The first thing I notice when these biscuits come out of the oven is the craggy top: all those little ridges catch the garlic butter instead of letting it slide off. I used to think drop biscuits needed to be neat little mounds before baking, but a rough scoop is exactly what you want here. These cheddar garlic drop biscuits bake up golden outside, tender inside, and are ready to brush while they’re still hot.
The dough is softer than a rolled biscuit dough, and that’s part of the point. Chilled shortening gets cut into the dry ingredients until it’s pea-size, then the cheddar and buttermilk go in with just enough stirring to bring everything together. I portion the dough straight onto parchment, which keeps the biscuits easy to handle and leaves more time for the best part: brushing each one with warm garlic butter and parsley. The batch makes eight generous biscuits with sharp cheddar tucked through every bite.
Kitchen Note
Brush the biscuits as soon as they come out of the oven, while their tops are still hot. Let them rest for the full five minutes before serving; that gives the buttery garlic topping a moment to settle into all those uneven edges.
Save these cheddar garlic drop biscuits for the next time you want sharp cheddar, tender centers, and warm garlic butter in one easy batch.
Why These Drop Biscuits Should Look Rough Before They Bake
These aren’t rolled biscuits, so the dough doesn’t need to look smooth or hold a tidy shape. It should be soft enough to scoop, with a few craggy edges and no dry flour left in the bowl. Those uneven tops bake into extra surface area for the garlic butter, while the tender dough stays light instead of turning chewy from too much handling.
That’s also why adding extra flour to make the dough easier to shape works against you. A sticky, shaggy mixture is normal for this style. Stir only until the flour disappears, then drop the portions onto the lined baking sheet without pressing them flat. If you keep mixing until the dough looks polished, you’ll develop more gluten and lose some of the tender, delicate crumb that makes a drop biscuit different from a rolled one.
The cheddar belongs in the bowl before the buttermilk. Folding it through the dry mixture spreads the cheese around without requiring extra stirring once the wet ingredients are added. The finished biscuits won’t all have identical tops, and they shouldn’t; that variation is what gives each one a mix of soft middle and browned edges.
What the Cheddar, Buttermilk, and Shortening Each Bring
- All-purpose flour — It gives the biscuits enough structure to rise while keeping the crumb tender. A cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend made for baking is the most practical swap; see the variation below for what to expect from the texture.
- Baking powder and baking soda — They work together to lift the dough, and the soda also has the acidity of buttermilk to react with. Check that both are fresh; old leaveners can leave the biscuits squat even when the dough is handled gently.
- Chilled vegetable shortening — Small cold pieces create a tender, slightly flaky texture as the biscuits bake. Cold unsalted butter can replace it in the same volume, though the biscuits may taste richer and have a less even crumb. Keep the butter cold and cut it in just as you would the shortening.
- Sharp cheddar — Its stronger flavor stands up to the garlic and buttermilk, so quality matters more here than it would with a mild cheese. A block you shred yourself melts into softer pockets; pre-shredded cheddar works too, though it may not melt quite as smoothly.
- Buttermilk — Its acidity supports the baking soda, and its thickness gives the dough its soft, scoopable consistency. For a quick substitute, stir lemon juice or white vinegar into milk and let it stand for five minutes before using it; the biscuits may be a little less tangy than with cultured buttermilk.
- Fresh garlic and parsley — Finely grated garlic disperses through the melted butter, so there aren’t large raw-tasting pieces on top. Fresh parsley gives the finish a clean, grassy note; if you only have dried parsley, use one teaspoon in place of the tablespoon of fresh.
From Pea-Sized Shortening to Golden Tops
Cut the Shortening into the Dry Ingredients
Heat the oven to 425°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl so the leaveners are evenly distributed. Cut in the chilled shortening with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the pieces are about pea-size. If the shortening smears into the flour instead of remaining in small pieces, work quickly so it doesn’t warm too much.
Fold in the Cheddar and Bring the Dough Together
Fold the shredded cheddar through the flour mixture before adding the buttermilk. Stir the buttermilk in only until no dry flour remains; the dough will look shaggy rather than smooth. If you keep stirring to make it uniform, the biscuits can turn tough. Stop once the last dry patches disappear.
Drop the Portions and Bake
Drop eight portions of dough, about 1/4 cup each, onto the prepared sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Leave the tops uneven instead of smoothing or flattening them. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits are cooked through. Start checking at the earlier end of the range; the tops give you the clearest visual cue.
Make the Garlic Butter and Finish
While the biscuits bake, melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the finely grated garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, just until fragrant; garlic that browns can taste bitter, so take the pan off the heat as soon as that aroma comes up. Stir in the chopped parsley, then brush the butter over the hot biscuits. Let them rest before serving.
Cheese Swaps and a Gluten-Free Batch That Still Drops
Use Pepper Jack for a Little Heat
Replace the sharp cheddar with the same amount of shredded pepper jack. It brings a mild chile kick and a softer, less tangy cheese flavor; keep the rest of the dough and garlic butter unchanged.
Make Them Gluten-Free
Swap the all-purpose flour for a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend intended to replace wheat flour. Keep the same mixing and dropping method, but expect a slightly more delicate, crumbly biscuit rather than the same stretch and structure as the wheat-flour version.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. The crumb will firm up in the refrigerator, but reheating brings back some softness.
- Freezer: Freeze cooled biscuits in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or reheat from frozen.
- Reheating: Warm in the microwave in short intervals until heated through. Long microwave heating can make the biscuits tough, so stop as soon as the centers are warm.
Questions That Come Up Before the Biscuits Go in the Oven
Cheddar Garlic Drop Biscuits with Melted Butter
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 425°F.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the pieces are about pea-size.
- Fold in the cheddar.
- Stir in the buttermilk just until no dry flour remains.
- Drop 8 portions of dough, about 1/4 cup each, onto the baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits are cooked through.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
- Brush the hot biscuits with the garlic butter.
- Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
