A quick and easy drop biscuit featuring a made-from-scratch dough, cheddar cheese, and fresh chives. Makes for a lovely brunch item, but also a great dinnertime side dish.
I grew up eating ready-made biscuits, and although I would probably still get a kick out of that nostalgic “pop” that proceeds dough spilling out from the can, I’ve had the made-from-scratch version, and honey, there is just no going back. The difference is astounding, almost as if they’re two separate products completely. And really, I think they are.
HOMEMADE DROP BISCUITS VS. PRE-MADE BISCUITS
Homemade, easy drop biscuits have a different kind of crumb and texture altogether. You can actually taste the ingredients like butter and honey, and the crazy thing is, biscuits are seriously easy to make. Honestly, the first time I set out to make the homemade version, I thought I was in for the long haul. I assumed it was going to be this time-consuming process, similar to making yeast dough, but it was actually the opposite — easy and quick.
HOW TO MAKE EASY DROP BISCUITS
Mix up some dry ingredients, cut in a little butter, throw in some buttermilk, bake ‘em up and serve ‘em up. It’s a process so simple that these days, I can have the dough whipped up before the oven even finishes preheating.
ADD CHEDDAR AND CHIVES TO MAKE IT EXTRA SAVORY
After mastering the homemade breakfast biscuit, I wanted a version I could serve at dinnertime. Adding a few savory elements like cheddar and chives was all that was needed, and certainly didn’t tack on too much more to the to-do list.
You end up with an easy drop biscuit that’s crunchy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside, oozing with cheddar and just barely tinging with a garlicky/onion-like flavor. They are total perfection, my new carb obsession, and the perfect side starch to whip up alongside just about any weeknight meal.
A quick and easy, buttery drop biscuit featuring a made-from-scratch biscuit dough, cheddar cheese and fresh chives.
- 6 tablespoons + ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, separated
- 2 cups All-Purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt plus a pinch
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons freshly snipped chives
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons honey
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Preheat oven to 400° and have ready two sheet pans lined with either parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
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Cut 6 tablespoons of cold butter into tiny cubes and set aside until ready to use.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and garlic powder. Using a pastry blender, cut the cubed butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse, small peas. Stir in the cheddar and chives. Using a sturdy spoon, stir in the buttermilk just until dough comes together. Do not over mix.
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Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the sheet pans, spacing each 1 ½ - 2 inches apart and bake for 12 minutes.
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In the meantime, add ¼ cup of butter to a small, microwave safe bowl. Heat until melted, 30-45 seconds. Remove from the microwave, stir in the honey and a pinch of salt. Once the biscuits have finished baking, brush them with the honey butter, return to the oven and bake 2-3 minutes more, until cooked through and golden brown. Serve and enjoy.
