You can’t beat biscuits and I have the absolute best biscuit recipe right here with this one for Easy Drop Biscuits. You are going to want to make them for every meal!
A long time ago, before I was cooking and baking all the time, my mother-in-law told me that she used to make biscuits nearly every morning for her family’s breakfast. I had never known her to bend the truth, but I couldn’t understand how this could possibly be true. Every day? Really? Who has time for that?
Then I learned how to make biscuits.
Yep, they really are that simple. And that quick, too! I am definitely a convert to biscuit making.
But, since I also am definitely not a morning person, my family doesn’t get these for breakfast unless they are left over from the night before. Which they never are because we devour them every time.
I do, however, make this easy recipe multiple times a week to serve with dinner. In the time it takes for your oven to heat up, you can have these ready to bake. Then bake for 15 minutes and you’re done. Serve them straight from the oven, warm and delicious.
Seriously, it doesn’t get any easier than this! A food processor does most of the work for you, but you can certainly do this by hand if you don’t have the machine. I have, use often, and love mine from Cuisinart. This one is very similar.
As with all baking, I recommend that you use weight measurements for this so that they will be perfect and exactly the same each time you make them. This kitchen scale is awesome and won’t break the bank. You will use it all the time and your baked goods will be better than ever. (No, we don’t get paid to recommend any of these tools. I just really, really like them!)
Let’s Bake Drop Biscuits!
You will need a medium bowl. If you are using a food processor, use the bowl to weigh your ingredients so you don’t have to continually take the processor bowl and blade on and off from the machine. If you are mixing these by hand, use the bowl to both weigh ingredients and to mix your dough.
Start by weighing out your flour, baking powder, and salt. Pulse these a few times so they are thoroughly mixed. Next, add your cold butter. Cold is key! Pull it straight from the frig and cut it into small pieces. Pulse several times in the food processor until the butter is in small, pea-sized pieces. Or use a pastry blender or fork plus some elbow grease to do the same thing. Then slowly stir or pulse in the milk until the dough barely comes together. It will still look a little dry, but when you squeeze a portion, it will stick together.
At this point, scoop out 1/4-cup size balls, drop them onto your greased or lined pan and bake until they are golden brown and bounce back when pressed in the middle.
You could roll these out and cut them instead. I prefer the drop method because it’s faster, easier, and just as tasty. If you place close together in your pan, they will rise to meet each other and remain soft where they touch on the edges. To make them more crisp all around, simply spread them out more or use a bigger pan, like a baking sheet.
It’s So Easy!
These easy drop biscuits go with everything and are so easy to doctor up with different add-ins and flavors. Try them as a sandwich, sliced open and piled high with ham and cheese. Or fill them with eggs and sausage or bacon for a healthier version of a fast food sandwich (you know the one). Or slather it with butter and your favorite jam.
I love mine straight-up, warm from the oven, dipped in my favorite homemade soup, such as Creamy Ham and Potato Soup or Roasted Tomato Soup.
Enjoy!
Easy Drop Biscuits
Ingredients
- 9 ounces (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt or 1/4 teaspoon regular table salt
- 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 6 ounces (3/4 cup) whole milk, cold or your favorite milk
Instructions
- 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.
- In a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pulse a few times so that the dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Add the butter pieces and pulse several times until the butter is broken up into pea-sized pieces and scattered throughout the flour. (You can also do this in a large bowl with a pastry blender or a fork, but it’s so much quicker in the food processor!)
- Once the butter is broken up, 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.
- Using a 1/4-cup scoop or a large spoon, scoop out even portions of dough and place 1/2-inch apart in the 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.
- This basic recipe has endless variations and can be seasoned with your favorite spices.
- Use buttermilk instead of whole milk for a tasty change of pace.
- Make cheddar biscuits by adding a handful of shredded cheese with the butter.
- For sweet biscuits (great for strawberry shortcake), add 1/4 cup (1-3/4 ounces) granulated sugar with the flour.
- Play around this recipe! Just keep the basic ratio (below) in mind. Working with the ratio also allows you to scale up or down easily based on how many you need.
- The biscuit ratio is 3 parts flour : 1 part fat : 2 parts liquid by weight (from Ratio by Michael Ruhlmann)
