Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Step 2

In a food processor, blend together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Step 3

Pulse in the cold butter. Do not over incorporate the butter into the flour. Similar to making a flaky pastry, small pieces of butter should be visible in the flour.

Step 4

Transfer this mixture from the food processor into a large mixing bowl and add the chives and cheese.

Step 5

Toss together and make a well in the center. Pour in the buttermilk.

Step 6

Working very quickly with a wooden spoon, fold the dry mixture through the buttermilk, only until the flour disappears, then stop immediately.

Step 7

Drop the sticky dough onto a well floured counter top or bread board. Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour as well as flouring your hands to handle the dough.

Step 8

After folding it just a few times, I don’t even use a rolling pin for these biscuits, the dough is soft enough to pat it out gently with floured hands to a thickness of about 1 inch.

Step 9

Using a large sharp biscuit cutter cut the biscuits out an place them well spaced out, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. I recommend aluminum baking sheets because they tolerate the higher oven temperature without burning the bottom of the biscuits. An alternative to using a biscuit cutter is to form the dough into a round and simply cut it in wedges, like a pie. (as pictured) Brush an egg wash or a little milk on top of the biscuits if you like to aid browning.

Step 10

Bake in the 425 degree F preheated oven for about 10 minutes before lowering the temperature to 375 degrees F and baking for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits are evenly golden brown. Smaller biscuits will need about 5 minutes less in the oven.