Southern Cheese Biscuits

Cheese Biscuits¹

Ingredients

½ lb. ---------> Extra Sharp cheddar cheese

½ lb. ---------> Butter at room temperature

2½ cups ----> Flour

½ teaspoon-> Salt

To taste -----> Cayenne pepper

Process

1. Grate cheese

2. Combine cheese and softened butter in food processor until smooth

3. Add flour

4. Add salt and cayenne to taste

5. Form into 3 or 4 cylinders

6. Wrap up cylinders in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour minimum

To Cook

1. Diagonally slice into ovals and put onto plain cookie sheet

2. If desired, put a pecan half on top (or any other nut of choice) Press it down slightly after the dough softens a bit.

3. Bake at 350° F for 20 minutes (watch carefully, as ovens vary)

4. Remove to cooling rack

5. Serve fresh, i.e. same day. They absorb moisture and are not nearly so good the next day.

This is one of my mother's favorite recipes, and we had them frequently at holidays, and “for company”. Making them is a trip down memory lane for me, back to the 1950's. They were a staple in the southern cookbooks. I was in my 30's before I realized that some people (e.g. yankees) expected a doughy biscuit with cheese when I mentioned cheese biscuits. It may be necessary to 'splain to these folks that these are biscuits and not cookies.

1“Mamas Cheese Biscuits” from Mary Lucas