Buttermilk Drop Biscuits Recipe - Belly Full (2024)

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5 from 12 Ratings

Published: October 25, 2021Author: Amy

These Drop Biscuits are crazy simple and ridiculously good on their own, or take them up a notch with a little slather of butter or honey.

These drop biscuits and our Cheddar Bay Biscuits are always fighting with each other for that #1 spot. We love them both and alternate between them regularly.

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits Recipe - Belly Full (1)

Warm bread or buttermilk biscuits right from the oven have got to be on my short list for greatest weaknesses ever. Sigh. If I had to choose between either of those or pie, it would be TOUGH. We love this recipe for drop biscuits so much.

Easy Drop Biscuits

I can remember my daughter’s first two times she actually got involved in the kitchen. And neither of them were with me! Ha.

First, when she was 2 1/2, she helped her Nana make pancakes – we have that one filmed. And second, she helped her Aunt make these drop biscuits. She had on her tiny little apron and was so excited.

So, a 2 1/2 year old’s ability to make these biscuits should be a pretty good indication of how easy they are! You don’t need yeast or a biscuit cutter. There’s no kneading or rolling. You just form the batter and “drop” them onto the baking sheet, thus the name.

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits Recipe - Belly Full (2)

Drop Biscuit Recipe

You only need 6 simple pantry items to make these,plus fresh chives.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

  • Flour: Just all-purpose flour is used. Make sure when measuring, it’s spooned and leveled. This recipe has not been tested with other types of flour.
  • Unsalted butter: Very cold butter that’s cut into cubes.
  • Buttermilk: Full fat buttermilk helps create the most tender biscuits.
  • Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Both of these are leavening agents to help the biscuits rise. The baking soda also helps make the biscuits tender.
  • Kosher salt: To round out all the flavors so the taste isn’t flat.
  • Fresh chives (optional): We love the additional flavor and spec of color that chives give these biscuits, but you could omit them without compromising the recipe, if preferred.
Buttermilk Drop Biscuits Recipe - Belly Full (3)

How to Make Buttermilk Drop Biscuits

These biscuits literally come together in minutes. Here are some tips to make sure they turn out perfectly. To make this drop biscuit recipe, scroll below to the detailed printable recipe card.

  • Use very cold butter: Slice the butter into cubes and cut into the flour (using a pastry cutter or you hands) until you have tiny crumbs. Whenlittle pieces of the raw butter melt as the biscuitsbake, they release steam and create little air pockets, which result in that glorious flakiness.
  • Use full fat buttermilk: This creates the most tender biscuits.
  • Spoon and level the flour: Scooping the flour can result in using too much, which will make the biscuits dry. Spoon and level the flour for optimal results.
  • Don’t over mix the dough: When you over-mix the dough, it will result in dense, tough biscuits. Mix until just combined.
  • Divide into equal portions: This will ensure the biscuits all cook evenly.

Proper Storage

  • Storing leftovers: Allow to cool completely, then store up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. They do not need to be refrigerated.
  • To freeze unbaked biscuits: Prepare biscuit dough and place them on a baking sheet according to the written recipe. Transfer to the freezer and flash freeze for a couple hours until solid. Then transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe Ziploc bag. They will keep up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or room temperature and bake and directed.
  • To freeze baked biscuits: Make sure the biscuits are cooled completely, then transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe Ziploc bag. They will keep up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or room temperature and reheat as instructed.
  • Reheat: Biscuits taste and feel better when warm, so we like to reheat ours. Wrap leftovers in foil and then bake for about 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees F. Or wrap them in a a slightly damp paper towel and place on a plate in the microwave for about 40 seconds on 50% power.
Buttermilk Drop Biscuits Recipe - Belly Full (4)

What to Serve with Buttermilk Biscuits

These drop biscuits can go with virtually anything, but they really love soups and stews. Here are some suggestions:

  • Beef Stew
  • Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Ham and Potato Soup
  • Pasta e Ceci
  • Tomato Soup
  • Chili

More Rolls and Biscuit Recipes:

  • Popovers
  • Cheddar Bay Biscuits
  • Pumpkin Drop Biscuits
  • Cheddar Apple Drop Biscuits
  • Cranberry-Orange Drop Biscuits

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full onFacebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andYouTube!

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits Recipe - Belly Full (5)

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits

5 from 12 Ratings

These Drop Biscuits are crazy simple and ridiculously good on their own, or take them up a notch with a little slather of butter or honey.

Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 22 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter , cut into small cubes
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
  • 1 cup cold full-fat buttermilk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

  • Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or your hands, until the mixture resembles small crumbs.

  • Toss in the chives, if using.

  • Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture and gently mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until just combined (do not over mix!) Dough will be sticky.

