These cream drop biscuits are an act of faith: the dough will look thick, sticky, lumpy! Anything but cohesive! Trust the magic of the process – and resist the urge to overwork the gluten.
What I love about drop biscuits is that, unlike traditional recipes that require rolling and cutting, they demand very little planning. The dough comes together in a matter of minutes, and from there, it’s simply dropped onto a baking sheet. All in the time it takes for the oven to heat up.
Key Characteristics of the Dough
You’ll notice these biscuits don’t look perfect — and that’s okay. They’re meant to look rustic. The dough will be moist enough to form scoopable mounds that hold their shape, which is exactly what you want, because it means they won’t spread out while baking.
Trust the process, and remember: the goal is to avoid overmixing. You want your biscuits to be tender and flaky. Overworking the dough develops too much gluten, resulting in a dense, heavy biscuit instead of the soft, crumbly texture you’re after.
I’ve made this exact recipe before using a mixture of yogurt and heavy cream. The dough was significantly wetter and smoother, but the biscuits weren’t as crumbly and flaky. If flaky and crumbly is your goal, you’ve come to the right place!
The thick, lumpy dough gives the biscuits their rustic look, unlike regular rolled-out biscuits. If you like, you can roll them into balls and smooth the surface, but I usually just drop them onto the baking sheet using two spoons or a cookie scoop. They’ll hold their shape in the oven, so however they go on, that’s how they’ll come out.
Tips for Perfect Cream Drop Biscuits
This is such a simple recipe with very few ingredients. The secret to a successful flaky biscuit lies in the little details:
Keep the butter cold: it ensures the biscuits are flaky. When the cold butter chunks hit a hot oven, they melt, releasing steam that pushes apart layers of dough, creating lift and separation – aka those flaky layers. Using cold butter also prevents the butter from fully incorporating into the flour, which would make the biscuits tender but dense, rather than flaky.
Don’t overmix: Overworking the dough develops the gluten, which makes biscuits tough.
Keep the cream cold: just like butter, heavy cream has a high fat content, which creates tenderness and a richer texture. Together, they create the best flaky results. Just like the butter, it’s essential to use cold heavy cream and avoid overmixing the dough.
The Easiest Homemade Biscuits Ever
This dough comes together simply by mixing the dry ingredients with the wet.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Cut in the butter: Add cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Work quickly so the butter stays cold and doesn’t melt.
Add cream: Pour in the cream and stir gently until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
Drop the dough: Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop ¼-cup portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
FAQs
Q: Can I make these biscuits ahead of time?
A: Yes! Prep the biscuits on the baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 day before baking them to enjoy them freshly baked the next day. They may need a couple of extra minutes in the oven as you’re baking them from chilled.
Q: Can I freeze the dough?
A: Absolutely. Scoop portions onto a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2–3 extra minutes.
Q: Can I make these biscuits dairy-free?
A: I’ve never tried myself, but you can substitute vegan butter and oat, almond, or coconut milk, though the texture may be slightly different.
Try this apricot jam for a bright pairing with these biscuits.
Or serve them with this classic beef stew for a scrumptious dinner.
If you loved this easy cream drop biscuit recipe, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter for recipes delivered straight to your inbox. Don’t miss my dinner party diaries series with lots of recipes!
Ingredients
2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsalted butter (60g), cold and cubed
1 cup heavy cream, cold
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Cut in the butter: Add cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add cream: Pour in the cream and stir until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
Drop the dough: Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop ¼-cup portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake: 12–15 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown on top.
Serve warm: Enjoy immediately with butter, jam, or your favorite toppings.
@heythereannao these are so addictive 🍓 1 1/2 cup flour 1 tbsp sugar 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 cup butter 1 cup heavy cream #bakingtiktok #bakingrecipe
♬ Hang on Little Tomato - Pink Martini
oh that looks amazing! as always great job with these <3 Mike
Thank you, Mike!