Easy Flaky Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
These easy flaky buttermilk drop biscuits are amazing. No rolling, no cutting out…they are just as delicious as finicky, classic homemade biscuits.
Biscuits are probably one of the most oft-made carby side dishes in our house. Long before I conquered the intimidating-to-me classic, rolled out biscuit, drop biscuits were there to save me.
In fact, I probably can’t even begin to count how many times we’ve made these easy flaky buttermilk drop biscuits. And by “we” I literally mean all of us. They are so easy, even my kids can make them with hardly any helicoptering.
They’re the perfect beginner biscuit recipe. But they’re delicious enough to stick around as an all-time favorite.
Let’s Make Them
Toss all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium-ish bowl. This recipe makes about 12 biscuits.
Here’s the secret to this recipe
Then, in a liquid measuring cup or smaller bowl mix together the buttermilk and melted butter.
This, right here, is the secret to getting such an easy drop biscuit to be flaky and tender.
As the warm, melted butter mixes with the cold buttermilk, small clumps of hardened butter form. It’ll look a little curdled and gross, but don’t you worry that pretty little head of yours, because those small bits of butter are what make the texture of the biscuits absolutely perfect.
Add the butter/buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to combine everything together.
Don’t Overmix
Just like any other good biscuit recipe, you don’t want to over mix the dough. Mix just until everything is combined.
A few little lumps and bumps here and there are just fine.
How to drop the biscuits
Since these are “drop biscuits” – you don’t need to mess around with rolling out the dough and cutting out the biscuits. The dough literally gets dropped right onto a baking sheet.
Lightly grease a 1/4-cup measuring cup with cooking spray and scoop out a pretty even mound of biscuit dough.
You could also use a large #20 cookie scoop {aff. link}. Basically you want about 1/4 cup of dough for every biscuit.
I use a butter knife to gently extricate the tad bit sticky dough from the cup. If you’re measuring cups have special powers, perhaps the biscuit dough will just fall right out.
Lucky you. 🙂
Plop those biscuits onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
You can space them a couple inches apart, or you can put them much closer together if you want the attached-, pull-apart biscuits vibe going on.
Bake them in a piping hot oven for about 12 minutes. Maybe 14. Maybe 13 1/2. Watch them closely. Every oven is a bit different.
These easy flaky drop biscuits are insanely delicious right out of the oven. Smother them with butter and jam, and I guarantee you won’t even care what else is being served for dinner, why the laundry hasn’t magically folded itself, or what your name is.
They are that good.
Even next-day, these biscuits are super tasty. We like to warm them up with a quick 8-second stint in the micro, but it’s not necessary. And let’s be honest, there usually aren’t any leftovers.
A couple extra notes
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled
- The jam you see slathered on those biscuits is a strawberry bluebarb (blueberry + rhubarb) concoction I made and canned last summer and is easily the tastiest jam I have ever made and wouldn’t you know it, I only made six jars, and now I can’t find where I wrote down the recipe. I’ve literally torn my house and pantry and unorganized recipe note files apart to no avail. I’m drowning my sorrows in drop biscuits, hoarded jam jars, and chocolate.
- I have made this recipe with buttermilk substitutions like lemon juice + milk and sour cream + milk, and while they work in a pinch, nothing beats real, live buttermilk in this recipe.
FAQs for Simple Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
I just pop them in a ziploc bag and store them at room temp (we pop them in the microwave for 5-10 seconds for a quick warmup before eating the leftovers).
Yes, you can make the batter and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake.
The recipe relies on acidity (from the buttermilk) to turn out properly so the biscuits are tender and fluffy. Using plain milk may not yield the same results. But you can sub in half sour cream/half milk for the buttermilk.
Easy Flaky Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk chilled (see note)
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) butter, melted and slightly cooled (I use salted butter)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- In a 2-cup liquid measure or small bowl, stir together the chilled buttermilk and melted butter until the butter forms small clumps and the mixture looks curdled.
- Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula just until the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture slightly pulls away from the edges of the bowl.
- Using a greased 1/4-cup measure or large #20 cookie scoop, portion the dough and drop them onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart.
- Bake the biscuits until the tops are golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush with additional melted butter. Serve warm.
Notes
Recipe Source: from America’s Test Kitchen
Recipe originally published May 2011; updated January 2020 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.
I’v attempted to make biscuits for years & they never turn out good. The biscuit recipes I have from my Southern family just never comes out as good as theirs. Finally, a recipe I can make that actually tastes delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I just made these. SUPER easy and love it!! This will go into my recipe box, and its a keeper. Thank you for this lovely recipe!
Perfect biscuits and super easy to make!!!
Hi,
Do you think these biscuits would be good for egg sandwiches? I’m hoping to make a bunch of sandwiches and freeze them. I can’t wait to make them! Thank you for all the yummy recipes!!
Hi Carolyn – the flavor would be great! But because they are a drop biscuit, sometimes they don’t split exactly evenly in half – they can be a little wonky when split.
Thanks for the help Mel! I’m ok with a little wonky I can’t wait to try it out!
