These Strawberry Drop Biscuits are simple to make and wonderfully flavorful. Sweet, slightly tangy strawberry pieces baked into light, fluffy biscuits make them ideal for breakfast, afternoon tea, or coffee.
Drop biscuits are an accessible baking project for cooks of any skill level. They make a lovely breakfast or a quick dessert. Unlike traditional rolled biscuits, these require no kneading, folding, or cutting: mix the ingredients, scoop the batter, and bake. Follow the straightforward steps below for consistent results.
Ingredients that Matter
This recipe uses a handful of pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients. Gather these before you begin:
- Strawberries. Fresh or thawed frozen strawberries work. Choose ripe, sweet berries and chop them small so they distribute evenly through the dough.
- All-Purpose Flour. Regular all-purpose flour is recommended. For a heartier option, substitute half with whole wheat flour.
- Buttermilk. Cold buttermilk gives these biscuits a pleasant tang and tender crumb. If you don’t have buttermilk, use whole milk or a half-and-half of milk and cream, and add a little lemon juice to approximate the tang.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda. Both leaveners are used: baking powder helps create a light texture and baking soda encourages browning.
- Sugar. Granulated sugar enhances sweetness and helps produce a lightly crisp exterior.
- Butter. Use unsalted butter and keep it very cold—freezing it briefly makes it easier to grate and helps the biscuits rise and brown properly.
How to Make Strawberry Biscuits
These drop biscuits come together quickly: grate cold butter into the dry ingredients, fold in the strawberries, add buttermilk, then scoop and bake. Follow these steps for best results.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Grate frozen butter using the large holes of a box grater. The grated butter incorporates quickly without overworking the dough.
- Toss the grated butter with the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse pebbles. Avoid working it into a smooth paste.
- The texture should remain chunky—small butter bits create steam in the oven and help the biscuits lift.
- Fold the small, chopped strawberries into the flour-butter mixture so they are evenly distributed.
- Make a well in the center, pour in cold buttermilk, and stir gently about 15 times with a fork or spatula—just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
- Scoop the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets—about 3 tablespoons per biscuit (a medium cookie scoop works well). Bake in a 425°F oven until the tops are golden, about 12–15 minutes.
- Let the biscuits cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool another 10 minutes before serving.
Storage and Serving
Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerated for up to three days. Reheat gently in a toaster oven until warm. Freezing is not recommended because the texture changes after thawing.
Serve with room-temperature butter, strawberry jam, whipped cream, or extra fresh strawberries. For a sweet finish, whisk a simple icing from powdered sugar, a splash of lemon juice, and a touch of vanilla until thick but spoonable, then drizzle over cooled biscuits.
Adam’s Pro Tips
- Freeze the butter for easier grating; very cold butter creates pockets of steam that lift the biscuits while baking.
- If you need to pause, place the combined ingredients in the refrigerator to keep the butter and strawberries cold.
- Chop strawberries finely so they incorporate evenly and don’t overwhelm the dough with moisture.
Strawberry Season
Fresh, ripe strawberries give the best flavor; if using frozen, thaw, drain, and pat dry before adding. Strawberry season varies by region but typically peaks in late spring to early summer. When berries are plentiful, these biscuits shine as a seasonal treat.
FAQ
You can, but fresh is best. If using frozen berries, thaw them, drain well, and pat dry so the dough doesn’t become soggy.
Yes. If using self-rising flour, omit the additional baking powder and salt since those are already included in self-rising flour.
Use buttermilk for the best texture and tang. In a pinch, substitute whole milk or a blend of milk and cream, and add a splash of lemon juice to mimic the buttermilk tang.
Recipe
Strawberry Drop Biscuits
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- Author: Adam Dolge
- Total Time: 35 min.
- Yield: About 16 biscuits
Description
Easy strawberry drop biscuits with light, slightly sweet dough and bursts of fresh strawberry. Perfect warm with butter or as a shortcake base.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp table salt
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick), frozen
- 1 cup chopped strawberries (about 6 oz.)
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
Instructions
- Place oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Grate frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater. Toss the grated butter into the dry ingredients until coated and the mixture looks like coarse pebbles.
- Add the chopped strawberries and gently toss to combine. Make a well in the center and add the cold buttermilk. Stir about 15 times until the dough just comes together—do not overmix.
- Scoop about 3 tablespoons of dough per biscuit onto the prepared sheets, spacing them at least 1½ inches apart (you should have 14–16 biscuits). Bake 12–15 minutes, rotating the pans between racks halfway through, until golden.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool another 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently in a toaster oven.
- Serve with butter, jam, whipped cream, or extra strawberries.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries and chop them finely so they incorporate well.
- Prep Time: 10 min.
- Cook Time: 15 min.
- Category: Biscuits
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American