These Easy Cheddar Drop Biscuits are tender, buttery, cheesy goodness wrapped up in the best side dish for almost any meal!
I LOVE making biscuits. They are delicious and so easy to make perfectly every single time. And they come together so quickly that I can decide I want biscuits and have them in the oven as soon as it heats up.
Food Processor vs Old-School
Using a food processor makes this process super fast. This one is our favorite. But, honestly, the food processor is a pain to clean. So, I often opt for the old-school method using a large bowl and a fork. The same method Mom and Grandma always used for short doughs, basically anything that requires cold butter to be but into flour.
The old-school method also makes it easier to avoid overworking your dough and accidentally creating a tough biscuit. The only downside is it takes a bit more time (but not much) and it takes a little more elbow grease. Grating frozen butter instead of cubing refrigerated butter makes it a bit easier to cut in using a fork. (I hate grating butter, so I simply cube it and work a little bit harder. I count it as an arm workout. š)
Work Smarter with a Kitchen Scale
Now you all know by now that I whole-heartedly believe in using a kitchen scale like this one when you bake. It is more accurate, easier, and more efficient especially when baking.
The scale can be your best friend for biscuits because the ratio depends on the weight of your ingredients as opposed to the volume. And the amount of flour is really important – just a little variation can make your biscuits too tough or too dry.
The only way to ensure that you are using the exact same amount of flour every single time is to weigh it. Measure each ingredient in your mixing bowl, zero out the scale with the press of a button, then continue with the next ingredient. Itās so easy, creates less mess, and gives you the same result every single time. I wonāt bake anything without my scale!
Use Any Cheese You Like
Easy Cheddar Drop Biscuits are a wonderfully flavorful take on our Easy Drop Biscuits. Same method, but with the addition of shredded sharp cheddar. You could use almost any type of shredded cheese. Cheddar is my favorite and something I almost always have on hand, so I end up using it most often.
Other great tasty cheese options include parmesan, pepperjack, or smoked cheddar. So good!
Serving Your Easy Cheddar Drop Biscuits
These are the perfect quick-and-easy side to almost any type of soup. They are also great alongside a meaty main dish, grilled meats, or a vegetarian meal. I love to have one with a large salad for lunch.
Try Your Easy Cheddar Drop Biscuits with these amazing soups:
- Creamy Broccoli Soup
- Chicken Sausage and Three Bean Chili
- Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
- Roasted Tomato Soup
- Beef Vegetable Soup
Enjoy!
Easy Cheddar Drop Biscuits
Ingredients
- 9 ounces (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch pieces or grated
- 4 ounces (1 cup) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 ounces (3/4 cup) whole milk, cold
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare an 8-inch round baking pan (or other similar-size baking dish) by spraying it with non-stick spray.Set aside.
- If using a food processor: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to thoroughly mix these dry ingredients. Add the butter and pulse several times until the butter is broken up into pea-sized pieces and scattered throughout the flour.Once the butter is broken up, add the cheese then pour in the milk in a small steady stream with the food processor on low speed. Be careful not to overmix at this point, stopping the food processor when the milk is mostly incorporated but you can still see a few dry streaks. At this point, remove the lid and squeeze some of the dough with your hand. It should hold together when pressed. If it crumbles and falls apart, mix again for 1-2 pulses and, if needed, add a bit more milk.
- For the old-school method: Whisk together the flour, baking, powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and press them into the flour with a fork until the butter is broken up into very small pieces and coated with flour. Add the cheese and the milk, then stir with the fork until the dough begins to hold together and the dry ingredients at the bottom of the bowl are incorporated.
- Bake: Using a 1/4-cup scoop or a large spoon, scoop out even portions of dough and place 1/2-inch apart in your prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the biscuits spring back to the touch (and no longer feel squishy or doughy) and are slightly brown at the edges. Turn out of the pan and serve immediately.
Notes
- These will puff up and stick together a bit at the sides, making a biscuit with softer sides. Space the dough apart more for crispier sides.
- The most important thing is to mix and handle this dough as little as possible once the liquid is added in order to avoid gluten formation, which results in a tough biscuit.
- Try other types of cheese, or a combination of cheeses, instead of the cheddar. Parmesan or Pepperjack are especially good.
- This recipe has endless variations! Just keep the ratio of ingredients the same and play around with the flavors. The ratio is 3 partsĀ of flour to 1 part fat to 2 parts liquid (each measured by weight).
