Easy Buttermilk Drop Biscuits in 20 Minutes
A quick and easy recipe to try are these buttermilk drop biscuits. You can serve them in the morning with butter and jam or at dinner time with gravy. These biscuits use only 6 ingredients are ready in just 20 minutes!
This has to be one if the simplest recipes on my website. Buttermilk drop biscuits are my go-to recipe when I have company over. You can serve biscuits as a breakfast egg sandwich or as a side with dinner to soak up gravy or sauce. However they are eaten, biscuits are always better homemade.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in only 20 minutes. You can’t ask for an easier recipe to make from scratch.
- Flaky and tender texture. The combination of melted butter and cold buttermilk guarantees this texture.
- Make the biscuits ahead of time. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator overnight or scoop it and freeze for later.
- Best served as a side or with a spread.
Ingredients Notes
- Buttermilk must be cold in order to make flaky biscuits.
- Unsalted butter should be melted and cooled before making the biscuits. Do not use hot melted butter.
- All purpose flour is best. I do not recommend self-rising flour.
- Baking powder and soda help the biscuits rise. Make sure they are fresh and not expired.
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
For extra flavor, add herbs to the dry ingredients when making the biscuit dough. I suggest 1/2 cup tender herbs such as chives, parsley, tarragon or dill. Hardy herbs such as rosemary, thyme or oregano should be used in smaller amounts. I suggest starting with 2 tablespoons.
You can also add spices to the dry ingredients. Try 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or onion powder. I also heard 1 Tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning tastes good in biscuits.
For small batch buttermilk drop biscuits, cut all the ingredients in half to yield only 6 biscuits. Baking instructions will remain the same. If you have leftover buttermilk, try my buttermilk banana bread!
Serve with a spread. Blueberry sauce is the perfect sweet spread. You can also add honey butter, clotted cream or your favorite jam.
How to Make Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Whisk together wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.
- Mix wet and dry ingredients just until combined (avoid over-mixing).
- Use an ice cream scoop (or spoon) to scoop dough onto baking sheet.
- Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes or until golden.
Expert Tips
When it comes to making biscuits, make sure your baking soda and baking powder are not expired otherwise your biscuits won’t rise! Cool the melted butter to room temperature otherwise it will curdle the buttermilk.
You want the cold buttermilk to solidify the melted butter into little bits. This creates little pockets of air in the biscuits to make them fluffy! Work quickly so the dough stays cold before baking.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Biscuits are best when they are eaten the day they are made.
Freeze baked biscuits have cooled completely, place them in a freezer bag and remove the air. Freeze biscuits for up to 1 month. Reheat in the toaster oven or microwave.
To freeze before baking, scoop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheet and flash freeze for 2 hours. Once frozen, place them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, place frozen biscuits on baking sheet while oven preheats (the biscuits will defrost slightly), then bake at 425 F for 18 minutes.
Make ahead the dough and refrigerate it overnight. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and press it down against the dough so it doesn’t dry out. Preheat oven before scooping biscuits and baking.
Recipe FAQ
Use a buttermilk substitute. Place 1 Tablespoons white distilled vinegar in a liquid measuring cup. Pour in milk to the 1 cup measuring mark. Stir and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe. Use a milk with fat (skim milk will not work).
The butter was too warm. You want the buttermilk to solidify the dough into little pieces. Avoid working in a hot kitchen and make sure the dough is cold. If the dough is too warm, place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Most likely there is too much flour. Measure flour properly by using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a scale, spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife.
Related recipes
If you’re looking for more biscuit recipes, here are some of my favorites:
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Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, cold
- Butter and jam for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl, stir cold buttermilk and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients in the bowl of dry ingredients and mix just until combined. The dough will be dry in some places and wet in others. Work quickly so the dough stays cold.
- Using an ice cream scoop (or a large spoon), scoop biscuits onto prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart 1 to 2 inches.
- Bake biscuits at 425° F for 15 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden. Allow biscuits to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool for another 5 minutes. Serve warm with butter and jam.
