This easy Drop Biscuit recipe is my go-to when I want warm, buttery biscuits without the fuss. Just four pantry ingredients, one bowl, and 28 minutes stand between you and golden, fluffy biscuits. No rolling, no cutting—just scoop, bake and enjoy!
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I love the labor of love that is homemade buttermilk biscuits—but let’s be honest, sometimes I just don’t have the time (or patience!) for all that folding, rolling and biscuit cutter business. That’s where these easy drop biscuits come to the rescue. Just four simple ingredients stand between you and a tray of warm, fluffy biscuits that are tender inside, golden brown on top, and completely irresistible.
Drop Biscuits vs. Rolled Biscuits
Rolled biscuits, like my buttermilk biscuit recipe, are probably the kind you know best. They’re light, fluffy, and full of flaky layers. Drop biscuits don’t rise quite as tall and have a slightly denser texture, but they’re every bit as satisfying (and ridiculously easy). And since the dough is wetter, it gets dropped straight onto the pan—no shaping or fuss required.
Fun fact: While deep in recipe development mode, I learned that Fannie Farmer—a pioneer in standardizing American recipes and author of the Boston Cooking School Cookbook—called drop biscuits “emergency biscuits.” And honestly? She nailed it. These come together in 28 minutes, start to finish, with nothing more than a handful of pantry staples. Let’s dive in!
- Flour + baking powder: I developed this recipe using good ol’ all-purpose flour and baking powder since most of us already have them in our pantries. But if you’ve got self-rising flour, go ahead and use that instead—just swap it in for both the flour and baking powder, and skip the salt. That simple swap turns this into a 3-ingredient drop biscuit recipe! (And as always, spoon and level your flour for the best texture.)
- Butter: The colder, the better! I like to use unsalted, frozen butter and grate it right into the dry ingredients using the large holes on a box grater. As the biscuits bake, the water in those small bits of butter evaporates into steam, leaving behind air pockets that contribute to the tender, flaky texture.
- Milk: Some biscuit recipes call for buttermilk, which adds a subtle tang and helps the biscuits rise taller and fluffier (thanks to its acidity reacting with the baking powder). But I used whole milk because it’s always in my fridge, and it works beautifully. If you’ve got buttermilk on hand, feel free to use it. Non-dairy milk works too—just make sure it’s unsweetened.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Popular Add-Ins & Toppings
Mix-ins (stir in after the butter, before adding the milk):
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Add up to 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar for cheesy biscuits. Other melty cheeses like Gruyère, pepper jack or fontina work great, too.
- Fresh herbs: Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped chives, scallions or parsley.
- Cooked bacon: Add ½ cup of crispy, crumbled bacon for a salty, smoky bite.
- Garlic powder: Stir in ½ teaspoon for extra savory flavor (or combine with cheddar for a garlic-cheddar version!).
Toppings (brush biscuits with milk, then sprinkle before baking):
- Flaky sea salt
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Grate the cold butter. Or cut it into small cubes if that’s easier. Try to handle it as little as possible so it stays cold—the colder, the better.
- Work the butter into the flour. Use your fingers to gently rub the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like wet sand. Visible butter bits = flaky biscuits, so don’t overdo it!
- Add the milk. Pour in half the milk and stir just until combined, then stir in the remaining half.
- Don’t overmix. The dough will look sticky and a little lumpy. A light hand here is key to tender, fluffy biscuits.
- Scoop the dough. Use a 1/4-cup scoop or two spoons to drop biscuit dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave a couple of inches between each one—they puff up as they bake.
- Brush the tops with a little extra milk (this helps them turn golden brown).
- Bake for 14 to 18 minutes or until the biscuits are puffed and lightly golden around the edges. Serve warm and watch them disappear!
Serving Ideas
I could serve these drop biscuits from breakfast through dessert! Whether I’m scooping up sausage gravy for a quick-fix take on biscuits and gravy, dunking them into a cozy bowl of vegetarian chili, or slathering on some homemade strawberry butter for dessert, they always disappear fast. They’re also the perfect no-fuss side dish for holiday dinners or any meal in between.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
Drop biscuits are best warm from the oven, but leftovers keep surprisingly well! Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 (they may start to dry out slightly). To reheat, pop them in a 300°F oven for about 5–10 minutes until warmed through—this brings back a bit of that fresh-baked magic.
You can also freeze baked biscuits for up to 2 months. Just thaw at room temp or reheat straight from frozen in a low oven.
If these easy drop biscuits win you over, try one of these next:
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
- 1 cup whole milk, plus more for brushing biscuits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder with ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Using the large hole on the side of a box grater, grate in the cold butter. (Alternately, cut it into small cubes and add it to the bowl.) Using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture just until it’s the texture of wet sand.
- Stir in half of the milk just until combined then stir in the remaining half.
- Using an ice cream scoop (or two spoons), scoop out 1/4-cup portions of the dough onto the baking sheet, spacing the biscuits at least 2 inches apart.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with milk then bake them until pale golden and cooked through, 14 to 18 minutes. Remove the from the oven and serve.
Kelly’s Notes
- Add up to 1 ¼ cups of mix-ins like shredded cheese, chopped chives, scallions or crumbled bacon after incorporating the butter, but before adding the milk.
- For extra flavor, brush the biscuits with milk, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt or Everything Bagel seasoning before baking.
- To store: Drop biscuits are best warm from the oven, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 (they may start to dry out slightly). To reheat, pop them in a 300°F oven for about 5–10 minutes until warmed through—this brings back a bit of that fresh-baked magic.
- To freeze: Cool completely, then freeze in a zip-top bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. Just thaw at room temp or reheat straight from frozen in a low oven.
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