Ham and Cheese Butter Swim Biscuits

Ham and Cheese Butter Swim Biscuits are made with two kinds of cheddar cheese, diced ham, and chives, then baked in a layer of melted butter. I love how they end up with a crispy, golden crust with a soft center filled with ham and cheese! I also have Cheesy Butterswim Biscuits, a delicious variation without the ham, that you will love.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of the biscuit dough. We have not tested my butter swim biscuits with other kinds of flour, so I can’t speak to their effectiveness.
• Garlic Powder: I added a couple of teaspoons of garlic powder for an extra layer of savory flavor.
• Cheese: I wanted enough cheese to make sure it stood out in these biscuits. I combined shredded medium cheddar with shredded white cheddar cheese. Some of it goes into the biscuit dough, while the rest is sprinkled on top of the biscuits. Try your favorite blend of cheeses!
• Ham: This recipe is a delicious recipe to use any leftover ham you have from your Thanksgiving menu, Christmas menu, or any holiday feast! Simply dice it up before adding it to your biscuit dough. Or, if you want to try another kind of meat, I think cooked bacon, sausage, or turkey would work. How about a little bit of bacon and a little bit of ham for a breakfast biscuit?
• Chives: Chives add a mild onion flavor with a touch of color.
• Buttermilk: These are a type of buttermilk biscuits, so we can’t forget about the buttermilk! If you don’t have any on hand, make your own.
• Butter: These biscuits get their name because they are ‘swimming’ in butter when baked! I prefer using unsalted butter for control of the salt added to the recipe. Plus, ham tends to be on the salty side, so I wanted to make sure the biscuits weren’t too salty. I also have Cowboy Butter Swim Biscuits, made with my homemade compound butter for a flavorful twist on the biscuits.

Ham and Cheese Butter Swim Biscuits

Print Recipe

Experience the incredible flavors of Ham and Cheese Butter Swim Biscuits. These savory biscuits are loaded with cheddar cheese and ham!

• Author: Julia
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 26 minutes
• Total Time: 36 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x
• Category: Breakfast, Side Dish

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 ½ cups (312.5 g) all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 cup (113 g) medium cheddar cheese, shredded,
• 1 cup (113 g) white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup (135 g) cooked ham, diced
• ¼ cup (12 g) chives, chopped
• 2 cups (490 g) buttermilk
• ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Spray a 7×11-inch deep baking dish* with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. To a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder. Whisk to combine.
3. In a small bowl, mix medium cheddar and white cheddar cheeses.
4. To the flour mixture, add 1 cup of the blended cheeses, diced ham, and chives.
5. Pour in the buttermilk. Stir until mostly combined, being careful not to overwork the batter.
6. Pour the melted butter into the prepared baking dish. Place the dough on top of the butter and use a spatula (or your hands) to evenly spread the dough out to the edges of the pan.
7. Top with the remaining cup of cheese.
8. Bake for 26-28 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
9. When done, remove the biscuits from the oven. Allow the butter to be absorbed into the biscuits before cutting and serving.

Notes

*It is important that the baking dish is deep (2-3 inches). But, if using a shallow baking dish, the butter may spill over the pan while baking, so place a baking sheet under the pan in case of spillover.