These were perfect-thank you. I baked them at 425 and the bottoms were a nice crispy deep golden. Half a recipe was just enough for the two of us and it was so quick to put together that it’s no trouble making them as often as you’d like. Next time I’ll add fresh dill or parsley and serve them along soup or stew.
I’ve heard adding some shredded cheddar cheese is tasty as well.
Mel…
I just made these this morning and I LOVE this recipe. So easy. Mine baked for 15 mins. and they came out perfect. I made biscuits earlier this week with another recipe and ehh. My husband said “wow, these are so much better than the other ones you made” !
This is now my official biscuit recipe. Thanks.
YUM! Just made these biscuits tonight. I’ve never used buttermilk before, as it has always intimidated me. So glad I tried your recipe. They are absolutely perfect! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Any thoughts on making this with GF flour?
I haven’t tried it but if I remember right, several in the comment thread have tried a cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend with *I think* good results!
These were delicious and SO easy to make! Quick question though….how do you store the leftovers.? I’m sure they won’t last long but in the meantime… 🙂
I just pop them in a ziploc bag and store them at room temp (we pop them in the microwave for 5-10 seconds for a quick warmup before eating the leftovers).
Do you think the batter could be frozen? Looking to use some buttermilk and would LOVE to freeze these for later. Thanks!
We’ve found our new biscuit recipe! A real keeper and couldn’t be simpler. I ate one with homemade sausage gravy and one with homemade blueberry preserves. Perfect! Thank you so much ⭐
These are heavenly! I have found my favorite biscuit recipe! Thank you.
Yay!
I have been making drop biscuits only for years. After I drop them with my scoop I flour the tops a bit with a flour duster and pat them flat. I find they cook more evenly and look nicer too. No one ever suspects that I dropped them unless they see me do it!
Thanks for the tip, Lana!
I made these biscuits last night and they turned out nice. I found them to be salty, so next time , I will lessen the salt.
Thanks for the review, Nancy. 🙂
1st Homemade biscuits, I’ve made. Easy and delicious !!!
Yay! Way to go, Joni!
Made these today to go with a pot roast – oh my goodness! So easy and so delicious (I hope there are a few left for dinner 😉 ) I used powdered buttermilk + water – the water could have been colder when I added it to the melted butter but the end result tastes ridiculously good. Thanks for another winner! (I sent the recipe to my son who recently moved into his first apartment – great recipe for a new cook or an old gal like me!)
Made these for a quick and easy breakfast. I didn’t need to add any butter, they are already so buttery and the butter on top adds a nice touch. I will definitely make these again.
White Whole Wheat flour works wonderfully in this recipe. Were super yummy smothered in sausage gravy! Thanks for another winning easy recipe!
I made these for my family and everyone loved them! Your recipes are always my favorites. Thank you for all your hard work and time you put into your blog.
Thank you so much, Lauren!
I’m not doing white flour, because it’s January and resolutions…blah blah.
Made these with whole wheat flour and they were AMAZING!!
Also, I hate making biscuits because cutting in butter is the worst. I am so excited about this recipe and I’m going to make them always.
So happy to hear this, Sara! Thank you!
Made these with dinner last night, and they were delicious! I used a buttermilk substitute (milk+vinegar) because I didn’t have any of the real stuff, but everyone still gobbled them up. I used a little less milk (about 1.5 cups of “buttermilk”) for the doubled recipe, and it was perfect. The #20 scoop portioned the biscuits just right, and I got 23 biscuits on my pan. A nice, easy side when I don’t want to mess with cutting butter into flour. 🙂 Thanks for another keeper recipe, Mel!
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Arlene!
Wow …. I consider myself an avid baker. However, I never attempted to bake biscuits until today!!! I was so impressed how easy and tasty these biscuits are. Quite frankly. I was so proud of myself but disappoint that it took me so long to try. Thanks to you Mel I am biscuit bakin’ lovin’ fool!!!!
Loved reading this – thank you!
1/26/20 Hi just finished your Easy Flaky Buttermilk Drop Biscuits & Slow Cooker Beef Veggie Noodle Soup, both terrific! Those biscuits are so easy with big taste payoff & soft, buttery. Soup makes a ton! Did add several teaspoons Low Sodium Better Than Bullion Soup Base for deeper flavor. Thank you for your sharing & instructions! Cindy R
Thanks, Cindy!
Made these with my 7 year old tonight- they were so easy and SO good!
Yay! Love hearing that!
We love these and make them every time we have beef stew. The melted butter in the buttermilk is genius! And yes, my kids make them without a problem. They are fantastic!
Drop biscuits were one of the first recipes I learned to bake a a child, fifty something years ago! My Dad said his family always called this type biscuit a billy goat biscuit because of the little horns that sometimes stick up on top as you bake. Still love them now.
Love that!
After a crazy morning getting everyone off to school I realized I hadn’t eaten. I happened to open my inbox and these biscuits were staring at me and then the buttermilk in my fridge started calling to me. 15 minutes later I was enjoying these delicious biscuits for breakfast! I have now declared buttermilk to be a staple in my fridge! Thanks Mel!
This is amazing, Chantelle! I’m so glad you loved them.
