Buttermilk Drop Biscuits are an easy, flavorful alternative to traditional rolled biscuits. This quick drop-biscuit recipe yields tender, fluffy centers with golden, buttery bottoms — especially when baked in a cast iron pan. If you don’t own cast iron, alternatives work fine and are noted below.
Drop Biscuits Recipe Highlights
- The exterior browns beautifully from the hot pan while the interior stays soft and fluffy — a satisfying contrast.
- Only five ingredients. Combine the dry ingredients, cut in cold butter, then add the buttermilk. No mixer required.
- Simple to customize: fold in bacon, chives, cheese, or herbs, or serve with breakfast sausage.
- For a gluten-free option, use a dedicated GF recipe or substitute a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.
Table of Contents
- Drop Biscuits Recipe Highlights
- Drop Biscuits versus Regular Biscuits
- Ingredients
- Equipment – Cast Iron versus Baking Sheet
- How to Make Drop Biscuits
- Grilling
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Variations
- Other Breakfast Recipe Ideas
- 5-Ingredient Buttermilk Drop Biscuits Recipe
Drop Biscuits versus Regular Biscuits
Drop biscuits are scooped and dropped onto a pan rather than rolled and cut. They skip the repeated folding and rolling used to create the layered, flaky texture of traditional biscuits, so they’re much quicker to prepare. From start to table they take about 30 minutes, making them a great weeknight breakfast, camp oven treat, or companion for sausage gravy.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter – Cold and cut into pea-sized cubes. The butter provides fat and contributes to a tender crumb.
- Flour – Bread flour gives slightly more structure thanks to higher gluten; all-purpose flour also works well.
- Baking powder – Use baking powder (not baking soda) to provide lift.
- Kosher salt – For seasoning; adjust quantity to taste.
- Buttermilk – Adds moisture, acidity, and richness. Whole milk can work in a pinch, but results will be a bit denser.
Optional: Brush warm biscuits with melted butter and finish with a pinch of kosher or flake salt for added flavor.
Equipment – Cast Iron versus Baking Sheet
A well-seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet is recommended. Cast iron retains and distributes heat evenly and creates a lightly crisp, golden crust on the biscuit bottoms as butter melts and pools under them. If you don’t have cast iron, an oven-safe stainless steel pan is a good substitute (watch the bake time), or a parchment-lined sheet pan will work in a pinch.
An ice cream scoop helps make even-sized biscuits; a larger scoop yields nine biscuits in a 10-inch skillet. If using a sheet pan, space them so heat circulates around each biscuit.
How to Make Drop Biscuits
- Preheat: Set the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the butter into pea-sized pieces and chill until ready to use.
- Combine: Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut the cold butter into the flour with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the buttermilk with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula just until combined.
- Bake: Use an ice cream scoop to portion the dough into the cast iron skillet (about nine scoops). Bake 25 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden. Serve warm.
- Optional: Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and brush over the biscuits as soon as they come out of the oven, then sprinkle with a little kosher or finishing salt.
Grilling
These biscuits also bake very well on a grill. Use indirect heat and target 375–400°F. Rotate the cast iron pan halfway through the bake to ensure even browning, especially on kettle grills. For closed-lid grills, use a pan without a long handle so the lid can close fully, and employ heat-resistant gloves when handling the hot pan.
Make Ahead and Storage
These biscuits are best enjoyed warm. If you need to store them, let them cool completely and place in a sealed gallon-size freezer bag to retain moisture. They keep for a couple of days; reheating briefly in the microwave (about 15–20 seconds) warms them without drying them out. For longer storage, freeze the cooled biscuits in a sealed bag and reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Variations
To add mix-ins like cheese, herbs, or cooked bacon, fold them into the dough after you’ve combined the butter into the dry ingredients and before adding the buttermilk. Small additions distribute more evenly and maintain the biscuit texture.
Other Breakfast Recipe Ideas
These drop biscuits pair well with a wide range of breakfast dishes: use them as sandwich bread for smoked sausage breakfast sandwiches, serve with steak and egg burritos, or enjoy alongside corned beef hash or pulled pork breakfast hash.
5-Ingredient Buttermilk Drop Biscuits Recipe
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Equipment
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1 10-inch cast iron skillet (or oven-safe pan)
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1 ice cream scoop
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (plus 2 tablespoons for finishing)
- 2 cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the butter into pea-sized pieces and chill until ready to use.
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Combine: In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the buttermilk until just combined.
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Bake: Portion dough with an ice cream scoop into the cast iron skillet (about nine biscuits). Bake 25 minutes or until tops are lightly golden. Serve warm.
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Optional: Brush warm biscuits with 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher or finishing salt.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
Additional Info
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