Buttermilk Drop Biscuits

Name: Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour (I use White Lily ad); 1 Tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 3/4 stick cold butter; 1 cup cold buttermilk; 2 Tablespoons melted butter to brush tops of biscuits

Jump to Recipe Rate this Recipe

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits are a little bit of heaven right here on earth. They’re light, fluffy, and perfectly crispy on both sides. Slice them in half, add a dab of butter, and enjoy a taste of old fashioned goodness!

golden brown biscuits in a glass pie plate on a floral napkin — Buttermilk Drop Biscuits are Perfect With Butter and Jam

Jump To

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
How to Make Biscuits
Recipe FAQS
Storage Tips
Related Recipes
Recipe Card
Reviews

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

If you’ve ever made southern biscuits, you’ll appreciate this easy, small batch recipe. There’s no rolling pin allowed. These little mounds of deliciousness are drop and go. They’re also quick, practically fool-proof, and truly the best buttermilk drop biscuits ever!

This made-from-scratch recipe is great on mornings when nothing else will do but a flaky biscuit, butter, jam, and a hot cup of coffee…or tea…as the case may be.

Easy Buttermilk Drop Biscuits are also perfect for crumbling into my Southern Cornbread Biscuit Dressing which is a holiday favorite.

Ingredients

The best drop biscuits start with the best flour. In my opinion, White Lily (ad) is the flour that produces excellent results every time. White Lily’s soft winter wheat creates a light and airy biscuit.

In addition to all-purpose flour, you’ll need baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, and buttermilk. That’s it! Just six ingredients will take you to biscuit heaven in less than 35 minutes.

six process shots showing how to make drop biscuits — Step by Step Instructions

How to Make Biscuits

Start by greasing a round pie plate with butter. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Use a whisk to mix it together. Grate the cold butter with a cheese grater into the bowl.

Mix the butter into the flour until dough is crumbly. Use one hand to keep from working the dough too much. Pour buttermilk in the middle of the bowl and gently mix into the flour with one hand until barely moistened.

Sprinkle a little more flour on top of the dough, and gather all of it to make a mound. Pinch the dough into 8 equal pieces and drop it onto the greased pie plate.

Place one piece of dough in the middle, and then work around the pie plate making sure the biscuits are touching. Pat down each biscuit slightly and brush the tops with melted butter.

Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes until biscuits are golden brown.

drop biscuits cooling in a glass pie plate on a white counter with a whisk beside them — The Best Buttermilk Drop Biscuits

Recipe FAQS

Why do you use buttermilk to make biscuits?

Buttermilk contains acid which reacts with the baking soda to make the biscuits rise. If you use plain milk or another liquid instead, you may get a flat biscuit.

What can I use if I don’t have buttermilk?

Just add one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk and stir well. This mixture works great in most recipes as a buttermilk substitution.

Storage Tips

You can leave biscuits out on the countertop for 1 day. After that, it’s best to refrigerate them and reheat in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes before serving.

Biscuits can be frozen for up to 3 months if wrapped well and sealed in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven for best results.

I think drop biscuits are best when served warm with butter and jam, but here are some great southern recipes that just scream for made-from-scratch biscuits…

Recipe Card