DROP BISCUITS

These are the easiest Drop Biscuits you’ll ever make! Thanks to a “secret” in the preparation, you won’t need any special baking tools or fancy equipment — just a bowl and a wooden spoon! These homemade biscuits are hot, buttery, flaky, and practically melt in your mouth right out of the oven!

These biscuits are begging for some delicious honey butter to get slathered all over them! Or use this recipe as a base for biscuits and gravy — breakfast doesn’t get much better than that!

What Are Drop Biscuits?

A rolled or American-style biscuit recipe typically involves a biscuit that rises about twice the original hight with a crusty exterior and a flat top with straight sides. These types of biscuits usually involve a bit more work (although, you’ll have to try out how easy this biscuit recipe is to make!)

In contrast a drop biscuit typically has more liquid to create a wetter dough. The dough is so wet, that it is too hard to knead or roll so instead you “drop” it onto a baking sheet and bake!

A funny name, but the perfect description for how you make this ridiculously easy drop biscuits recipe!

How To Make Drop Biscuits

So, you’re probably wondering what is this “secret” preparation method mentioned?!

Most drop biscuits use cold cubed butter and a food processor or pastry blender to cut the butter into the biscuits. But instead of doing this, we actually melt the butter. This would typically be bad for the texture, but we form new butter clumps by mixing in cold buttermilk. When the cold buttermilk hits the melted butter, it forms small clumps (see the photo above). Those clumps will imbue the wonderful flaky biscuit texture that results from pockets of butter without the extra work. Homemade drop biscuits easy style — thanks to Cooks Illustrated for teaching me this cool trick!

QUICK TIP

Fat (butter) forms small pockets throughout the biscuit dough. As it melts in the oven, the CO2 from the baking powder takes the place of the fat so the biscuits will rise. Without butter clumps in the biscuit dough, the biscuits will end up hard and flat — there is no place for the CO2 to go except out!

Drop Biscuit Recipe Tips

Watch the bake time. Keep an eye on these buttermilk drop biscuits while they’re in the oven so they don’t over bake.
Let baked biscuits stand. Once you pull them from the oven, allow time for the biscuits to stand on the sheet pan for about 5-10 minutes without breaking into them. The residual heat and steam ensure the insides are fully baked through.
Use buttermilk straight from the fridge — the colder the better.
Lightly spritz a measuring cup with nonstick spray for an easy biscuit release to the sheet pan.

VARIATIONS

Drop Biscuit Recipe Variations

Bisquick Drop Biscuits: Follow directions on the back of a Bisquick box or try this recipe!
Parmesan and Bacon: add some diced cooked bacon (4-6 slices cooked and chopped) and Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup finely shredded) to the base recipe
Cheddar: try our Red Lobster Biscuits copycat recipe!
Garlic–Herb: Add 1 tablespoons of Italian seasoning and garlic powder (or to taste) to the dry ingredients

STORAGE

Homemade Drop Biscuits Storage

Biscuits are always best right out of the oven (the same day they are made), but they do store fine. Package the (completely cooled) biscuits in an airtight bag and place them in the fridge. Warm biscuits individually in the microwave for 5-10 seconds or in a toaster oven. Leftovers are best eaten within a few days.

Freezing: Wrap the completely cooled biscuits individually in plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe bag or container, and then freeze. They should last for 2-3 months in the freezer. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight

More Delicious Side Dishes

Roasted Sweet Potatoes sweet and savory version!
Beet Goat Cheese Walnut Salad with a honey dijon vinaigrette
Baked Potato a “secret” to bake these in HALF the time!
Corn Casserole with buttermilk
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes smooth and buttery!

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