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Cream Cheese Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy

You’ve never had biscuits and gravy like this before! Cream Cheese Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy is a sweet spin on the classic recipe, with pillowy soft biscuits smothered in a rich, pudding-like gravy.

Cream Cheese Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy served on a white plate

Easy Chocolate Gravy and Biscuits

Yes, that’s right. Chocolate gravy. This is not to be confused with chocolate sauce! Chocolate gravy is thicker and richer, with a consistency a bit like cook-and-serve pudding before it’s refrigerated. I admit that I don’t know the exact origin of this recipe, but some say it’s just as much of a Southern classic as the savory version. I’ve tried many chocolate gravy recipes over the years, and this one is my favorite!

As for the biscuits, they’re similar to a traditional biscuit, but made softer and bolder with a bit of cream cheese added to the dough. The flavor complements the chocolate gravy without competing with it, which is exactly what we want in a recipe like this. The biscuits mix up quickly and don’t require any rolling—instead, just pat the dough out on a lightly floured surface and cut it into circles. 

This is one of my favorite lazy breakfast recipes, but it’s also a fun treat to whip up for Christmas morning or a holiday brunch. Who could possibly pass up a gravy boat full of chocolate?!

Cream Cheese Biscuits stacked on a white plate

What You’ll Need

You can substitute your own favorite biscuit recipe here, but I recommend this one because it has a nice, neutral flavor that’s neither sweet nor too savory (as a traditional buttermilk biscuit might be). Here’s what you’ll need:

For the biscuits:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Cream cheese – The cream cheese should be softened to room temperature so the dough is easy to mix.
  • Unsalted butter – The butter will also need to be softened! Take it out at the same time as the cream cheese and let both sit on the countertop for 30 to 45 minutes.
  • Milk

For the chocolate gravy:

  • Granulated sugar
  • All-purpose flour
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder – Either Dutch process or natural will work in this recipe.
  • Milk – I recommend whole milk for the creamiest gravy.
  • Water
  • Unsalted butter
  • Vanilla extract
Biscuit topped with chocolate gravy on white plate, with additional biscuits in background

How to Make Cream Cheese Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy

If you want to get a head start on this recipe, you can make the cream cheese biscuits the day before, then whip up the gravy just before eating. 

To make the biscuits:

Prepare. Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

Combine the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add remaining ingredients. Add the cream cheese and butter to the dry mixture. Incorporate with a pastry blender, fork, or your fingers, just until combined. Pour in the milk and stir until the dough comes together.

Shape the dough. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, then pat it to about a 3/4-inch thickness.

Cut the biscuits. Use a 2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut biscuits, then pat the scraps back together and cut out the remaining biscuits. 

Bake. Transfer the cut biscuits to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until golden brown.

To make the chocolate gravy:

Heat chocolate mixture. Whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, milk, and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, then continue to cook 3 to 4 minutes more, or until it’s thickened.

Finish gravy and assemble. Remove the saucepan from the stovetop and stir in the butter and vanilla. Spoon the warm chocolate gravy over the biscuits.

Tips for Success

Here are some tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way while making this recipe:

  • No biscuit cutter? Not a problem! You can use a round cookie cutter instead, or, in a pinch, invert a glass or cup and use the rim to cut your biscuits. Be sure not to twist the cutter so you’ll get nice, tall biscuits. If these aren’t an option either, you can cut 2-inch circles with a knife.
  • Soft vs. crisp biscuits. If you want biscuits that have a soft exterior, you can place them closer together on the baking sheet. For a crispier outside, space them further apart, as this allows hot air to circulate around them and make the exteriors crisp.
  • Make it your own. Garnish with glazed pecans, sliced strawberries, raspberries, homemade whipped cream, or anything else you’d like to add.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Store the biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The chocolate gravy can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Warm the biscuits in the microwave briefly or in the oven at 350ºF for 5 to 10 minutes; the gravy can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat.

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

Yes, you can freeze both the biscuits and the gravy. Place the biscuits in a freezer bag, and freeze the gravy in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, let the biscuits sit on the countertop until they come to room temperature and let the gravy thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then microwave or heat it on the stovetop.

Cream Cheese Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy

Yield 12 biscuits
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Total Time 41 minutes

Cream Cheese Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy are a long-time favorite for a sweet breakfast or brunch treat! Pillowy, soft biscuits are served with pudding-like chocolate gravy!

Cream Cheese Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy served on a white plate

Ingredients

For the biscuits:

  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup (118ml) milk

For the chocolate gravy:

  • 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
  • 1 & 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 & 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup (118ml) milk
  • 1/2 cup (118ml) water
  • 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

To make the biscuits:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Add the cream cheese and butter. Mix with a pastry blender, a fork, or your fingers just until combined.
  4. Add the milk, and continue mixing just until the dough comes together.
  5. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to pat the dough to about a 3/4-inch thickness.
  6. Use a 2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits. After you've cut out as many biscuits as you can, gather the dough once more and cut out the remaining biscuits.
  7. Transfer the biscuits to the prepared pan. Place them close together for softer sides or further apart for crisper sides.
  8. Bake 14 to 16 minutes, or until lightly browned.

