Recipe: Cheesy Whole-Grain Biscuits — Side Dish Recipes from The Kitchn |Cooking With Amanda

Nothing beats the smell of homemade biscuits — the aromas of toasty butter and cheese oozing out of the oven make your home smell amazing. Aside from being quick and easy to prepare, biscuits can be made with a variety of ingredients and are the perfect weeknight alternative to dinner rolls. Your cast iron skillet replaces the cookie sheet — carry it to the table and let the pan keep the biscuits warm while you serve dinner.

These biscuits are particularly decadent — they're made with nutty spelt flour, creamy buttermilk, sharp cheddar, and are speckled with fresh chives. These could be enjoyed alongside any dinner, but go especially well the Mushroom-Asparagus Frittata.

Cheesy Whole-Grain Biscuits

Makes 8 biscuits

2 cups spelt flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, cubed, plus more for greasing
1 cup buttermilk, plus more for brushing
1 heaping cup sharp cheddar, grated
1/4 cup chives, thinly sliced
Freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F and grease an 8-inch cast iron skillet with butter.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well-combined. Toss in the butter cubes, and use your fingers to pinch the butter into the dough mixture until crumbs form. Add in the buttermilk, shredded cheese, chives, and a couple good grinds of freshly cracked black pepper. Mix together with a rubber spatula.

Transfer the dough (should be fairly sticky) onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle a light layer of flour over the top. Fold the dough over itself several times until no longer sticky, adding more flour as needed. Using your hands, press the dough into a 1-inch thick circle. Use a biscuit-cutter or cookie-cutter (roughly 2 1/2-inch diameter) to cut through the dough.

Place the rounds in the pre-greased skillet, starting with the outer edge and then making room in the middle. Brush lightly with buttermilk, and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tops are golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Run a knife along the edge of the pan to release the biscuits (this should be really easy since the pan is greased). Each biscuit should come apart easily.