Ham Biscuits Recipe

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

35 mins

Servings:

10

Ham biscuits are the perfect canvas for a holiday brunch, bridal tea, or weekend breakfast when you have guests to serve. Once you make the biscuits, family or guests and select from spreads you provide—we recommend Creole Mayonnaise, an herby compound butter, fruit butter, and pimiento cheese. But whether you use jelly, jam, mayo, or mustard, you can't go wrong with this timeless ham biscuit recipe.

We used a small two-inch biscuit cutter, so you may want to bake extra for Easter brunch—they tend to disappear very quickly. These biscuits can be cut and frozen up to two weeks in advance. Just freeze the dough solid on the baking sheet, transfer to a freezer-safe zip-top bag, and bake from frozen when ready to serve.

Learn how to make ham biscuits, and then have fun planning your spreads and toppings.

Ingredients for Ham Biscuits

These ham biscuits come together with staple baking ingredients, including flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, butter, and buttermilk. Filling the warm biscuits with ham and your chosen spread is where you can really let them shine. To make ham biscuits, you'll need:

All-purpose flour: For a biscuit with a hearty crumb. Can substitute with with pastry flour for a softer texture.
Granulated sugar: A hint of sweetness to enhance the flavor of the biscuits.
Baking powder: Gives the biscuits lift for a tender, fluffy crumb.
Kosher salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the biscuits.
Baking soda: Reacts with the buttermilk to give the biscuits additional rise.
Cold butter: Cut in to the biscuit dough for a flaky, delicate result.
Whole buttermilk: Gives the biscuits moisture, tenderness, and a mild tanginess.
Melted butter: Brushed over the biscuits for a buttery flavor.
Thinly sliced ham: Stacked into the biscuits for a savory filling. Feel free to substitute with other types of deli meats.
Creole Mayonnaise: For sandwiches with a little extra zing.
Compound butter, pimento cheese, or fruit butter: Or any preferred spreads or compound butters to add a punch of flavor to the sandwiches.

ingredients for ham biscuits — Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey

How To Make Ham Biscuits

With just 35 minutes of total time, you can serve up to 10 guests with these ham biscuits. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:

Step 1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add whole buttermilk and stir to form a ball.
Step 2. Transfer to a lightly floured surface, and knead three to four times. Roll into a rectangle, and fold in half so short ends meet. Roll and fold once more.
Step 3. Roll dough to 1⁄2-inch thickness. Cut out 2-inch rounds and place 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Step 4. Brush biscuits with melted butter, and serve with ham and choice of spreads.

Ham Biscuit Variations

To change up these ham biscuits, consider these variations:

Spreads: No matter what spread or compound butter you choose, amp up the flavor of these ham biscuits with a flavorful topping.
Cheese: Layer in Cheddar cheese, pepper Jack, Gruyère, Brie, or other favorite cheeses.
Crunch: Add pickles, pickled red onions, crispy lettuce, or thinly sliced apple or pear for a refreshing crunch.
Jams and jellies: Spread on fig, apricot, or pepper jelly for a sweet or spicy touch.
Protein: Add crispy bacon, a fried egg, or mix and match deli meats for a hearty spin.
Herbs: Fresh basil, cilantro, parsley or other herbs can add a bright freshness to the sandwiches.

Our Tips for the Best Ham Biscuits

When making ham biscuits, keep these tips in mind for the most consistent results:

Flour quantity: Spoon and level (or weigh) your flour to achieve the same dough texture every time.
Knead gently: Overworked biscuit dough can become rubbery and dense.
High rise: Flour the biscuit cutter (and avoid twisting) when cutting out biscuits for the best rise.
Bake at a high temperature: Baking at 450°F will give your biscuits great lift and browning.
Bake fresh: Prepare the biscuit dough ahead if needed, but bake fresh before serving for the tastiest results.
Quality ham: Use high-quality ham for the tastiest bites.
Variety of spreads: Give your guests everything they crave by offering a variety of sweet, tangy, or spicy spreads.

What To Serve With Ham Biscuits

Whether you serve these biscuits for breakfast or brunch, as a midday snack, or cocktail party bite, they're a satisfying dish your guests will appreciate.

Pair ham biscuits with your favorite brunch dishes, or serve later in the day with coleslaw, fruit salad, potato salad, roasted vegetables, grilled corn on the cob, pimiento cheese dip, or other favorite sides.

Can I Make Ham Biscuits Ahead?

Ham biscuits can be prepared in advance for a hearty make-ahead breakfast or snack.

Prepare the biscuit dough, cut out, and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. You can also freeze the unbaked biscuits for up to 2 months. Bake straight from the refrigerator or freezer, adding a few minutes to the baking time as needed. Serve fresh with ham and spreads.

How To Store and Reheat Leftover Ham Biscuits

Store leftover biscuits and ham separately. Store biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Warm in a toaster oven or oven and serve with ham and spreads as directed.

More Hearty Biscuit Recipes You'll Love

Warm biscuits will always be a crowd-pleaser. Whether you serve them with sausage gravy, pulled pork, or hot honey, these recipes are guaranteed to satisfy:

Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse.

Ham Biscuits - Southern Living — Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
3/4 cup whole buttermilk
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
12 oz. thinly sliced ham
Creole Mayonnaise, compound butter, pimento cheese, fruit butter, jam, or other spreads, as preferred

Directions

Make biscuit dough:

Preheat oven to 450°F. Whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Cut cold butter pieces into flour mixture with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Make a well in center of mixture. Add whole buttermilk, and stir until mixture comes together in a ball.

Morgan Hunt Glaze; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey
Roll out dough:

Scrape dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead three to four times. Lightly flour top of dough and a rolling pin. Roll dough into a rectangle, and fold dough in half so short ends meet. Repeat the rolling and folding procedures one more time.

Morgan Hunt Glaze; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey
Cut out biscuits:

Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a floured 2-inch round cutter, rerolling scraps once. (You should have 10 biscuits.) Place biscuits 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey
Bake biscuits:

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and firm to the touch, about 10 minutes. Brush tops of hot biscuits with melted butter, and serve with sliced ham and choice of biscuit spreads.

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use any type of ham for ham biscuits?

Any type of ham will do for these biscuits, but the better the quality, the better the flavor.
Are ham biscuits only served on special occasions?

You don't need to wait for a special event to serve ham biscuits. They're just as welcome for brunch as they are for tailgating, picnics, or even more festive occasions.
Why aren't my biscuits fluffy?

There are a few reasons your biscuits may not come out fluffy. A heavy hand when measuring the flour, overworked dough, warmed butter, and inconsistent oven temperature can all affect the texture of the biscuits.