These airy, tender buttermilk drop biscuits are the perfect accompaniment to sausage gravy or your next strawberry shortcake.
Fluffy buttermilk drop biscuits are as easy as anything to whip up for a quick side with dinner or as the base for a simple strawberry shortcake.
I learned this recipe from my mother-in-law’s side of the family, and I return to it often–almost weekly– during strawberry season. We make a big batch of these biscuits and enjoy them with nightly strawberry shortcakes. I’ve never considered myself much of a baker, so I’m always drawn to simple baking recipes that don’t require too much fuss. These little buttermilk biscuits deliver exactly that: simple, no-fuss deliciousness! Eat them with gravy, serve them with dessert, or enjoy them as a quick snack with a pat of soft butter on top.
My mother-in-law’s family recipe calls for milk instead of buttermilk, but my husband always loves the tanginess of buttermilk in baked goods. I’ve made these biscuits with both, and they’re equally delicious. We do prefer the flavor that buttermilk brings.
How to make buttermilk drop biscuits
What you need
You only need a few ingredients to whip these up.
- Dry ingredients: Flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Fat: I prefer cold shortening, but you can use cold butter. I find the shortening yields a more tender biscuit, and it’s easier to work with.
- Buttermilk: You can use whole milk instead, but we love the little bit of tanginess the buttermilk adds.
- Melted butter: This is optional, but sometimes I like to brush the biscuits with butter before I bake them. It just adds a little extra richness!
How to make it
- Step 1: Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Step 2: Add the cold shortening and use a pastry blender or fork to work the fat into the flour until a coarse meal forms.
- Step 3: Add the buttermilk incrementally, using a fork to mix into the flour. As soon as a raggedy, loose dough ball forms, stop mixing.
- Step 4: Use a spoon to scoop out heaping tablespoon-sized balls of the mixture and drop them into a greased baking sheet.
- Step 5: Brush lightly with melted butter and transfer to the oven for 12 to 14 minutes.
From there, you can remove the biscuits from the oven and enjoy immediately!
Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons shortening (chilled; plus more for greasing)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted; optional)
Instructions
Make the biscuit dough:
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Lightly grease a baking sheet with shortening.
- Sift together 2 cups flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Add 5 tablespoons of cold shortening and use a fork or pastry cutter to cut until a coarse meal forms.
- Add the buttermilk incrementally, working it in with a fork after each addition, until all of the buttermilk has been incorporated. Don’t overwork the dough; it should look a little craggly.
Make the biscuits:
- Use a spoon to scoop out heaping tablespoon-sized portions of the dough and drop them onto the prepared baking sheet. You should have 12 biscuits total.
- Brush each biscuit with melted butter.
Bake the biscuits:
- Transfer the biscuits to the oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!
