These buttery, soft, and foolproof cast iron biscuits have a crisp bottom and tender top and they're ready in just 30 minutes. With the addition of garlic and cheddar, these are an ultra-comforting side dish.
It's hard to beat a fluffy, buttery biscuit. The only thing that makes a biscuit better is if there's cheddar cheese and no kneading or folding is required.
That's where a handy cast iron skillet comes in.
You might be surprised about how easy it is to make cast iron biscuits. Unlike more traditional buttermilk biscuits or cheddar scallion scones, cast iron drop biscuits don't require any folding or shaping.
That's because a cookie scoop or measuring cup is used to drop the batter straight onto the cast iron skillet. This is a foolproof way to avoid overworking biscuit dough while still achieving mouthwatering biscuits.
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Why this recipe works
- Texture: Soft, buttery, and tender. Gently stirring the biscuit batter and scooping it keeps the biscuits from becoming overworked and firm.
- Why a cast iron skillet? Baking biscuits in a cast iron skillet yields a crisp golden texture on the bottom and fluffy top. The biscuits push together in the skillet, resulting in pull-apart biscuits.
- Quick & easy: Made in one bowl in just 30 minutes. No yeast or kneading is required!
- Versatile: These drop biscuits are easy to customize and freeze for later. Try whole wheat flour, different types of shredded cheese, or add in extra herbs for different variations.
- Inspired by Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuits. Add in 1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning to get a similar flavor to their buttery biscuits.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: No need for bread flour or any special flour. I usually use White Lily flour or King Arthur's brands.
- Cheddar cheese: I like to use thick farm-style cheddar cheese, but thin shredded also works. You can increase the amount of cheese to ⅔ cup for cheesier biscuits.
- Garlic powder: This is the main source of garlic. You can replace garlic powder with 3-4 cloves of minced garlic if desired.
- Unsalted butter: You can use salted butter but I recommend decreasing the salt in the dough to biscuits that are too salty.
- Milk: I find that whole milk works the best, but 2% milk also works. I have even made these with unsweetened soy milk with great success.
Why cast iron?
The main reason that I recommend making drop biscuits (or really any type of biscuit) in a skillet is that placing the biscuit dough directly on the cast iron surface creates a golden, crisp texture.
Cast iron has a nonstick surface that conducts and holds heat well, resulting in an evenly cooked biscuit. Cast iron pans also last for a very, very long time if well taken care of.
My go-to skillet for making cast iron biscuits is this 12-inch Lodge cast iron. A 10-inch skillet also works and will yield slightly taller biscuits.
Step-by-step instructions
Making drop biscuits is similar to making regular biscuits but you don't have to handle or slice the dough. Instead, the biscuit dough is dropped directly into a cast iron skillet.
Step one: Add all dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk or stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
Step two: Pour in the liquid ingredients. Use a large spoon to stir until the batter is mostly holding together. It will still be wet and a little sticky but should be able to hold its shape.
Step three: Fold in the freshly grated shredded cheddar until just combined.
Step four: Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to scoop portions out onto an oiled 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Most cookie scoops are 1-2 ounces.
Step five: Bake at 425 F for 14-16 minutes. They are ready when golden on top. They should spring back immediately when pressed lightly on top.
Note: Don't have a cast iron skillet but still want to make these drop biscuits? This recipe also works on a non-stick or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Leave space between the scoops for individual biscuits or place close together for pull-apart biscuits.
Customization ideas
- To make regular biscuits, simply turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Add extra flour 1-2 tablespoons at a time to make the dough easier to work. Fold the dough over itself several times. Use a biscuit cutter to cut circles of dough. For a complete guide to making biscuits, check out my guide to vegan southern-style biscuits.
- For regular drop biscuits simply omit the shredded cheese and garlic powder.
- Add-ins: Green onions or chives are a great addition.
- Roasted garlic can be used in place of garlic powder for the ultimate garlicky flavor. More on how to roast garlic can be found in my whole wheat roasted garlic knots.
- Whole wheat flour: I like to do half white and half whole wheat flour because it adds more depth to the dough. You can also do 100% whole wheat flour, which will yield a slightly denser biscuit.
- Make vegan drop biscuits by replacing butter with vegan stick butter and replacing cheddar with vegan shreds or omitting it entirely. I like Earth Balance or Miyoko's butter and Violife cheddar. Choose an unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk like soy milk or oat milk.
- Gluten-free option: I haven't tried this with gluten-free flour. If you do try, I recommend using an all-purpose flour blend like the 1:1 blend from Bob's Red Mill.
- I love using drop biscuits on pot pie. For example, it goes well on this vegan chicken pot pie in place of the pie crust.
Tips for the best biscuits
- Spoon and level flour into the measuring cup for best results. To do this, use a spoon to scoop flour into your measuring cup until overflowing. Use the back of a knife to wipe off excess flour.
- Don't overmix the dough. The dough should still be slightly sticky but cohesive enough that it doesn't run when scooped.
- Biscuit size: I like to use a ¼ cup measuring cup for consistent sizes. This makes about 8 biscuits. Lightly spraying the scoop with cooking spray makes it easier to use. You can make 10-12 smaller biscuits by using a large spoon, but note that the biscuits will cook more quickly.
- Baking dish: Drop biscuits can be made in a 12-inch cast iron skillet or on a baking sheet. I prefer using a cast iron pan because it creates tear-apart biscuits with crisp bottoms, whereas sheet pan biscuits tend to spread more.
- Serve with comfort food like quinoa chili or roasted butternut squash pasta. They are also a great addition to potlucks and holiday meals.
Storage information
- Leftovers: Leftover cast iron biscuits keep at room temp for 2-3 days. I don't recommend refrigerating biscuits because it will dry them out. I like to zap leftovers in the microwave for 15 seconds before enjoying them.
- Freezing: These biscuits freeze well. Freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or reusable container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight on the counter or reheat in the microwave or oven at 350F for 6-8 minutes.
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Recipe
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Cast Iron Skillet Biscuits with Cheddar
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 2 cups all-purpose flour see note #1
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted; see note #2
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (1 cup)
Biscuit Topping
- ¼ cup melted unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Well-seasoned cast iron skillets shouldn't need to be greased before adding the biscuit dough.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and sugar.
- Use a large spoon to form a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the melted butter and milk. Stir until the batter is mostly holding together. It will still be wet and a little sticky. Fold in the shredded cheddar.
- Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop 8 to 9 biscuits out onto the cast iron skillet.
- Bake at 425F on the middle oven rack for 14-16 minutes, or until golden.
- Meanwhile, make the topping in a small bowl by stirring together ¼ cup melted butter with ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and a pinch of salt.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the biscuits with the melted butter mixture after removing from the oven. Enjoy!
Notes
- Flour: Spoon and level flour into the measuring cup for best results. To do this, use a spoon to scoop flour into your measuring cup until overflowing. Use the back of a knife to wipe off excess flour.
- Butter: Salted butter can be used but decrease table salt to ¼ teaspoon.
- Leftovers: Store at room temp in a closed container for 2-3 days. To freeze, place in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave until thawed.
- White flour vs whole wheat: This recipe can be made 50% or 100% whole wheat if desired. The texture will be slightly different in both cases but will yield a very similar biscuit.
- Skillet: I use a 12-inch Lodge cast iron skillet. A 10-inch skillet also works but will yield slightly taller biscuits.
Cindy Gay says
These look good and I bet they'd be a good recipe for incorporating sourdough starter discard.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
That’s a great idea! I’ll have to try it out.