During one of our homeschooling lessons, we were discussing some of the foods that the pioneers ate which led us to biscuits. It turns out that biscuits began when yeast was far too expensive in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s. Instead, another rising agent like baking powder or baking soda was used to create a fluffy bread-like “bun” which is now known as the biscuit.
Biscuits would originally have been fried over an open fire, either outside or in a hearth since the oven was not invented until after the mid-1700’s, though some families in the 1800’s still cooked in a hearth like Laura Ingalls Wilder from the Little House on the Prairie series. The batter or dough also could be cooked in a make-shift oven in which they used a cast iron dutch oven that sat in a bed of coals from the fire and more coals were placed on top to get an oven effect. I am so thankful for modern conveniences!
These old fashioned drop biscuits are one of my favorite recipes because they can either be made gluten free or with regular wheat flour and are so quick to whip up! This is a versatile recipe as I will show you, which can be made plain, savory or even sweet!
Let’s get baking! First up, plain old fashioned drop biscuits.
These biscuits are delicious with homemade jam, nut butters or plain with butter (especially homemade butter!) eaten for breakfast or with soups, stews or even chili. These biscuits are fluffy and oh so yummy! They never last long in our house and I am sure they will be a go-to in your home too!
Plain Old Fashioned Drop Biscuits – Gluten Free
scroll down for regular wheat flour!
1-3/4 cups gluten free flour blend
1/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups buttermilk or sour milk* – adding more if too dry
*sour milk – made with milk of choice (I used soy milk – pea milk works well and I found almond milk gave the biscuits an undesirable taste) with 3 tbsp lemon juice and let sit for a few minutes until thick and slightly curdled
Combine dry ingredients well. Add in butter and cut in until crumbly. Stir in milk until batter is like a thick muffin batter. When making gluten free, and even regular, the dough needs to look similar to the picture below – like a stiff muffin batter. If it is too dry, the biscuits will be crumbly and too much liquid will produce flat, tough biscuits. You can also roll these biscuits out if you like (make batter a bit more dry where it can be handled easily). Mix well, but do not over mix or biscuits may be tough. Once I get it to the right consistency, I am ready for baking! Sometimes, depending upon the season and weather, and what kind of gluten free flour blend is used, I often add much more milk than the recipe calls for. I have even added up to nearly 3 cups one time!! If batter seems too thick, I often add a bit of water.
Drop onto a greased pan, cookie sheet, stoneware or a parchment lined baking dish. When I make these gluten free, they sometimes stick, so I drizzle a bit of oil onto my stone. Bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and biscuits spring back when lightly touched.
Loosen biscuits when removed from the oven. I always let cool on pan. These are great warm from the oven! When cooled, store in an airtight container. These also freeze well and can be microwaved for a few seconds for that fresh-from-the-oven taste!
Plain Old Fashioned Drop Biscuits with Wheat Flour
To make these biscuits with regular wheat flour, follow the same recipe as above, omitting the xanthan gum and substituting 2 cups all purpose flour or 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour instead of the gluten free flour blend and starch.
Bacon, Cheese & Onion Old Fashioned Drop Biscuits
Yes, bacon! These bacon, cheese & onion biscuits are made using the same recipe as above and adding cooked bacon or turkey bacon, green onion and grated cheese. These are absolutely yummy with a bit of butter and eaten with a soup, stew or chili or sliced in half and made into a sandwich. My family loves these biscuits and yours will too!
Wanting to try a delicious soup with these tasty biscuits? Try my Dill Pickle Soup recipe: https://www.ourcityhomestead.com/dill-pickle-soup/
Bacon, Cheese and Onion Old Fashioned Drop Biscuits – Gluten Free
1-3/4 cups gluten free flour blend
1/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups buttermilk or sour milk* – adding more if dough is too dry
1 cup cooked bacon or turkey bacon (ham is great too or even cooked ground sausage meat or pork or even a vegan alternative)
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 cup grated cheese – I used marble cheese (a vegan alternative can also be used)
*sour milk – made with milk of choice (I have successfully used soy milk as well as regular milk) with 3 tbsp lemon juice and let sit for a few minutes until slightly thickened.
Combine dry ingredients well. Add in butter and cut in until crumbly. Stir in milk until batter is like a thick muffin batter as for the plain recipe above. Add bacon (or diced ham is delicious too), cheese and green onions. Mix well. Drop onto prepared baking pan or stoneware. Bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and biscuit springs back when lightly touched. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Bacon, Cheese and Onion Old Fashioned Drop Biscuits with Wheat Flour
To make these biscuits with regular wheat flour, follow the same recipe as above, omitting the xanthan gum and starch and substituting 2 cups all purpose flour or 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour for the gluten free flour blend.
Cinnamon Old Fashioned Drop Biscuits – Gluten Free
These cinnamon drop biscuits are perfect for breakfast or brunch or if you are wanting something a little sweet! They taste a little like a cinnamon bun and are delicious warm or cold! Serve with whipped cream and berries for a rustic dessert!
We made a half batch and they were gobbled up almost instantly! These are yummy with cinnamon butter, honey or a bit of icing! We found these were best if made a little smaller.
Cinnamon Old Fashioned Drop Biscuits – Gluten Free
1-3/4 cups gluten free flour blend
1/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups buttermilk or sour milk* – adding more if too dry
*sour milk – made with milk of choice (I used soy milk) with 3 tbsp lemon juice and let sit for a few minutes
Combine dry ingredients well. Add in butter and cut in until crumbly. Stir in vanilla and milk until batter is like a thick muffin batter, similar to the plain biscuit recipe above. Mix well. In 1 tbsp melted butter, add 1/4 tsp of cinnamon and swirl into the dough (or drizzle over top biscuits before baking). Drop onto prepared baking pan or stoneware. Bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and biscuit springs back when lightly touched. Once cooled, store extras in an airtight container.
🌿To make cinnamon butter: in 2 tbsp softened butter, add 1/4 tsp cinnamon and stir well.
🌿To make icing: 3 tbsp softened butter, 1 cup icing sugar, splash of vanilla and splash of milk combined and stir until a smooth consistency.
🌿To make cream cheese icing: 3 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp cream cheese, 1 cup icing sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp lemon juice and a splash of milk combined and stir until a smooth consistency.
🌿To make cinnamon honey: to 1/4 cup raw honey, add 1/2 tsp cinnamon and mix well.
Cinnamon Old Fashioned Drop Biscuits with Wheat Flour
To make these biscuits with regular wheat flour, follow the same recipe as above, omitting the xanthan gum and starch and substituting 2 cups all purpose flour or 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour for the gluten free flour blend.
These biscuits are quite versatile as you can see. You can make sweet biscuits using cranberries and white chocolate or just plain chocolate chips or lightly fold in berries or even a few spoons of jam with a bit of cream cheese.
For savory biscuits, you can add sauteed onions with shredded old cheese or add jalapenos with shredded marble cheese or even add a few shakes of hot sauce with blue cheese, chopped cooked chicken and a spoon of dry ranch mix for a buffalo wing style biscuit. The options really are endless!
Share your biscuit creations in the comments below or using the hashtag #oldfashioneddropbiscuitcreations