To make the chocolate gravy:

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, milk, and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring until thickened (about 3 or 4 minutes).
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Serve warm over biscuits.

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    44 Comments on “Cream Cheese Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy”

  1. how delicious! I’m trying this tomorrow morning at breakfast. 🙂

  2. i used to bake a lot, but for some reason i haven’t recently [i think its because usually i bake when i’m stressed and since school hasn’t picked up yet, im not stressed] but your recipes are constantly inspiring me. i’m getting that ansty feeling… i think i’ll bake soon!

  3. Hope you enjoy it, Alicat!

    Connie, thanks for that very nice compliment!

  4. Very creative! Question – Do you know how to make biscuits that look like the frozen biscuits (tall and puffy, crispy outside and soft inside)? Although homemade biscuits are great, they always seem to be “flat” and a little dense. Don’t get me wront, there is nothing like a homemade biscuit, but I just really like the look and feel of those frozen ones! I have yet to see a homemade one that is like the frozen ones. Maybe it’s just a mass production thing! (One of my classmates asked me this the other day and I’ve been wondering ever since)

    • Also, when you’re cutting your buiscits, don’t twist. Just press down and pull up. Twisting causes them to “close” on the edges.

  5. Claire, one trick is not to roll out the dough too thin. The thicker the dough is, the thicker your biscuits will be. Also, shortening makes biscuits very flaky, much like store-bought biscuits. Lard even more so, but most of us don’t use it because, well, it’s lard.

  6. I think anyone would be happier after having learned of chocolate gravy!

  7. My Granny Gray told me, “use a wooden spoon and heavy pan” when making he cholcolate gravy. My memory fails me, do you do that when making yours? The last time I made the gravy, it was a bit too runny. Your picture looked like it had a very nice consistency.

  8. My dear Nuwanda, I did use a heavy pan (Le Creuset) but a whisk instead of a wooden spoon. I had your (or Granny Gray’s) recipe at some point, but this one is a bit different if I’m not mistaken.

  9. I was amazed when I typed “chocolate gravey” into the search box to come up with a recipe. In Arkansas in the 1940s my mother made us chocolate gravy and hot biscuits as a treat for breakfast. The cream cheese biscuits sounds like a nice fit.

  10. I love choclate gravy and biscuits.
    The creamy gravy with big hunky biscuits!!

  11. Wow… just found your blog and am loving it.

    Chocolate gravy is a huge tradition in my house. My daddy used to get up every Sunday morning and make it for us. When I brought my husband home to eat one Sunday, his Danish eyebrows hit the ceiling… he wouldn’t touch the stuff initially. However, he’s now the primary cook in our family and my Daddy shared the recipe.

    Anyhow (sorry for so many words!) I’ve always thought of it as a Southern tradition–as it’s mainly other Southerners who seem to know about it. I’ve yet to meet a Northerner that doesn’t think I’m crazy for mentioning it!

  12. I’m glad you found me, Wende! I agree with you that chocolate gravy is a Southern thing. In any case, it’s certainly a delicious thing!

  13. my mother was from arkansas and she made the best chocolate gravy and biscuits…this southern california girl grew up loving it but i never got the recipe from her and now that she is gone I miss it….am going to try your recipe asap

  14. Theresa, I hope this recipe reminds you of your mother’s chocolate gravy. It really is just one of the best things.

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  16. Wow wow wow. My husband and I both grew up in Alabama eating chocolate gravy and biscuit. We just assumed EVERYBODY did. We raised our kids on it. It was a weekend treat. I did not know it came from Arkansas, but my maternal grandmother had roots there. When we moved out west, boy did we gross out some people. No one out here gets it! So I would say its a southEASTERN delicacy. Bacon or sausage is the perfect accompaniment.
    BTW: My Grammaw would take the leftover (yes there was leftover, because she made a LOT) and pour it over the broken up leftover biscuit. Stir it real good and put it in the fridge. We call it “Cold Biscuit Pudding”. Thanks for the memories!

  17. I was raised on chocolate Gravy and Biscuits! It’s been a mainstay and a tradition in our family for as long as I can remember. I’ve never used vanilla or butter at the end in my gravy… or the (Yummie) Cream Cheese Biscuits (just well buttered ones) But I will be trying this -It can only Get Better!!

  18. I have wondered many times if my family was alone in their love of chocolate gravy & biscuits. My recipe was passed down from my mom, from her mom, and her mom, who got it from a lady she knew who lived in Arkansas. My family actually comes from around the “bootheel” area in Missouri. I had even heard that at one time a small resteraunt in Poplar Bluff , MO had it on their menu. Haven’t had the opportunity to confirm that yet. Now I serve this to my kids. It not only tastes good, but it makes me feel kind of special knowing that the recipe comes from our family ties and is very localized.

