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Upgrade your dinner rolls with these simple homemade rosemary cheddar biscuits. I love a twist on a classic recipe, and this is just that. I love how easy they are to make—just a little mixing and baking, and soon you’ll have a batch of warm, fluffy biscuits that fill your kitchen with an irresistible aroma. Serve these hot biscuits as a side to your favorite comfort foods like soups, stews, and roasts. Once you take a bite of these buttery, cheesy delights, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them!
Make a batch of rosemary cheddar biscuits in around 30 minutes that turn out golden brown and are full of aromatic herbs and sharp cheddar cheese.
If these cheddar rosemary biscuits are for you, try my puff pastry cheese twist, this ham pot pie, ham cheese butter biscuits, or a chicken pot pie.
Why You’ll Love It
Flaky texture: The folding technique ensures you get those perfect, buttery layers in every bite.
Customizable: Easily adapt the recipe with different cheeses, herbs, or add-ins to suit your taste preferences.
Crowd-pleaser: These biscuits will impress at any gathering, from family dinners to holiday feasts.
Comfort food: Warm, homemade biscuits are the ultimate comfort food, perfect for any occasion.
Rosemary Cheddar Biscuit Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
All-purpose flour: I like to sieve out any clumps.
Baking powder and baking soda: This combination of leavening agents is key for light biscuits that rise beautifully.
Unsalted butter: Very cold and cubed, it creates pockets of steam that lead to flaky layers in the biscuits.
Buttermilk: Very cold; it reacts with the baking soda for extra fluffiness.
Fresh rosemary: Chopped to release its aromatic oils, it infuses the biscuits with a delightful herbal note.
White cheddar cheese: Freshly grated, it melts beautifully into the dough, offering a rich, savory flavor in every bite.
Melted butter: Brushing the tops with melted butter adds a golden finish and an extra layer of buttery goodness.
How to Make Rosemary Cheddar Biscuits
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Mix the dry ingredients: Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Stir well.
Add the butter: Use a pastry blender to mix the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter pieces are the size of peas.
Add other ingredients: Make a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture, pour in the buttermilk, and stir until it is just combined. Fold in cheese and fresh rosemary. The dough should look crumbly.
Shape the dough: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. With floured hands, mold the dough into a rough rectangle. Knead gently if needed, but don’t overwork it.
Fold the dough: Fold the dough into thirds, like an envelope. Flatten it gently back into a rectangle. Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat the folding and flattening process three times to create flaky layers.
Cut the biscuits: Shape and cut the biscuits.
Bake the biscuits: Bake your rosemary buttermilk biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Substitutions and Variations
Butter: Use margarine or shortening instead of cold butter.
Buttermilk: Substitute with a mixture of milk and lemon juice or vinegar (1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar).
Flour: Try whole wheat flour for a more textured biscuit. You may need to adjust the liquid amount slightly.
Cheese: Use any shredded cheese you prefer, like cheddar, gouda, or pepper jack.
Herbs: Swap rosemary for thyme, basil, or chives for different flavors.
Spices: Add a pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, or paprika to the dry ingredients for an extra kick.
Sweet biscuits: Leave out the cheese and herbs, and add a little more sugar. Mix in some cinnamon and a handful of raisins or dried cranberries.
Savory add-ins: Mix in chopped bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, or olives for a savory twist.
Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free flour blend designed for baking. Check other ingredients for gluten content.
Vegan: Use a plant-based butter and buttermilk substitute (like almond milk with lemon juice or vinegar).
Serving Suggestions
Appetizer: Start with a cozy batch of this baked feta soup or my Italian tomato bread soup.
Main: Serve beef and veggie stew with a side of these rosemary biscuits. They are also delicious with slow cooker pepper steak.
Dessert: End off with something fresh like this cherry cheesecake ice box!
How to Store Rosemary and Cheddar Biscuits
Store: Leftover biscuits with rosemary can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to a week.
Freezer: Place baked biscuits in a single layer on a baking sheet and transfer to a freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Thaw: To thaw, leave the biscuits at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Reheat this biscuit recipe in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes or until warmed through. For a quick option, microwave on low power for 20 to 30 seconds.