  • Drop dough in 8 equal portions (about 1/3 cup each) an inch apart, onto the prepared baking sheet.

  • Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden.

  • Serve warm with some butter or honey!

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 393mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 435IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

Other Notes

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: buttermilk biscuits, drop biscuits, drop buttermilk biscuits

Did you make this recipe?Snap a picture and mention @bellyfullblog!

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits Recipe - Belly Full (6)
Buttermilk Drop Biscuits Recipe - Belly Full (2024)

FAQs

Why aren t my buttermilk biscuits fluffy? ›

A non-fluffy, flat biscuit can be caused by a few things: too much liquid in the dough (resist the urge to add more buttermilk to make the dough come together and use the heat of your hands and a bit more kneading instead). Over-mixing the dough can cause flat biscuits.

What makes homemade biscuits heavy? ›

Too little fat will result in dry and heavy biscuits. The type of flour you use is important. Don't use bread flour unless the recipe calls for it and avoid whole wheat and other whole grain flours. They will make the biscuits tough and heavy.

Why do my buttermilk biscuits fall apart? ›

If your biscuits are falling apart…

If this sounds familiar, you could be adding too much flour to your dough without knowing it, disrupting the ratio of dry to wet ingredients.

Why are my drop biscuits flat? ›

Overworking the dough will not only create a tough biscuit instead of a tender biscuit, but can also result in a flatter biscuit. The more you play with the dough, the warmer the dough becomes. If the fat becomes too warm it will melt into the flour and they won't rise as tall.

How to make your biscuits rise higher? ›

Keep the oven hot.

When baking buttery treats like biscuits, the key is to bake them at a temperature where the water in the butter turns quickly to steam. This steam is a big part of how the biscuits achieve their height, as it evaporates up and out.

Is buttermilk or heavy cream better for biscuits? ›

Heavy cream provides rich butterfat that gives the biscuits tenderness and flavor, as well as moisture from its water content. The formula requires minimal mixing, reducing the risk of too much gluten development.

What is the secret to a good biscuit? ›

The secret to the best biscuits is using very cold butter and baking powder. We've made a lot of biscuits, but this easy biscuits recipe is the one we turn to the most (they are so fluffy!). See our easy drop biscuits and cheese drop biscuits for even easier biscuits.

Is butter or shortening better for biscuits? ›

So what's the final verdict? Butter is the winner here. The butter biscuits were moister with that wonderful butter taste and melt-in-your mouth texture. I'd be curious to test out substituting half or just two tablespoons of the butter with shortening to see if you get the best of both.

What happens when you add too much flour to biscuits? ›

Too Much Flour

Our cookies didn't expand much from the rolled-up balls we put on the baking sheet. They also didn't brown as well as the other cookies. It doesn't take much—in this case, my mom and I added just 3/4 cup extra flour to the dough. The cookies tasted good, but were dry and definitely crumbly.

Why do you put buttermilk instead of milk in biscuits? ›

Buttermilk is acidic and reacts with the alkaline baking soda to add more loft when the oven's heat hits the dough,” says Prep Kitchen Manager Catherine Ward. That means your scratch-made biscuits and cakes will rise higher and have a lighter texture. And let's not forget that buttermilk adds flavor.

What happens when you add more butter to biscuits? ›

Increasing the amount of butter definitely makes the biscuit "taste" softer, more crumbly, and more flaky.

What is the best temperature to bake biscuits? ›

If you have time, prepare the biscuits up to the point they're on the pan before preheating your oven. Place the pan of biscuits in the refrigerator while you preheat your oven to 425°F, or for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Do drop biscuits have more liquid than rolled biscuits? ›

Drop biscuits have more milk or other liquid added to the dough than rolled biscuits. The dough is moister and cannot be kneaded or rolled; simply drop tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheet. Drop biscuits don't rise as much as other biscuits and they are always coarser in appearance and texture.

Should you let biscuit dough rest? ›

Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. Gently pat out the dough some more, so that the rectangle is roughly 10 inches by 6 inches. Cut dough into biscuits using a floured biscuit cutter (or even a glass, though its duller edge may result in slightly less tall biscuits).

Why are my biscuits dry and dense? ›

Whichever flour you use, make sure to MEASURE CORRECTLY. Too much flour will result in dense, dry, and tough biscuits.

Why do my biscuits come out soft? ›

As the sugar in the biscuit absorbs more moisture, it becomes softer and softer and less and less appetising. Soft biscuits can be hardened up by 10 minutes in an oven at 180C fan-forced (200C conventional).

How do you firm up soft biscuits? ›

To rescue biscuits that have gone soft, pop them on a lined baking tray and bake at around 160°C (140°C fan) mark 3 for a few min, to try and drive some of the excess moisture out of them.

References

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