter 1 stick
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
- ½ cup chopped ham
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into thin slices and then cut it into the flour until pieces of butter are small.3 cups unbleached organic all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ cup salted butter
- Add in the buttermilk slowly and incorporate with flour mixture. Don’t over mix.1 ¼ cups buttermilk
- Sprinkle a small amount of flour on work surface and place dough on top of it. Press down to make flat and then add the ham and cheddar cheese to the top. Knead dough a few times to incorporate the ham and cheese.½ cup chopped ham, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Press or roll out into ½ inch thickness. Use a biscuit cutter or highball glass to cut out biscuits.
- Bake biscuits for 10-12 minutes until they begin to turn golden brown on the top.
Notes
- Don't want to bother rolling the dough? To make drop biscuits, simply increase the amount of buttermilk by 1/2 cup then scoop the dough out onto a baking sheet.
- Makes 10-12 biscuits.
Darn delicious! I had these at my friend’s for Easter and got the recipe. We both made the drop version and they are great leftover. Not dry and no weird texture. I am making more tonight to go with some clam chowder.
Perfect 🙂
So glad you have provided the nutritional values. Especially useful for diabetics. I have searched thru 5 pages of Google recipes before I found your recipe which permits my husband to enjoy ham and cheese drop biscuits. Kudos to you!!
I’m so glad you liked this recipe and that it worked for you guys! 🙂
Since I am not a prolific cook, I don’t know if the recipe is calling for a 1/2 stick of butter or a half of a cup or half of what. Please clarify. Thank you
I am SO sorry — sometimes these measurements get missed when transferring to the recipe card program. I’ve fixed it. (And thanks for alerting me!)
Wow, looks like great? I’ll have to use vinegared sweet milk as I cant afford buttermilk. But I bet itll work just fine with the vinegar acid reacting with the baking soda.
Yes, that will certainly work!