Herb Garlic Quick Drop Biscuits
Rustic, tender drop biscuits loaded with garlic and fresh herbs, baked until golden in just 27 minutes. The drop method means no rolling, cutting, or shaping—just mix, spoon onto a baking sheet, and bake. Perfect warm alongside soups, stews, or as the base for breakfast sandwiches. Flaky, savory, and impossible to rush.
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) with the rack positioned in the upper-middle
- Have cold unsalted butter ready (cut into cubes if prepping ahead)
- Mince 3 cloves of garlic and finely chop 3 tablespoons of fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, or chives)
- Line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well combined.
- This ensures the leavening and seasonings are distributed evenly throughout.
Cut in cold butter
- Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture.
- Using a fork, two knives, 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.
- This takes 2–3 minutes and is key to flaky biscuits.
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Ready when: Mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with visible pea-sized butter pieces
Tip: Keep everything cold and work quickly; the isolated butter pieces melt in the oven and create the tender, flaky texture.
Fold in garlic and herbs
- Gently fold the minced garlic and finely chopped fresh herbs into the flour mixture with a spatula or wooden spoon until evenly distributed, about 1 minute.
- If using the optional cheddar cheese, fold it in now as well.
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Ready when: Garlic and herbs evenly distributed
Add buttermilk and combine
- Pour the buttermilk into the bowl and gently fold it into the dry mixture with a spatula until just barely combined.
- Stop as soon as the mixture comes together; some flour streaks are okay and even desirable.
- Don't overmix, which would develop gluten and make the biscuits tough.
- The dough should be lumpy and slightly shaggy.
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Ready when: Dough just comes together; flour streaks still visible
Tip: Resist the urge to mix until smooth; lumpy dough produces the most tender, flaky biscuits.
Drop biscuits onto baking sheet
- Using a large spoon or small ice cream scoop, drop rounded portions of dough (about 2 tablespoons each) onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for some spread.
- You should have 10–12 biscuits total.
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Tip: Drop method means no rolling, cutting, or shaping needed—celebrate the rustic, imperfect shapes.
Bake until goldenOven 425°F / 220°C
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the tops are light golden brown.
- The biscuits should be set and firm to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center of one should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
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Ready when: Tops light golden brown; biscuits set and firm
Tip: Check at 12 minutes—every oven varies. Slightly underbaked is better than overbaked.
Cool and serve
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the biscuits cool on the sheet for 1–2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack or serve directly while warm.
- Serve with fresh butter, jam, or use as the base for savory breakfast sandwiches.
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Tip: Best served warm, but leftovers reheat beautifully.
Good to know
Tips
- Keep butter and all ingredients as cold as possible, and work quickly so the butter doesn't warm up—this is the secret to flaky, tender biscuits.
- Don't overmix once you add buttermilk; lumps in the batter are your friend and lead to superior texture.
- Use an ice cream scoop for uniform biscuits, or drop with two spoons if you prefer rustic, wildly irregular shapes.
- Serve warm with fresh butter and fleur de sel, or alongside breakfast eggs, soups, stews, and roasted vegetables.
Make ahead
Unbaked biscuits can be frozen on a baking sheet for up to 2 weeks; add 2–3 minutes to baking time. Dough can also be refrigerated for up to 4 hours before dropping and baking.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days; refrigerator for 3–4 days; freezer (baked) for up to 1 month. Reheat at 300°F (150°C) for 5–7 minutes until warm and crispy again.
Substitutions
- fresh parsley or thyme → 1 teaspoon dried herbs (thyme, Italian seasoning, or dried parsley). Dried herbs are more concentrated; use about one-third the amount of fresh herbs.
- buttermilk → Greek yogurt mixed with milk (equal parts), or milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar. If using lemon juice or vinegar, let the milk sit for 5 minutes to curdle slightly before using.
- garlic cloves → ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Garlic powder has no moisture, so the dough may be slightly stiffer; add buttermilk very slowly if needed.
- sharp cheddar cheese, grated → ½ cup grated Gruyère, aged Parmesan, or Emmental. Any hard, flavorful cheese works; this is an easy way to customize the biscuits for different meals.
