8tablespoonsunsalted butter, chilled, cut into slices
4ounces(1/2 cup) pepper Jack cheese, shredded
1baking apple (such as Gala or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and finely diced
1tablespoonchopped chives
2slicescooked bacon, diced (optional)
3/4cuphalf-and-half
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450°F and lightly grease a baking sheet or a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut the butter into pieces, and work into the flour mixture with your hands or a pastry blender until it resembles pea-sized crumbs.
Add the pepper Jack, apples, chives, and if using, the bacon, and stir until well blended with the flour. Pour in the half-and-half and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for a minute. Now the dough should be smooth and no longer wet. (You can sprinkle more flour on the surface if you find that it’s sticking.) Roll out the dough until it’s 1/4 of an inch thick and then fold over in half.
Using a round cutter, cut the biscuits from the folded dough. (You may have to gather the scraps and roll again if you run out of room while cutting.) Place the cut biscuits on the greased baking sheet close together (so they rise and not spread) and bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
They are best straight from the oven, especially with a pat of butter, but they can be baked ahead and then reheated for 10 minutes or so at 400°F in an oven or toaster oven. They will last in an airtight container for 3 days. You can also freeze them after cooking and then let them thaw before reheating.