Quick and Easy

Cheesy Butter-­Swim Old Bay Biscuits by Jessie Sheehan

by:
October 14, 2024
4
1 Ratings
Photo by Nico Schinco
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • makes 9 biscuits
Author Notes

This recipe is excerpted from "Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes,” the November 2024 Book of the Month in the Food52 Baking Club. Follow us at @f52cookbookclub.

Allow me to introduce you to my new favorite biscuit—­I mean, of course, I love all my biscuit babies and want you to, too, but these salty, cheesy butter-­swims are pretty special, with their craggy tops, tall stature, and unique assembly (melted butter is poured into a baking pan, topped with biscuit dough and baked—­so cool, right?). Not only do they take the prize for best name, but the combo of Cheddar and Old Bay is the stuff of legends (Red Lobster legends, to be exact). Old Bay Seasoning is a blend of 18 spices, including black and red pepper, paprika, and celery salt. It’s packaged in the most fab little yellow can with a red lid and is worth getting your hands on, stat, for butter-­swim biscuit making and more.—Jessie Sheehan
Food52

Test Kitchen Notes

Excerpted from “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” © 2024 by Jessie Sheehan, reprinted by permission of Countryman Press, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 10 tablespoons (141 grams) unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-­purpose flour
  • 1 cup (120 grams) cake flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning, plus ¼ teaspoon more for sprinkling
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 cups (200 grams) shredded extra-­sharp Cheddar
  • 1 1/2 cups (360 grams) whole milk
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Place the butter in an 8--inch square baking pan and melt it in the oven while it heats—-but don’t forget about it; you want it just melted, not browned and sputtering.
  2. Whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, Old Bay, onion powder, and cheese in a large bowl. Pour the milk into the flour mixture and fold with a flexible spatula until combined—-the dough will be wet and a little loose. Scrape the biscuit dough into the melted butter–filled pan and pat it evenly over the butter, using a spatula or your hands—-the butter will seep up and around the edges of the dough; don’t be alarmed. Roughly cut the dough into nine equal--size biscuits with a bench scraper or butter knife.
  3. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops of the biscuits are nicely browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the biscuits with the extra ¼ teaspoon of Old Bay. Let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before serving—-these cuties swim in butter, so they actually don’t need to be spread with it (but if you’re feeling “extra,” like we were the day we photographed these, then by all means go for it).

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2 Reviews

lhall10198 November 10, 2024
I found this to be an easy make which I always appreciate. I know I could buy a mix but I don't know what is in that mix. I know when I bake from scratch. Mine were swimming in butter and when I make them again I will cut back on the butter by a few tablespoons. I also found mine to be doughy at 20 minutes and my oven cooks hot. The top of the biscuits crisped up so beautifully I could have just eaten the tops off.
 
MStubbee November 10, 2024
I was doing some Thanksgiving experimenting and made these last night — our guests gave them five stars! How does Jessie come up with recipes that are simple, one-bowl and yet incredibly creative and tasty? If you’re looking for bread that is delicious and has that “wow” factor (these biscuits are indeed tall, craggy and buttery with crisp edges you’ll fight over) give these biscuits a try. I made the dough in front of my friends while we were drinking a glass of wine and they couldn’t believe how fast they came together. And the “butter swims” name couldn’t be more apt! This morning we’re having the butter swims with bacon, egg and cheese. This recipe is a keeper.