  19. Wow, I just decided to do a search, I did not know how many folks knew about and ate biscuits and chocolate gravy. My mom was born in Ill. Her mom in Oklahoma. Kids used to line up at the door to spend the night on Saturday because my mother would make this luscious meal on Sunday morning. My recipe starts with a basic white sauce adding cocoa and sugar, it looks a bit darker then the photograph here. My favorite is baking soda biscuits with my gravy, a sucker for tradition I suppose but I’m goint to try the cream cheese. Thanks

  20. Sharesa, chocolate gravy is one my all-time favorite things. In fact, your comment today has reminded me that it’s been far too long since I made it. Perhaps I can remedy that this weekend.

    Thanks for stopping by!

  21. Am from Arkansas and this one of our family fav.
    Here is my recipe for Chocolate Gravy.
    I mix up a few batches at a time. Then just add milk to make. It keeps well in an jar for a long time.
    Most people don’t add enough cocoa to make it rich and chocolatey.

    Chocolate Gravy

    4 tablespoons of cornstarch
    1 cup of sugar
    1/2 cup of cocoa powder
    3 cups of milk

    Mix cornstarch, sugar and cocoa powder together,
    Gradually stir in milk. Cook over low heat until thick.
    Stir constantly, as it will and scorch easily.
    Serve over hot biscuits with butter.

  22. Ann, your recipe does indeed sound rich and chocolatey. I like the idea of keeping the dry ingredients mixed up and ready to go. Thanks for sharing!

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  24. When I was in Jr. High and lived in Tennessee with my parents, I had a friend whose mom used to make bisquits and chocolate gravy on the weekends. It was incredible and when I tell people about it . . . they think I’m nuts. I’m am so excited to find this recipe and am going to try it tomorrow morning! My kids have never tried it; but, have heard me talk about it. Now they’ll get to finally know what I’ve been talking about!! Thanks!

  25. Janice, I hope you and your kids enjoy the chocolate gravy!

  26. Jennifer, My kids loved the biscuits and the chocolate gravy! The gravy was a little darker and less Milk Chocolatey (is that a word) than what I remembered. So, I made it again tonight and used 1 cup of milk instead of 1/2 c milk and 1/2 c water. I also added 1/2 c sugar instead of 1/3 c sugar. The color, thickness and taste ended up being “exactly” what I remembered! Thanks and have a great weekend everyone!

  27. So glad you liked it! I don’t think I’ve ever known two people who made it the same way. Anyway you make it, it’s certainly delicious!

  28. I had to pull out my Chocolate Gravy Recipe to compare to yours! At first I was like, what? But then I realized mine basically is yours (tripled) sans butter, and mine calls for all milk & no water + a dash of salt. My recipe is from a good ol’ Arkansas lady who must’ve needed to make a lot! I’m so glad to here you say, you’re also not a gravy person!

  29. Christy, it’s always nice to meet another chocolate gravy fan. It’s the best, isn’t it?

  30. i had bought some frozen cream cheese biscuits and loved them so much that i was going to look up a recipe…this was on the first page in google…omg i can’t wait to surprise my husband with this…he knows i’m going to make the biscuits but not this…i’m not going to tell him it chocolate either…just a gravy lol…also i don’t know why anyone would be grossed out by a chocolate gravy…not much different than a chocolate sauce or syrup…thanks ^^

  31. Jen, I hope you and your husband enjoy the biscuits and gravy!

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  33. my mother in law used to make the gravy for my husband often, i wanted to give it a go, but didnt want to make just any regular biscuits, awesome recipes, we both really enjoyed it.
    thanks 🙂

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  35. OMG THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! When I was little I used to have bisquits and chocolate gravy every sunday. My great gramma would make em for us. I have meaning to get the recipe from her… But I think I might try this one as well. I know what yall are saying my northern friends here on the border of ill. and wis. have NO clue what I’m talking about when I say bisquits and chocolate gravy they all think I’m insane! I might just have to whip some up and deliver them to all of my northern friends! Thanks for the recipe!

  36. Oh my, I didn’t know anyone else ate this! My mom (who is not a cook) used to make chocolate gravy for us when we were little. I now make it for my children. My best friend is from NZ and thought it would be yucky until I made it for her children. Now, they love it too. If you have never tried this, I suggest you do. It is wonderful! Think of it as warm, chocolate , gooey pudding!

  37. My son loves the chocolate gravy recipe. Thanks for posting it.

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  40. I love this. Chocolate gravy was the one thing mom allowed dad to make while she made buttermilk biscuits. The pictures also look like the consistency and the recipe is pretty much identical to dad’s. So glad to have found this, brings back many memories.

  41. Jennifer,

    I appreciate that you’ve never lost your Prentiss County, Mississippi roots 🙂
    Also, this is a good time to tell you how much I loved your folks.  I will always
    remember your mother’s kindness and your dad’s friendship here in your home county.
    I really enjoy following you and BOB.

    Kindest regards,

    Travis Childers

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