Cheddar Jalapeno Drop Biscuits

Name: Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 cups self-rising flour (*see notes for all-purpose flour*); 1 cup milk ((2% or whole milk work best)); 1/3 cup butter, melted; 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, grated ((we use sharp cheddar)); 2 tablespoons jalapeño pepper, membranes and seeds removed, minced; 1/2 teaspoon salt

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Jalapeño cheddar biscuits are soft, flaky, and packed with cheesy, spicy goodness! This simple recipe requires just five ingredients and can be made in 20 minutes. The result is a cheesy jalapeño biscuit that’s delicious with breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

a basket of jalapeno cheddar biscuits in a white bowl lined with a green napkin.

Our easy cheddar jalapeño biscuits recipe takes the stress out of baking so you can focus on what matters—enjoying your food! This recipe comes together with basic pantry ingredients and requires no fancy techniques.

Using jalapeño is a great way to add a punch of flavor and a touch of heat. If you love savory breads, you’ll enjoy our jalapeño cheddar sourdough and jiffy jalapeño cheddar cornbread. Even just one or two tiny chiles can completely transform a dish!

Want an extra kick? You can always turn up the heat by using spicier jalapeños or adding stuffed jalapeño poppers to your meal!

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Why We Love These Cheddar Jalapeño Biscuits

A nice change from plain bread and rolls.
Whether you’re serving them with a bowl of soup or slathering them with sausage gravy, a jalapeño cheddar biscuit recipe like these will boost the flavor of your meal!
Minimal ingredients
Making this self-rising flour drop biscuit recipe means the baking powder is built right in. That’s one less ingredient to measure!

Jalapeno biscuits in a basket. One half eaten drop biscuit on a plate in front of the basket.

Difference Between Rolled and Drop

There are actually two types of biscuits: rolled (also known as cut), and drop style. If you’re new to baking, start with our basic biscuit recipes collection for simple, step-by-step guidance to perfect your biscuit-making skills!

Drop biscuits

No rolling or cutting is necessary! They get their name from the method of dropping the dough from a spoon onto the baking sheet. The result is a moist, tender, fluffy, light, rustic-style biscuit. While they aren’t as perfectly round as cut biscuits, drop biscuits have all the same great flavor and crumbly texture you crave – but with way less effort!

quick sourdough biscuits — Rolled biscuits are tall, and somewhat flat on the top.

Rolled or cut biscuits

This type of biscuit is cut out from a large sheet of dough that’s been rolled out. It’s similar to making cut-out holiday M&M cookies.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Labeled ingredient image for biscuit recipe.

Self rising flour: This is an essential ingredient for this recipe. See our post on self rising flour recipe to save money by making it yourself.
Milk: The fat from the milk helps give the biscuits their rise and texture. We recommend that you avoid using fat-free milk and nut milks. If you need a dairy free option, we suggest making dairy free cornbread, or use this paleo biscuit recipe.
Butter: If all you have on hand is salted butter, leave out any additional salt.
Shredded cheese: Use your favorite type of cheddar cheese or a blend, like Colby Jack.
Jalapeños: A good substitute for jalapeño peppers is Anaheim chiles, or you can use poblanos. Both of these substitutes have milder heat than jalapeño.

Jalapeño cheddar biscuits are everything we love about a drop biscuit recipe, plus a bit of cheesy, spicy goodness.

Recipe Variations

Extra cheesy: Add more sharp cheddar cheese for a cheesier biscuit.
Garlic lovers’ option: Mix in garlic powder for an extra savory flavor.
Golden brown finish: Brush the tops with melted butter before baking for a richer crust.
Flaky biscuits: Use cold butter and avoid over-mixing to achieve perfect flaky layers.
Buttermilk biscuits: Swap regular milk for buttermilk for a more tender texture.
Crispy topping: Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top before baking for an extra burst of flavor.

🎯 TFN Pro Tip

For the cheesiest biscuits, buy a block of cheddar and shred it yourself. The anti-caking agent in pre-shredded cheeses can hinder their ability to melt well.

Equipment Used in this Recipe

Baking Sheet
Medium bowl
Parchment paper
Non-stick cooking spray
Ice cream scoop

Spicy cheddar drop biscuits on a baking sheet.

How to Make Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuit

Measure your ingredients ahead of time
This recipe comes together pretty quickly, so you’ll want to have all the ingredients measured out and ready to use before you start.

bowls of ingredients on a counter for jalapeno cheddar biscuit recipe

Mix your ingredients thoroughly, but don’t over mix.
Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Stir just until there are no large clumps of flour visible.

You want the cheese and jalapeños evenly distributed throughout the batter, but to avoid crumbly, dry biscuits, don’t mix for too long.

Mixing self rising flour into drop biscuit batter

Give your drop biscuits room to rise.
Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat, parchment paper, or spray with cooking oil. Drop the biscuit dough using a scoop or large tablespoon.

To prevent the baked goods from merging together on the pan, leave at least 2 inches of space between each one.

After publishing our recipe for three ingredient biscuits, it quickly became the most popular rolled biscuit recipe here on TFN!

savory drop biscuit dough in a glass mixing bowl with a portioning scoop.

Serving Suggestions

These jalapeño cheddar biscuits are incredibly versatile and pair well with many dishes. We love serving them with our recipe for tex mex salad for a fresh contrast to their rich, cheesy flavor. If you’re craving something heartier, pair these cheddar jalapeño biscuits with our taco casserole with Fritos for the ultimate comfort food meal.

For breakfast, enjoy this with eggs and bacon for a classic, satisfying start to the day. Want to take them to the next level? Spread a little cream cheese on top for a creamy, tangy contrast to the bold flavors!

Baking sheet of baked bread on marble countertop next to a bowl with melted butter and spices

Recipe FAQ

What is the difference between drop and regular biscuits?

The main difference between these two is the amount of liquid in the dough.
Drop biscuits utilize more liquid, giving them a “batter-like” consistency. Also, they have a less uniform shape than regular biscuits, which are cut out from rolled dough.

Will non-fat milk work in this recipe?

Non-fat milk will yield poor results with this recipe. The fat in the milk, combined with the fat from the cheese and baking soda in the flour, give rise to the biscuits. Biscuits made with non-fat milk will be flatter and denser.

Why are my biscuits dry?

There are a couple of common reasons for dry drop biscuits. The first is using too much flour. Instead of scooping a measuring cup into the flour, use a spoon to place the flour into your measuring cup. The second culprit is overbaking. Be sure to remove your biscuits from the oven as soon as they start to brown on the bottom.

Do I need a biscuit cutter to make these?

No, you can drop the dough onto a baking sheet for a rustic look, but using a biscuit cutter helps create uniform shapes.

Can I freeze the biscuit dough?

Absolutely! Freeze unbaked biscuits on a tray, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Bake straight from the freezer—just add a couple of extra minutes.

Baked bread rolls on a parchment lined sheet pan.

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Why We Love These Cheddar Jalapeño Biscuits