Cheese Buns Recipe

By
Sydney Oland
Sydney Oland: Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Sydney Oland
Sydney Oland lives in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, where she develops recipes and owns and operates three businesses: a bean-to-bar chocolate company, an ice cream company, and a collective food production space. Previously, she wrote brunch and British food recipe columns for Serious Eats.
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Updated March 28, 2025
Overhead view of cheese buns on a parchment-lined baking sheet, fresh from the oven.

Serious Eats / Sydney Oland

These may bear more resemblance to a biscuit, but straight out of the oven, these quick-to-assemble buns are soft and dotted with melted cheese: a perfect addition to a pot of coffee and a crisp newspaper.

Although my preference is cheddar, if you're looking for something a bit different, any good melting cheese could be substituted (pepper jack, gruyere or Swiss would work perfectly). If you find yourself with some fresh herbs, grated lemon zest, or even scallions, toss them in with the dry ingredients for even more flavor. Buttermilk is ideal because of the slight acidity it gives to the biscuits, but if you find yourself without it and don't feel like trekking to the store, you can substitute regular milk.

February 2012

Recipe Details

Cheese Buns Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Cook 25 mins
Active 15 mins
Total 35 mins
Makes 20 buns
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Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, divided

  • 1 cup grated cheddar

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1 cup buttermilk

  • 20 small slices cheddar (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt to combine. Cut 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) butter into the flour mixture and, using your fingers or a pastry blender, mix butter and flour together until mixture resembles wet sand. Add cheddar and toss until coated with flour, then add milk and buttermilk and mix until dough forms.

  2. Turn dough out onto a floured cutting board and roll dough out until mixture is about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into 20 evenly sized pieces and place on a baking sheet; top with cheddar (optional). Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and brush over buns. Bake until cheese is melted and buns have begun to brown, about 20 minutes. Serve with with butter.

Special Equipment

Rimmed baking sheet, parchment paper

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
4112 Calories
231g Fat
413g Carbs
96g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 4112
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 231g 296%
Saturated Fat 142g 708%
Cholesterol 622mg 207%
Sodium 6358mg 276%
Total Carbohydrate 413g 150%
Dietary Fiber 14g 48%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 96g
Vitamin C 2mg 12%
Calcium 2333mg 179%
Iron 25mg 140%
Potassium 1415mg 30%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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