These Mary Berry-inspired cheese biscuits are crisp at the edges, tender in the middle, and full of mature Cheddar flavour. They are easy to make with a handful of everyday ingredients, so they are a lovely choice for beginner bakers. Allow about 1 hour in total, including chilling and cooling time.
Ingredients for Cheese Biscuits
For the biscuit dough
- 150g plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting
- 100g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 125g mature Cheddar, finely grated
- ½ teaspoon English mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- A pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 to 2 teaspoons cold water, only if needed
Makes: About 20 biscuits
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Chilling time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 12 to 15 minutes
Total time: About 1 hour, including cooling
How to Make Mary Berry-Inspired Cheese Biscuits
- Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment and place a shelf in the middle of the oven.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Put the flour, mustard powder, salt, and cayenne, if using, into a mixing bowl. Stir briefly to combine.
- Rub in the butter: Add the cold butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively, pulse the ingredients briefly in a food processor.
- Add the cheese: Stir in the grated Cheddar, then bring the mixture together with your hands to make a dough. If it remains too crumbly to hold together, add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Chill the dough: Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. This makes it easier to roll and helps the biscuits hold their shape.
- Roll and cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 5mm thick. Cut out rounds with a 5cm cutter, gathering and rerolling the trimmings gently. Arrange the biscuits on the prepared tray, leaving a little space between them.
- Bake the biscuits: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Check them towards the end, as smaller or thinner biscuits may cook more quickly.
- Cool and serve: Leave the biscuits on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool for another 5 minutes. No assembly is needed. Serve them warm or let them cool completely for a crisper texture.
Tips for the Best Cheese Biscuits
Why is my cheese biscuit dough crumbly?
The mixture can look dry before the warmth of your hands brings it together. Press it gently first, then add cold water a teaspoon at a time only if necessary. Too much water can make the biscuits tough.
How do I keep the biscuits crisp?
Roll the dough evenly and bake until the edges are lightly golden. Cool the biscuits completely on a wire rack before packing them away, as trapped steam can soften them.
What cheese gives the best flavour?
Mature Cheddar gives a pronounced savoury flavour. Grate it finely from a block so it distributes evenly through the dough. A milder Cheddar works too, although the biscuits will taste less cheesy.
Why did my biscuits spread in the oven?
Warm dough can spread as the butter melts. Chill it before rolling, and if it becomes very soft while you cut it, return the tray of biscuits to the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking.
How can I avoid tough biscuits?
Handle the dough lightly and use only enough flour to prevent sticking. Gather the trimmings gently rather than kneading them, and try not to reroll them more than once.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with a bowl of tomato or vegetable soup.
- Add to a cheeseboard with grapes, chutney, and sliced apple.
- Enjoy with a cup of tea as a savoury afternoon snack.
- Offer alongside olives and dips before dinner.
Storage and Freezing
Room temperature
Once completely cool, keep the biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If they soften, warm them on a baking tray at 160°C or 140°C fan for 3 to 5 minutes, then cool before serving.
Refrigerator
Store unbaked dough, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes if it is too firm to roll. Baked biscuits are best stored at room temperature because the refrigerator can soften them.
Freezing
Freeze the wrapped dough or cut-out unbaked biscuits in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling. Cut-out biscuits can be baked from frozen, adding a few minutes to the baking time and checking for golden edges.
Nutrition
Approximate values per biscuit, based on a batch of 20:
- Calories: 105 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Protein: 2g
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated fat: 5g
- Sodium: 90mg
Nutrition values are estimates and vary with ingredient brands and biscuit size.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make cheese biscuits without mustard powder?
Yes. Leave it out if you prefer. The biscuits will still have plenty of flavour from the mature Cheddar.
Can I use a different cheese?
Yes. Try a firm, flavoursome cheese such as Red Leicester or a mixture of Cheddar and Parmesan. Finely grate it before adding it to the dough.
Why are my cheese biscuits soft?
They may need a little longer in the oven, or they may not have cooled completely. Bake until the edges are lightly golden and cool on a wire rack to help them crisp.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. Wrap the dough well and refrigerate it for up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
Can I make cheese biscuits without a cutter?
Yes. Use a small drinking glass, or cut the rolled dough into squares with a knife. Keep the pieces similar in size so they bake evenly.
Cheese Biscuits Recipe Card
Mary Berry-Inspired Cheese Biscuits
Course: SnackCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcal1
hour10
minutesCrisp, buttery savoury biscuits made with mature Cheddar and a touch of mustard. Easy to prepare and lovely with soup or a cheeseboard.
Ingredients
150g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
100g cold unsalted butter, cubed
125g mature Cheddar, finely grated
½ teaspoon English mustard powder
¼ teaspoon fine salt
A pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
1 to 2 teaspoons cold water, only if needed
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment.
- Mix the flour, mustard powder, salt and optional cayenne in a bowl. Rub in the cold butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Stir in the Cheddar and bring the mixture together into a dough. Add cold water a teaspoon at a time only if needed.
- Flatten into a disc, wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
- Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 5mm thick. Cut with a 5cm round cutter and place on the tray. Gently reroll the trimmings.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or cool completely for a crisper texture.
Notes
- Use finely grated mature Cheddar for a pronounced flavour.
- Add water only if the dough will not come together.
- Total time includes chilling and approximately 10 minutes of cooling.
- Freeze unbaked dough or cut-out biscuits for up to 3 months.