Just made these with my #mrfour (we had buttermilk that expires today and needed a recipe to utilise it!). As we mixed them together I mused that the resulting dough looked a lot like scone dough – turns out American biscuits are pretty much Australian scones! Happily eating them now for lunch (with butter and strawberry jam, because that’s how we roll over here :p) Thanks for sharing!
Mel,
Ina has an amazing recipe for a super easy Fresh or Frozen Blueberry Rhubarb Jam. Its so good and it’s foolproof. My family loves it and since you can’t find your recipe I thought you might enjoy this one.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cassis liqueur, such as Mathilde
5 cups (1-inch-diced) fresh rhubarb (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and small-diced
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
Directions
Place the sugar and cassis in a large (8-by-4-inch) heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the rhubarb, blueberries, apple, and lemon zest and toss well to coat the fruit with the cassis and sugar. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until there is a lot of liquid and it comes to a full boil. Lower the heat and cook uncovered at a low boil for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has disintegrated and the mixture has thickened. (I test a little by putting some jam in a dish in the freezer to check the consistency when it cools.) If necessary, cook for another 5 minutes. Set aside to cool, then refrigerate.
Thank you so much! That sounds amazing.
I’m making these for breakfast, thank you! We love your cheddar and herb biscuits, but this will be nice for a sweet version. I’m so sad you can’t find your strawberry bluebarb recipe. I hope it turns up and when it does, you share it with us! I’ve made bluebarb pie before and it was amazing…I’m thinking strawberry bluebarb would be delicious too. Have you made lemon curd before? It’s a staple around here and I’ll send my recipe if you’d like.
Thanks, Liz! I’d love your recipe if you have time to send it. I have a pretty good lemon curd recipe but it’s not a best-ever recipe, I don’t think.
I have read through every comment and not one person is as sad about your lost bluebard jam recipe as I am! I have wanted to try making some and have looked at so many different recipes for it and just don’t want to blow it. Keep searching Mel, you’ll find it!!
Well, I’m so sad and obsessed about it I’m sure I’ll figure out a new version this summer! I’ll keep you posted!
I’ve made this recipe probably 20+ times. It is my absolute goto for biscuits. I always add a little more buttermilk than the recipe reads. So, freaking, good. AND EASY! I highly recommend! Thank you Mel!
I used this as the base of a biscuits and gravy casserole, instead of cut up canned biscuits. The difference was fantastic! Canned biscuits are so doughy in this recipe. FLUFFY! Now I need more gravy! Thanks Mel!
These are so easy and they were perfect , love them !
I have never gotten so many compliments on these biscuits! I started using self-rising flour and use a whole stick of butter. If this makes them less tasteful welllllll they will never know and my husband inhales them so I have to make 2 batches at a time!
2 cups (10oz)??
The ounces is referring to the weight measure not the volume measure.
These are the best biscuts ever! I add pepper to them when I make them for sausage gravy. This time I added hot honey and OMG!!
these were the fluffiest biscuits I’ve ever made. really tasty. I halved the recipie cause no one else in my house likes them.
Such a fabulously easy way to make biscuits! Happy to share the biscuit load with my Texas born and raised husband.
Omg looks so gooood!!!!
These biscuits are amazing!
I make these regularly as do my son in college. They are easy and excellent. I do add a little bit more buttermilk to make them “drop” easier. They are great as a potpie topping, too!
Great recipe! Simple,, easy, and tasty! Made these last night with my sausage and gravy. A keeper recipe. Thanks!
These are so good- !I have made a lot of biscuits and these are one of my favorite. Good proportions. I always sift the flour baking powder mixture because clumps are not good to eat.
These were easy to make but I guess I’m not a biscuit person. They didn’t impress me much.
Clearly you just don’t like biscuits.
Excellent biscuits. Easy and always comes out great I’ve used Mel’s recipes many times/ buttermilk, plain milk , and always comes out a hit. Thanks.
The best biscuits ever !! Thank you for sharing
We messed up the important part of the recipe- the melted butter in the buttermilk part. I melted the butter for too long, it was at a rapid boil, and didn’t have time to let it cool. So, I think we instantly warmed the buttermilk (I actually used whey from homemade yogurt as a substitute) rather than create any kind of solid. Despite the failure, biscuits were still a success! Kids raved, the biscuits were there “peace offering” – the only part of the meal made with them in mind, since there was no way they were touching the lentil potato soup (also from this site and AWESOME). Husband was just gaga over the whole meal. I can’t wait to try these again and not mess up!
This reccipe makes amazing biscuits, they’re crisp on the outside, dense and fluffy on the inside.
These biscuits are so good and so easy to make! I add fat free cheddar and parmesean before I bake them.
These biscuits are lightly crisp on the outside, and fluffy and tender on the inside. Very buttery deliciousness. We loved them!
These are simply the BEST drop biscuits. Simple, quick. They’ve become a staple with my family. Breakfast or dinner. You can even scramble an egg, a little cheese, maybe some ham and you’ve got an amazing sandwich. I even keep them in the freezer. I feel really lucky to have found Mel’s website!!
Thanks, Tiana!
These are so good and easy to make!