Zucchini cheddar biscuits are easy to make from scratch and turn out tender, flaky, and cheesy. They're packed with sharp cheddar cheese, butter, garlic, chives, and shredded zucchini.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Tender, flaky biscuits filled with cheese, shredded zucchini, and fresh chives.
Made with simple ingredients: These classic buttermilk biscuits start with flour, butter, buttermilk, and leavening. We're adding cheddar cheese, zucchini, garlic, and chives to create the perfect summer biscuit!
Yield: About 8 biscuits
Great for: Summer side dish, brunch, breakfast sandwiches
You may also like: Savory Zucchini Muffins and Cheese Zucchini Bread
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Ingredients and substitutions
- All-purpose flour - I've only tested this recipe with all-purpose (plain) flour, so I can't say for sure how other flours will turn out. If you have a different type of flour on hand, I recommend searching for a recipe that is developed with that specific flour in mind.
- Shredded zucchini - You'll need about 1 cup or 135 grams of shredded zucchini. After measuring, you'll want to squeeze as much liquid out as possible before adding to your biscuit dough. Too much liquid can make your biscuits turn out gummy.
- Buttermilk - This recipe is written to work perfectly with buttermilk and the listed leavening, so regular milk (or other non-dairy milks) won't work as substitutes. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a measuring cup, then fill to the 1-cup line with whole milk. Allow it to set for 5 minutes and you'll have a buttermilk substitute that works in this recipe.
- Unsalted butter - Unsalted butter and half of the listed salt can be substituted with salted butter if desired. Make sure your butter is very cold, straight from the refrigerator. Cold butter creates those flaky layers in your baked biscuits.
- Chives - Add flavor to your biscuits. Can be omitted if desired.
- Sharp cheddar cheese - Fresh grated cheese from a block adds the best flavor and texture to your biscuits. Pre-grated cheeses are often coated in anti-clumping powders that can become grainy when melted.
- Leavening - You'll need both baking powder and baking soda for the proper lift in this recipe.
- Garlic powder - Adds garlicky flavor to your biscuits. Can be omitted if desired.
How to make zucchini biscuits
- Stir biscuit ingredients together in a bowl until a shaggy dough forms. Pour out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a rectangle.
- Fold the rectangle in half and rotate, patting into another rectangle. Repeat this at least 4x more. This creates those flaky layers.
- Pat dough out into a rectangle.
- Use a biscuit cutter to cut biscuits out of dough. Reform dough scraps and continue cutting biscuits as needed.
- Place biscuits into a lightly greased, oven-safe pan.
- Bake until golden brown across the top and biscuits reach 200F in the center.
Tips and tricks
Squeeze out as much liquid as possible - Excess zucchini liquid can make biscuits turn out gummy or heavy.
Do not substitute ingredients - This recipe was developed with the specific ingredients listed. Changing or omitting ingredients can change the texture, moisture, and structure of your biscuits.
Handle your dough as little as possible - Biscuit dough does not need to be kneaded. In fact, it should be handled as little as possible. Gently stir the ingredients until just combined, then use gentle pats to bring it together on a floured surface.
Fold your biscuit dough at least five times - Don't skip this step! It only takes a minute or two and adds those lovely flaky layers throughout your biscuits.
Don't twist your biscuit cutter - This can seal the edges of your biscuits, causing them to rise less in the oven. Push the biscuit cutter down, then pull straight up. If you don't have a biscuit cutter, use a knife and slice into squares.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, for this recipe you need to squeeze the liquid out of your shredded zucchini after measuring. Too much liquid added to your biscuits will make them turn out gummy or dense.
The process is explained in detail in the recipe card below, and I've included some photos in the post above. If you're a visual person, this video on Youtube shows exactly how to fold biscuit dough properly: Biscuits and shortcakes: folding and turning
📖 Recipe
Zucchini Cheddar Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 5 tablesoons (70 g) unsalted butter, very cold
- 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk
- 1 cup (135 g) finely grated zucchini, liquid squeezed out after measuring
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 4 ounces (113 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉. Lightly grease a 10 inch cast iron skillet (or similarly sized oven-safe baking dish) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and garlic powder. Whisk to remove clumps.
- Grate cold butter using the large side of a box grater and add to flour mixture along with buttermilk, grated zucchini (squeeze liquid out before adding to dough), chives, and shredded cheese. Gently stir until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface.
- Gently pat dough with lightly floured hands into a large, flat rectangle, about 10-12 inches wide and about ¾ inch thick. Fold dough rectangle in half, turn clockwise, and gently pat back into a large rectangle. Repeat 4 times, folding your dough 5 times in total. Pat dough into a large rectangle, about ¾ inch thick.
- Using a 2.5 to 3 inch biscuit cutter, cut biscuits out of dough (do not twist your cutter, this will seal the edges). Reform leftover dough gently and continue cutting until all dough is used - you should get about 8 large biscuits. If you don't have a biscuit cutter, slice dough with a knife into squares.
- Arrange biscuits in prepared skillet (they should be barely touching) and bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until lightly browned across the tops and fluffy. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Storage: Homemade biscuits keep for 1-2 days at room temperature in a sealed container, up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or 2-3 months in the freezer. If freezing, seal tightly with foil or plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe container.
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