These homemade Drop Biscuits can be made in under 30 minutes with just 5 basic ingredients. Drop biscuits that are as simple to make as they are delicious are your new go-to for any meal of the day.
Making these homemade drop biscuits is a breeze. You can throw them together quickly using only ingredients you already have on hand. If you like rolled biscuits, but don’t have time to make them on a weeknight, give this drop biscuit recipe a try. There is no need to roll or laminate the dough before placing it on a baking sheet and placing it in the oven.
Inside, they’re flaky, soft, and fluffy, while outside, they’re lightly golden and crisp. They go well with anything you’re having for dinner.
Ingredients for this dish
- Drop biscuits made with bread flour will turn out too dense, while cake flour will make them too light. All-purpose flour is the best choice for this recipe. This recipe can be made with either bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour. Do not substitute rapid-rise flour.
- Baking powder gives the biscuits their airy texture and helps them rise. Make sure it hasn’t expired and is still good to use.
- Butter — For this drop biscuit recipe, you’ll want to use butter that’s very cold so that it can melt inside the biscuits as they bake. The biscuits’ lightness and flakiness come from the steam created by the melting butter.
- Infuse with flavor and moisture-retaining milk. The butter will stay cold longer if the milk is cold, so feel free to leave it in the fridge.
Ingredients
- ▢2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- ▢2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ▢1 teaspoon salt
- ▢½ cup cold unsalted butter cubed (113g)
- ▢¾ cup whole milk plus more for if needed (160ml)
Drop Biscuits: A How-to Guide
- Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Toss the butter cubes in flour to coat. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until the largest pieces are about the size of peas.
- Using a fork or a silicone spatula, gently fold the milk into the flour mixture until it is sticky but has not formed a cohesive mass. Add another tablespoon or two of milk if there are large dry spots in the dough.
- Distribute the dough in 8 even mounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. To get a golden brown top, bake for 15 to 18 minutes.
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE LIKE A PRO
- These quick and simple biscuits taste great whether you use whole milk or buttermilk. Biscuits made with buttermilk will have a slight rise to them. Whole buttermilk is thicker than regular milk, so you may need as much as a cup to achieve the desired consistency.
- Add 2–3 tablespoons of sugar, whisking until combined, to make a sweet biscuit. Before baking, brush the tops of the biscuits with milk and sprinkle them with sugar.
- You can use a box grater to shred the butter instead of trying to cut it into cubes.
- If you want perfectly consistent results every time, I suggest using a scale to measure your flour. Fluff your flour with a spoon, then spoon it into your cups, and level it off with a knife if you don’t have a scale. If you want an accurate measurement of flour, this is the way to do it.
- To prevent the butter from melting too quickly while you’re working it into the biscuit dough, freeze the cubes for about 15 to 20 minutes if you live in a warm climate.
- Drop biscuits benefit from being baked in a cast-iron skillet rather than on a baking sheet if you prefer a crustier bottom.
- The oven needs to be preheated as soon as possible. The longer the dough waits until the oven is ready, the more the butter will soften.
FAQ
WHAT MAKES THIS BISCUIT SPECIAL RELATED TO OTHERS?
When making drop biscuits, the dough is scooped out of the bowl and “dropped” onto the baking sheet, rather than being dropped onto the sheet individually like regular biscuits. When baked, their mound-like shape takes on a more natural and uneven appearance. No slicing, no shaping, and no kneading are required.
Can I flavor the dough with anything?
These drop biscuits are tasty on their own, but you can also enhance their flavor by adding your favorite mix-ins. Shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese, finely chopped herbs like rosemary or chives, or diced jalapenos add flavor and heat.
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