Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuit Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 57 g, cut into small pieces and kept very cold, plus 14 g for the pan (4 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon)butter
• 345 g (2¾ cups)plain flour
• 48 g (4 tablespoons)baking powder
• 1 teaspoonkosher salt
• 240 ml (1 cup)buttermilk
• 12biscuits
• 12 thin slicesCheddar cheese
• 6, peeled and slicedhard-boiled eggs
• 6–8 slices, cooked and warmbacon

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven

   Heat the oven to 230°C (450°F).

2. 2

   Prepare the pan

   Butter a straight-sided 23 cm (9-inch) cake pan and set it aside.

3. 3

   Mix the dry ingredients

   Whisk the flour, baking powder and kosher salt together in a large bowl. Add the cold pieces of butter and rub them into the flour with your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

4. 4

   Bring the dough together

   Stir in the buttermilk just until the mixture comes together; the dough should still look a little shaggy. Knead it a few times in the bowl, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 1.3 cm (½-inch) thick shape.

5. 5

   Cut the biscuits

   Dip a 5 cm (2-inch) biscuit cutter in flour and cut out biscuits. Arrange them in the prepared pan. Fold the remaining dough over itself, pat it out to 1.3 cm (½ inch) thick again and continue cutting until all the dough is used; you should get about 12 biscuits.

6. 6

   Bake the biscuits

   Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Take the pan out of the oven, turn the biscuits out onto a towel, cover them and leave them to rest while you prepare the sandwiches.

7. 7

   Assemble the sandwiches

   Split each warm biscuit into top and bottom halves. Put a slice of Cheddar on each bottom half, add 4–5 slices of hard-boiled egg and a few pieces of bacon, then replace the top.

8. 8

   Melt the cheese

   Repeat with the remaining biscuits. If the biscuits have cooled and the cheese has not melted, arrange the sandwiches on a plate and warm them in the switched-off but still warm oven for about 5 minutes, or microwave on high for 30 seconds.

What are biscuit sandwiches?

In the United States, biscuits are tender, leavened quick breads, rather than the crisp, sweet biscuits often meant by the word elsewhere. They are a familiar part of Southern-style cooking and are often split to hold savoury fillings.

This version brings together Cheddar, sliced hard-boiled egg and bacon in a homemade biscuit. The quick dough and warm filling make it a practical choice for a shared breakfast or brunch.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 251 calories, 8g protein, 31g carbs, 11g fat.

The biscuits contribute most of the carbohydrates, while butter and bacon provide much of the fat; the egg, cheese and bacon supply protein. Serve one sandwich with fruit or a salad for a plate with a fresh, lighter accompaniment.

The biscuit dough

Cold butter: work it into the flour until you have coarse crumbs. Keeping the butter cold helps the dough stay distinct rather than turning into a greasy paste.

Buttermilk: stir it in only until the dough comes together. A slightly shaggy appearance is expected; kneading it extensively can make the biscuits less tender.

Cutting and arranging

Floured cutter: dip the 5 cm cutter in flour before cutting to help it pass through the dough. Press down cleanly rather than twisting it.

Leftover dough: fold it over itself, pat it to the same thickness and cut again. The recipe aims for about 12 biscuits, though the exact number can vary with the cutter and how the dough is patted out.

How to tell the biscuits are done

Colour: bake until the biscuits are golden brown, using the stated 15 minutes as a guide. If they need a little longer to reach that colour, keep an eye on them as they finish.

Resting: turn the biscuits out onto a towel and cover them while you prepare the fillings. This keeps them warm and makes them easy to split for assembly.

Building the sandwiches

Cheese first: place a slice of Cheddar on the bottom half of each warm biscuit, then add the egg and bacon before replacing the top. The cheese sits against the warm biscuit and can soften as the sandwich is assembled.

Egg and bacon: use 4–5 slices of egg per sandwich and a few pieces of bacon. The recipe uses 6–8 bacon slices for 12 sandwiches, so the bacon is a modest layer rather than a full slice in each one.

Serving ideas

Serve the sandwiches warm, with fruit or a simple green salad alongside to add freshness. They also work well as part of a brunch spread with sliced tomatoes or other breakfast dishes.

If serving a crowd, keep the fillings and biscuits warm while you assemble batches. The brief oven or microwave warming at the end helps soften the cheese if the biscuits have cooled.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the butter cold until you rub it into the flour.
• Stop stirring as soon as the buttermilk brings the dough together.
• Flour the biscuit cutter before each cut if the dough starts sticking.
• Use the same 1.3 cm thickness for the first and subsequent rounds of dough.
• Split the biscuits while warm so they are easier to fill.
• Use the brief oven or microwave warming only if the cheese needs help melting.

Variations

• Add black pepper: season the egg layer to taste for a little extra savoury bite.
• Use another cheese: swap the Cheddar for a similar melting cheese.
• Add tomato: tuck a thin slice into the sandwich just before serving.
• Include herbs: add chopped chives to the sliced egg for a fresh note.
• Serve with greens: add a handful of salad leaves alongside rather than inside the warm sandwich.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Warming the butter: use it cold so it can be worked into coarse crumbs.
• Overworking the dough: stop kneading after a few turns to help keep the biscuits tender.
• Cutting without flour: dip the cutter in flour so it releases more cleanly.
• Guessing doneness by time alone: check for golden-brown biscuits around the 15-minute mark.
• Using cold biscuits without warming: if the cheese has not softened, warm the assembled sandwiches as directed.

How to store

Store leftover sandwiches in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Reheat until warmed through in the oven or microwave; the biscuits are best freshly baked, as they may soften in storage.

Frequently asked questions