Dear friends,
These buttery drop buttermilk biscuits with cheddar are the perfect quick bread to make when you’re craving something homemade. Best of all, you can make them in a flash.
Earlier this month a cold front moved into Colorado, and one chilly Wednesday I made a hearty beef and vegetable stew in the slow cooker.
After inhaling the aroma all day, my stomach growled and I started craving some hot biscuits to accompany the stew.
Drop biscuits were the perfect solution — quick, easy, no rolling, no cutting and no weird, tough little biscuits made from the scraps.
I added grated sharp cheddar cheese to the mix, and after the biscuits finished baking I brushed them with a little melted butter. The result? Quick, easy, cheesy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness!
Why Buttery Cheddar Drop Biscuits Are Worth Making
Incredible texture – these biscuits are soft and pillowy with a crispy golden edge you’ll love.
Fast and easy – You could be eating biscuits in 30-40 minutes! The dough comes together in about 10-15 minutes, and they take another 10-12 minutes in a hot oven to bake.
Rich flavor – The combination of butter, sharp Cheddar, and homemade buttermilk is so good.
Versatile – Cheddar drop biscuits are a perfect accompaniment to soups, chowders, chili and stews, fried chicken, grilled meats and more.
Let’s Bake Some Biscuits
Begin by whisking the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and garlic powder together in a medium bowl. I’m pretty sure you don’t need me to show you how to do that.
Many good drop biscuit recipes call for buttermilk. Adverse to the idea of running to the store for a specialty ingredient, I remembered an easy buttermilk substitution in my good old Better Homes and Gardens red and white checked cookbook.
To make the 1/2 cup of buttermilk called for in this recipe, simply add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to a 1/2 cup milk. Let it sit for a few minutes and you’re good to go.
Pour the buttermilk mixture and over the dry ingredients along with 4 tablespoons melted butter.
Toss 1 cup fresh grated cheddar cheese in the biscuit mixture with a fork without over-mixing, just until combined. Use a light touch and your biscuits will stay soft and fluffy.
(Don’t you think this funky photo could also be an interesting piece of abstract art?)
Once the dough comes together, scoop the dough in rounded tablespoons on a parchment-lined baking sheet. I use a small ice cream scoop.
Bake at 450 degrees F until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove from the oven, put the tray on a cooling rack and immediately brush the biscuits with melted butter.
Serve and enjoy!!
Pro Tips
Mix the dough quickly with a fork, just until the dough comes together. Over-mixing develops the gluten and leads to tough biscuits.
The dough should be soft, pliable and slightly sticky, but should not stick to your fingers when you touch it. If it’s too thick, add a few drops of water. If it’s too sticky, sprinkle with a little flour and gently work in to the dough.
Make the biscuits as uniform in size as possible, so that they bake evenly.
Variations
To make Jalapeno Cheddar Drop Biscuits, add one large finely chopped jalapeno (seeds removed) when you add the cheese and combine so the jalapenos are distributed throughout the dough.
Add 2 strips of finely chopped crisply cooked bacon to the dough for Bacon Cheddar Drop Biscuits.
Storage, Freezing and Reheating Instructions
The cooked biscuits can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven until hot, about 6 minutes.
The baked biscuits can also be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the cold biscuits on a baking sheet and cover loosely with foil. Bake until the biscuits are warm and the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.
FAQs
Buttermilk not only adds a delightful tangy flavor, it reacts with the baking powder and baking soda to give your biscuits a high rise and light texture.
Too-crumbly biscuits are usually the result of adding too much flour to the the biscuit in proportion to the fat. Spoon the flour in the measuring cup while measuring and level it with a knife for best results.
The name “drop biscuit” refers to the cooking method of dropping the dough by spoonfuls, as opposed to making biscuits by rolling and cutting the dough.
Overmixing the dough is usually the culprit for dense biscuits. Use a light hand with the fork and don’t over-pack the dough when dropping on the baking sheet.
Here’s the easy recipe:
Buttery Cheddar Drop Biscuits
Drop biscuits with cheddar cheese are fast and easy to make. Soft and fluffy with crispy edges, these biscuits are brushed with melted butter when they're hot from the oven. So good!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, or in a small bowl in the microwave at Medium heat. Pour out 1/4 cup and reserve the rest.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and garlic powder.
- In a measuring cup, combine the milk and vinegar. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Pour the milk mixture and the 1/4 cup melted butter over the flour mixture. Stir just until combined. Add the grated cheese and use a fork to gently incorporated it into the mixture.
- Using a small ice cream scoop or soup spoon, drop batter by heaping spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons each) onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 2” apart.
- Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.
- When biscuits are finished baking, brush generously with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Serve warm.
Notes
I like sharp cheddar cheese in this recipe, but feel free to substitute your favorite cheddar. Freshly grated cheese works best.
The cooked biscuits can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven until hot, about 6 minutes,
To freeze the baked biscuits, wrap tightly and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. For best results, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the cold biscuits on a baking sheet and cover loosely with foil. Bake until the biscuits are warm and the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12 biscuitsServing Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 172Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 328mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 6g
If you enjoy these homemade Drop Biscuits with Cheddar Cheese, I’d be thrilled if you clicked the little stars above and gave the recipe a 5-star rating.
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Let’s keep this party going and connect on social media! Here’s where to find me:
I love sharing your culinary creations. If you prepare these buttery cheddar drop biscuits and post a photo, tag me on Instagram at @elizacross or #elizacross.
How About You?
Have you been baking this month? Have you made any drop biscuits or rolled biscuits? I’d love to hear from you.
Best always,
P.S. For another tasty accompaniment to stew, chicken and roasted meats, you might like these YOLO Mashed Potatoes.
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these are great like you said hardly mix together but they bake real nice love them thanks make again
Can you leave out the cheese for plain biscuits? I love sharp chedder cheese but sometimes I want plain biscuits with jam.
Is it ok to use sour cream in place of the buttermilk?
Great question. Because sour cream doesn’t have the same liquidity as buttermilk, I would suggest making the buttermilk substitute with milk instead. To make the 1/2 cup of buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to a 1/2 cup milk. Let it sit for a few minutes and it’s ready to add to the recipe. Hope this helps! -Eliza