Is your mouth watering?
Recently I was asked by THV 11’s This Morning to help their viewers celebrate National Biscuit Month. Here’s my starring role in case you missed it.
But the real stars of the show were the biscuits and their cousins that I made just to show the many different ways that biscuits can be prepared. I was so surprised when the most requested recipe turned out to be for Basic Drop Biscuits. Who knew?
I wrongly assumed that everyone already knew how to make these simple but heavenly biscuits. These are the one like s my sweet Mamaw made every single morning, in the dark sans recipe, of her married life. Or at least that’s the way I remember it. And she may have served them up with fresh, sweetened cream butter courtesy of the family cow, or homemade jam — blackberry or muscadine, please. Of course if it was Sunday, these would have shown up for lunch along with crispy fried chicken and peppered cream gravy. Such sweet memories.
Blessed. That’s what I think of when I think of my grandmothers both of whom were amazing home cooks. For the most part, they raised whatever vegetables and meat they served. Growing up next door to my maternal grandmother, Nonnie, and my maternal great-grandmother, Grandma Easley, and just across town from Mamaw is perhaps one of the luckiest things that ever happened to me. Talk about role models!
For a litle insight into my Mamaw, go read this story I wrote for Arkansauce. It’s just a little peek into my life growing up with these terrific ladies.
But you came here for these biscuits. IF you will follow my directions and NOT OVERWORK your dough, your biscuits will be light and fluffy — perfection.
Serve them up with butter (the real kind) and jam or jelly. Our favorite is Strawberry Freezer Jam (to be shared). If I’m feeling really slim — don’t laugh– or snowbound– I’ll whip up a batch of peppered cream gravy. It’s an indulgence but we deserve those on occasion, don’t we?
I’ve also included a couple of variations that I make using this Basic Drop Biscuit. Try your hand at your own variations and let me know how they turn out. Hubby calls these my “mood biscuits” since their flavor often depends on my mood of the day.
Garlic Cheese Biscuits
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted frozen butter, grated on the large holes of a box grater
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted for brushing the biscuits
- Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Add 4 Tablespoons unsalted frozen butter that has been grated to the dry ingredients and incorporate with your fingers. Do not overwork.
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and the 4 Tablespoons of melted butter, stirring until the butter forms small clumps and the baking soda.
- Stir the buttermilk until it becomes frothy.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and incorporate just until combined with a spatula pulling from the outside in.
- Scoop the batter in approximate ¼ cup portions onto the prepared baking sheet, placing the biscuits 1-1 ½ inches apart.
- Brush the tops with butter and bake 12-14 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Variation 1: Parmesan, Black Pepper and Bacon Drop Biscuits
- Cook 6 strips bacon until crisp; crumble and cool.
- To the dry ingredients in the Basic Drop Biscuit recipe add: 2-3 Tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper , the crumbled bacon and ½ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Variation 2: Garlic Cheddar Biscuits
- Add 1-2 Tablespoons garlic powder (to taste) to the dry ingredients. Whisk.
- Add 1 cup finely shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese to the dry ingredients and stir.
- Follow directions for Basic Drop Biscuits.
