Feta and Green Olive Drop Biscuits

Name: Feta and Green Olive Drop Biscuits
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 13 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes; 1 cup (150 g) feta cheese, crumbled; ¾ cup (100 g) pitted green olives, coarsely chopped; 2½ teaspoons (12 g) baking powder; ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk; 1 tablespoon (3 g) fresh dill, finely chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Light and tender savory biscuits studded with tangy crumbled feta cheese and briny green olives, brought together in just 30 minutes using the quick drop-method technique. Perfect as a warm appetizer, alongside soups or salads, or for breakfast with butter and honey.

Prep: 12 min
Cook: 13 min
Wait: 11 min
Total: 36 min
Makes: 12 biscuits (3 per serving)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) so it is fully heated before you mix the dough
Use cold butter straight from the refrigerator—this is essential for flaky biscuits
Pit green olives and pat the crumbled feta dry with a clean towel to reduce excess moisture
Measure all ingredients before you begin mixing to avoid delays once you start combining

1
Preheat oven and prepare panOven 400°F / 205°C
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C).
- Line a 15×10-inch (38×25 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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Tip: Line your baking sheet now to save time and prevent sticking.
2
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, 2½ teaspoons (12g) baking powder, ½ teaspoon (3g) salt, and ¼ teaspoon (0.5g) freshly ground black pepper.
- Make sure the baking powder is evenly distributed with no white streaks or lumps.
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Ready when: Mixture is evenly combined with no visible streaks of baking powder
3
Cut in cold butter
- Cut the 6 tablespoons (85g) of cold unsalted butter into small cubes and scatter them over the flour mixture.
- Using a fork or your fingertips, quickly work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible throughout.
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Ready when: Mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized butter pieces still visible
Tip: Keep the butter cold and work quickly. Warm butter melts into the flour, resulting in dense, heavy biscuits instead of tender, flaky ones.
4
Fold in feta and olives
- Gently fold in 1 cup (150g) crumbled feta cheese and ¾ cup (100g) coarsely chopped green olives.
- If using fresh dill, add 1 tablespoon (3g) of finely chopped dill now.
- Fold with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined—no dry flour patches should remain, but do not overmix.
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Ready when: Feta and olives are evenly distributed with no visible patches of dry flour
Tip: Fold gently to avoid overdeveloping gluten, which toughens the biscuits. A few small flour streaks are fine.
5
Add buttermilk
- Pour ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk into the bowl and fold gently with a wooden spoon or spatula until a soft, slightly sticky dough just comes together.
- Stop mixing as soon as no dry flour remains.
- The dough should look shaggy and rough, not smooth.
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Ready when: Dough is soft and slightly sticky with visible bits of feta and olives; just comes together
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes tough, dense biscuits. Lumps and uneven mixing are actually desirable here.
6
Drop dough onto baking sheet
- Using a 2-tablespoon (30 ml) ice cream scoop or large spoon, drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- You should have approximately 12 biscuits.
- Do not flatten or shape them—rustic, uneven mounds are what you're aiming for.
7
Bake until golden brownOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated 400°F (205°C) oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of a biscuit comes out clean (some moist crumbs from feta are fine).
- The tops should feel just barely firm when gently pressed.
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Ready when: Golden brown on top, skewer comes out clean, tops feel just barely firm
Tip: Baking times vary by oven. Start checking at 12 minutes. Overbaking will dry out the tender crumb, so err on the side of slightly underbaked.
8
Cool briefly and serve
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the biscuits rest for 2 to 3 minutes to set slightly.
- Transfer them to a wire rack or serve warm directly from the pan.
- These biscuits are best enjoyed within 2 hours of baking, while still warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Biscuits have set enough to transfer without breaking apart

Good to know

Tips

Keep all ingredients cold, especially the butter and buttermilk. Cold fats create steam in the oven, which leavens the biscuits and creates their characteristic flaky, tender texture.
Do not be tempted to add more buttermilk or to overmix the dough. Biscuit dough should always look shaggy and slightly rough before baking. Gentle mixing is what keeps them tender.
Pat the crumbled feta dry with a clean kitchen towel before adding it. Excess moisture from feta can make the dough too wet and the biscuits dense.
Serve these warm if possible—they are at their best straight from the oven when the butter is still soft and the flavors of feta and olive are most vibrant.

Make ahead

Dough can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. Bake from cold, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 1 day; reheat gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes if desired. Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat as above. Freezer: Freeze baked biscuits in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8–10 minutes until warmed through.

Substitutions

pitted green olives → Kalamata olives. Use the same amount. Kalamata olives are more robust and assertive in flavor, giving the biscuits a deeper, slightly more tannic taste.
buttermilk → Plain yogurt thinned with milk (½ cup yogurt + ¼ cup milk). Mix together to approximate the acidity and viscosity of buttermilk. The biscuits will be equally tender.
fresh dill → Dried oregano or fresh thyme. Use ½ teaspoon dried oregano or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme. Both pair beautifully with feta and olives in Mediterranean baking.
feta cheese → Crumbled goat cheese or ricotta salata. Use the same amount. Goat cheese is tangier and creamier; ricotta salata is firmer and milder. Both work beautifully.