If we are being 100% transparent with each other, I could (and would) eat nothing but biscuits for a whole meal. Buttery and fluffy, there isn’t nothing quite like them. But I also don’t have the time to make sourdough or yeast biscuits, so drop biscuits are my go-to.
This Cheese Herb Drop Biscuit recipe is a delicious combination of fresh herbs, parmesan and mozzarella cheese all in a simple easy biscuit recipe that can be modified in so many ways.
What are Drop Biscuits?
The term drop biscuit simply means a biscuit made by dropping your biscuit dough from a spoon onto your baking sheet using dough that doesn’t require yeast, rising or rolling. Americans have been making drop biscuits since the 1850’s. Some people call them the lazy man’s biscuit… I’m okay with being lazy if they taste this good!
The dough is often so sticky you wouldn’t be able to roll them if you wanted to. The high level of moisture helps to make them soft and buttery without the use of yeast.
Drop biscuit recipes can be used for savory biscuits like these or sweeter breakfast biscuits.
Ingredients
The ingredient list for these particular homemade biscuits is quite simple and uses kitchen staples. I like to call it my “clean out the crisper” recipe because it uses so many odds and ends of both cheese and herbs. The actual amounts of these can be adjusted depending on what you have.
- All-Purpose Flour– Although I do have a variation using self-rising flour below the recipe card.
- Baking Powder– Since you aren’t using yeast or eggs, you need something to help the biscuits rise, this is your leavening agent.
- Coarse Kosher Salt– Please, please, please use a large coarse grain salt. If you need to use a fine grain, reduce the volume by 50-75%.
- Fresh Herbs– Don’t focus too much on the amount here, it can be more or less and you’ll still have tasty biscuits. The fresh herb mix can be any combination you have lurking in your vegetable drawer. The most commonly used herbs are Rosemar, Thyme, Cilantro, Flat Leaf Parsley, Tarragon, Chives and Oregano. And don’t just use the leaves, chop up those stems too.
- Garlic– Fresh garlic will give the most garlicky flavor while the bottled stuff will have more a sweet flavor.
- Cheese- They are cheesy drop biscuits for goodness sake! Use 1/2 cup of cheese total, I used Parmesan and mozzarella, but cheddar, gouda and monterey jack are also popular.
- Milk- While we used whole milk for the fat content to keep these bad boys rich, any fat percentage will work.
- Vegetable Oil- Works as the fat in the dough. Any neutral oil will work.
- Unsalted Butter- This is for basting at the very end. If you use a salted butter, reduce the salt in the actual recipe.
PRO TIP: Don’t throw away the stems of herbs if you use the leaves. Instead, incorporate them into salad dressing, salads, fun variations on pesto or bread, like these herb biscuits. They can also be used to infuse olive oil.
How to Make Drop Biscuits
PRO TIP: Don’t overmix the biscuit dough! Overmixing leads to dry, crumbly biscuits.
If you are looking for a perfectly circular rolled biscuit, they aren’t going to work for you, the dough is too sticky to roll out. You’d need a lot of flour and that would make for dry and brittle biscuits.
The history of biscuits and how to make them has been long debated. Most folks think of them as Southern, but they have been made through Europe for decades.
One of the biggest benefits is that they are a no yeast bread, require less time and foresight. Instead, baking powder acts as the leavener.
There are many different ways to make the best biscuits and people disagree on the factors that would even qualify them. I’m pretty confident you are going to love these, though!
Check out these other easy bread recipes:
Tools for making easy drop biscuits from scratch:
Mixing Bowls– make sure to check out my article on Using the Right Mixing Bowl, you’d be surprised how many people aren’t!
Stand Mixer– I lived for a long time without one. My life was changed when I finally bit the bullet and bought one. Just do it and thank yourself later.
Wooden Spoons– for sticky sauces, wooden spoons work best, but they tend to splinter and split, so I order them in bulk and just toss them when they start to get gross. Wooden spoons work best for sticky doughs like this.
Insulated Cookie Sheet– Insulated cookie sheets allow hot air to circulate around the entire cookie, resulting in even baking. Also line with parchment paper to prevent sticking and over browning on the bottoms.
Questions you might have about how to make drop biscuits:
Can I make biscuits ahead of time? You can make biscuits ahead of time, but honestly, like them best right out of the oven. My advice would be to prepare the dough, cover it well and refrigerate until ready to bake. Since the dough will be chilled, it might take a few additional minutes to bake.
Can I freeze biscuits? Biscuits are very freezer friendly. Simply place them in an airtight plastic bag, squeezing out as much air as possible and then freeze for up to 4 months.
Can I use skim, 1% or 2% milk? I highly suggest using whole milk. That extra fast makes a huge difference in texture, however the recipe will still turn out fine using the other varieties.
Can I use different types of cheese? Yes! You whatever cheese blend you’d like as long as it adds up to about 1 cup. And make sure you try to freshly grate it. Pre shredded cheese is great for so many things, but is tossed in a starch to prevent clumping.
Think of this as adding extra flour to your recipe. If you do use pre shredded cheese, use a scant 2 cups of flour to balance it out.
Cheesy Herb Drop Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- 1 cup fresh herbs , chopped (parsley, cilantro, dill, rosemary, oregano etc)
- 3 garlic cloves* , finely minced
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter , melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover an insulated baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, fresh herbs and garlic.
- Add milk, cheeses and vegetable oil. Do not over mix, only until wet.
- Drop biscuits onto baking sheet. You should have 12 biscuits.
- Bake for 15 minutes until until tops are slightly crispy and lightly browned. Lightly coat each biscuit top with melted butter using a pastry brush.
Made these for Easter with dill and cheddar. My family raved about them.
WOOHOO! Love to hear that and thank you for stopping by to let us know!
Can you use half buttermilk and half heavy cream instead of 1 cup of milk?
I would imagine so! In fact, it should be extra delicious! Come let us know how it goes!
So Good!!! Best biscuit recipe ever!
Thank for stopping by to let us know! This is one of my favorites too, especially when I want to use up all the odds and ends of herbs in the fridge.
Two teaspoons of salt is wrong!! 1/2 teaspoon!!
I made them with 2 and it tasted fine, but you can cut the amount if you choose.
These look amaaaaazing!
They are addictive! Enjoy!