Top Tips
Pastry cutter alternative: You can use two forks instead of a pastry cutter to break the butter into pieces the size of peas. Alternatively, you can freeze the butter and grate it into the flour mixture with a box grater. (I use this pastry cutter if you do need one!)
Do not use a rolling pin to flatten your dough: This “envelope folding” process makes those yummy flaky layers, and you don’t want to flatten them out too aggressively.
Use a light touch: When cutting the biscuits, press straight down without twisting. Twisting can seal the edges and prevent them from rising properly.
Flour your tools: Keep your hands, rolling pin, and biscuit cutter lightly floured to prevent sticking.
Rosemary Cheddar Biscuits FAQs
Yes, you can use dried rosemary. Use about half the amount since dried herbs are more concentrated in flavor.
Yes, use plant-based butter and a buttermilk substitute like almond milk mixed with lemon juice or vinegar.
Yes, substitute the flour with a gluten-free baking mix. Check other ingredients for gluten content to ensure the recipe is fully gluten-free.
You can use two knives or a fork to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. You can also use your fingers, but work quickly to keep the butter cold.
Fluffy Rosemary Cheddar Biscuit Recipe
Rosemary Cheddar Biscuits
Equipment
- Biscuit Cutter or Drinking Glass
Ingredients
- 2 Cups all purpose flour
- 2 Teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ Teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold and cut into cubes
- ¾ cup buttermilk, very cold
- 1 Teaspoon rosemary, fresh, chopped
- 1 Cup white cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- Additional melted butter for brushing the tops of the biscuits, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Add all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar) to a large mixing bowl, and stir them together well.
- Add very cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender until the butter is pea-sized.
- Make a hole in the center of the mixture and add the buttermilk. Gently mix the buttermilk into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
- Fold in the cheese and fresh rosemary until just combined. Don't worry if the dough looks crumbly – it's normal to have the dough resemble coarse crumbles at this stage.
- Dump the dough out onto a floured surface. With floured hands, bring the dough together and mold it into a rough rectangle shape. You may have to knead it a little bit to bring it together but be careful not to work the dough too much.
- Fold your dough rectangle into thirds, like an envelope. Use your hands to gently flatten the dough envelope back out into a rectangle. Spin the rectangle 90 degrees and start again. Repeat the “envelope folding and flattening” 3 times to make those yummy flaky layers!
- After folding in your layers, bring your dough back into a final rectangle, approximately ½-inch thick. Cut the dough into biscuits with a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass. This recipe makes 6 to 8 biscuits, depending on how large your biscuit cutter or glass is.
- Put the biscuits in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter or buttermilk. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown.
- Optional: Brush the tops of the cooked biscuits with a little more melted butter and dried rosemary. This gives them a little extra shine and makes them a little extra yummy!
Notes
Do not use a rolling pin to flatten your dough: This “envelope folding” process makes those yummy flaky layers, and you don’t want to flatten them out too aggressively.
Use a light touch: When cutting the biscuits, press straight down without twisting. Twisting can seal the edges and prevent them from rising properly.
Flour your tools: Keep your hands, rolling pin, and biscuit cutter lightly floured to prevent sticking.
Nutrition
Elevate your dinner experience with these easy-to-make homemade rosemary cheddar biscuits. Featuring fresh rosemary, rich buttermilk, and aged white cheddar, these scrumptious biscuits make a delightful addition to any meal. Serve these warm, flavorful biscuits alongside your favorite comfort dishes like soups and stews.
Other Savory Snack Recipes To Try
- This recipe for Italian chickpea pancakes is such a tasty appetizer or side dish.
- You’re going to love these easy bacon and cheddar scones, the perfect side.
- My salmon sushi bites are the perfect spicy snacks with drinks.
- Egg bites like these are just like the Starbucks version; great for on-the-go!
- Gourmet popcorn like this one with spicy seasoning is such fun to make and eat.
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
The rosemary cheddar biscuits were buttery and delicious—such a great twist on a classic!
Made these rosemary cheddar biscuits last night—so fluffy and flavorful! Perfect with stew!
Loved the rosemary and cheese combo!