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Southern Ham Biscuits Recipe

Robyn Stone

Updated Dec 02, 2023

These Southern ham biscuits are perfect when entertaining or serving for brunch. The best ham biscuit has a delicious spread to enhance the flavors of the biscuit and the salty meat.

Ham biscuits have graced Southern tables for generations. They make the perfect party fare when entertaining and are just as delicious for serving at a family brunch.

Southern ham biscuit with salty ham and honey butter spread. - 1

Southern ham biscuits made with buttermilk biscuits, baked ham, and honey butter.

How to Make Southern Ham Biscuits
Ham Biscuit Options
Southern Ham Biscuit Ingredients
Recipe Variation Ideas
Instructions
Southern Ham Biscuits

How to Make Southern Ham Biscuits

Southern ham biscuits have three major components:

Biscuit
Ham
Spread

Ham Biscuit Options

You can easily customize this recipe based on how you plan to serve them.

Pick the biscuit: Use your favorite biscuit recipe as the base. I prefer my easy buttermilk biscuit recipe , cream biscuits , or cheddar biscuits , depending on the ham I’ll be using.

Scale the size: Make them smaller if you plan to serve them as appetizers. Make them larger if you’d like to serve them as breakfast sandwiches or afternoon sliders.

Select the ham: Stuff them with slightly sweet sliced honey-baked ham, thick-cut country ham for a saltier bite, or even shaved deli ham for an easy option.

Southern ham biscuits with pepper jelly on a white platter. - 2

Southern Ham Biscuit made with cheddar biscuits, shaved ham, and pepper jelly.

Southern Ham Biscuit Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

For this recipe, you’ll need:

Biscuits – For the photographs for this recipe, I made cheddar biscuits and used self-rising flour, buttermilk, butter, and cheddar cheese.

Ham – Use your choice of ham as discussed.

Spread – Use your choice of spread.

Recipe Variation Ideas

Here are three easy variations of these delicious ham biscuits that I turn to time and again.

Cheddar Ham Biscuits with Pepper Jelly Spread

Biscuits: Cheddar Biscuits
Ham: Shaved Deli Ham
Spread: Pepper Jelly, Homemade Hot Honey , Poppy Seed Spread

Country Ham Biscuits

Biscuits: Cream Biscuits
Ham: Country Ham
Spread: Honey Butter

Honey Glazed Ham Biscuits

Biscuits: Three Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
Ham: Honey Glazed Baked Ham
Spread: Honey Mustard , Pimento Cheese , or Honey Butter

Instructions

Cheddar biscuit dough dropped with scoop onto baking sheet. - 3

Cheddar biscuits being made as drop biscuits for Southern ham biscuits.

Make the biscuits. Make the biscuit dough according to the recipe directions. Drop the dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet using a portion scoop for the size desired for your biscuits. Use a large scoop for sandwich size and a medium cookie scoop for appetizer size. Alternatively, you can roll out the biscuit dough on a lightly floured surface and cut using a biscuit cutter. Bake according to the recipe directions.

Buttermilk biscuits with baked ham and honey butter spread.

Assemble the Southern ham biscuits. Split the biscuits in half by inserting the tines of the fork into the center of the biscuit. Carefully break apart the biscuit and place the top half to the side. Layer your choice of ham onto the bottom half of the biscuit. Spread your choice of spread onto the inside of the top half of the biscuit. Place the top half back onto the biscuit and repeat until all biscuits have been assembled.

If needed, insert an appetizer or cocktail pick through the top of the biscuit to secure them for serving. Alternatively, stuff the split biscuits with the ham and place an assortment of spreads into serving bowls beside the platter of ham biscuits for everyone to use their spread of choice.

Photo of southern ham biscuit on a white platter. - 5

Here’s my Southern Ham Biscuits recipe. I hope you love them as much as we do!

Equipment

Baking Sheet

Ingredients

Biscuit Options

▢ 1 recipe buttermilk biscuits
▢ 1 recipe cream biscuits
▢ 1 recipe cheddar biscuits

Ham Options

▢ 1 pound Baked ham , sliced and cut into biscuit-sized pieces
▢ 1 pound Country ham , recommend traditional Virginia country ham
▢ 1 pound shaved deli ham

Spread Options

▢ Pepper Jelly , homemade or store-bought
▢ Pimento Cheese
▢ Honey Butter
▢ Hot Honey , homemade or store-bought
▢ Poppy Seed Spread , recipe below

Poppy Seed Spread (Optional)

▢ 1/2 cup butter , melted
▢ 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
▢ 1 tablespoon grated onion , or 2 tablespoon onion powder
▢ 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
▢ 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Instructions

Prep. Preheat oven to 475º F. Grease baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
Make the biscuits. Prepare biscuits according to recipe directions. Scoop the biscuit dough with a portion scoop based on the desired size (medium cookie scoop for appetizers or 2 1/2" scoop for larger size). Or roll the dough and cut with biscuit cutters for the desired size. Place onto prepped baking sheet and bake according to the recipe instructions. Remove and split open with the tines of a fork.
Assemble the ham biscuits. Place ham onto the bottom half of the biscuit and spread the top half with your spread of choice. Return the top half of the biscuit to the top of the ham. Secure with a toothpick or skewer if needed for serving.
Alternatively, serve various spreads in bowls alongside the platter of biscuits

Poppy Seed Spread (Optional)

Mix together the melted butter, poppy seeds, grated onion, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard until all are well combined.

Honey Butter Spread (Optional)

Mix together until smooth and creamy.

Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Enjoy! Robyn xo

Originally published in 2010.