Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
I haven’t posted a baking recipe in a hot minute. Fret not, my oven has been firing on all cylinders since this quarantine started and shows no signs of letting up.
I’ve been tackling a lot of BIG KITCHEN PROJECTS lately. In the midst of tackling day-long projects like homemade Pop Tarts and Hot Pockets, I’ve also been majorly craving comfort food. I personally think there are few things more comforting than a fluffy, tender, freshly baked buttermilk biscuit. Like a little buttery cloud from the heavens, descending upon our green earth to make you forget your crushing, ceaseless existential dread for one shining moment.
Besides, these bad boys don’t require any yeast, so those of you still reeling from YEASTGATE2020 are in luck.
This does require buttermilk, which I never keep handy and I’m not out here trying to make quick trips to the grocery store these days, y’know? I almost always end up mixing whatever milk I have in the fridge with the juice of one lemon to use in the place of buttermilk, so I’ve denoted that in the recipe.
I high recommend you slather these up while they’re still warm with spicy strawberry balsamic jam, which is especially good to make now as strawberry season ramps up.
Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
Recipe by America’s Test Kitchen
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes
2 cups (10 ounces) AP flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk, chilled OR 3/4 cup of cold milk mixed with 1/4 cup of lemon juice (let sit 5 minutes in fridge before use)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl.
Combine the cold buttermilk (or milk+lemon mixture) and melted butter in a medium bowl, stirring until the butter forms small clumps.
Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just incorporated and the batter pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Using a greased 1/4 cup scoop or measuring cup, scoop a level amount of batter and drop onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining batter, spacing the biscuits about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until the tops are golden brown and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes.
If serving right away, melt an extra tablespoon or two of butter to brush on top of the warm biscuits when they’re just out of the oven. Let cool on a rack for a few minutes and devour.
If you want to keep some for later, I skip the butter topping and let them cool on a rack. I keep them in in the freezer until I want to heat one up. I microwave for about 10 seconds and then finish in the toaster oven.