Jalapeño Cheddar Apple Bacon Biscuits with Apple Butter

Yield 

10-12 Biscuits

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

40-45 minutes

Ingredients 

Biscuit Ingredients:
3 3/4 all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2-3 jalapeños, seeded and chopped jalapeños (keep the seeds in if you like the heat!)
2 Starr Ranch Growers Honeycrisp or JUICI Apples, diced
4 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled into bits
2 sticks cold salted butter, cubed
1 cup buttermilk
4 ounces cold cream cheese
Apple Butter Ingredients:
8-9 Starr Ranch Growers HoneyCrisp or JUICI apples - peeled, cored and sliced in halves 

For the Biscuits:

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and butter and pulse until the mixture forms large pea-sized balls. Transfer the mixture into a large bowl and add the cheddar, apples, bacon and jalapeños and stir well to combine. Slowly pour in the buttermilk, mixing together the dough with a large wooden spoon in between pours. Once all buttermilk is added and the dough becomes too thick to mix with a spoon, begin submersing hands into dough and knead well into bowl.

3. Remove the dough from the bowl at this point, and roll out onto a clean surface and pat into a 1.5-inch thick square. Cut the dough into 4 squares and add 1 slice of cream cheese to 3 of the 4 squares, pressing slightly to flatten, and stacking the cream cheese topped pieces on top of each other with the fourth piece (without cream cheese) on top. Dust the work surface with flour and re-roll the dough out into a 1.5 inch thick rectangle again. Cut into 10-12 biscuits with large circular biscuit cutter. Transfer biscuits to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.

4. Remove the biscuits from the refrigerator and brush with melted butter. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.

For Apple Butter:

  1. Add the apples, apple cider, brown sugar, spice blend and salt in a large sauce pan or pot, and cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, (stirring occasionally) until the apples have become very soft.
  2. Use a hand mixer to puree the apples mixture or let it slightly cool and add to a blender and mix until very smooth and creamy.
  3. Place the puree back into the pot and continue to cook, uncovered and continue to stir through out until a dark brown color begins to take form.
  4. Squeeze lemon juice into mixture and stir once more, allowing to cool before adding to jars or storage.
  5. Spread over biscuits and top with flaky sea salt – enjoy!