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This small batch biscuit recipe is a quick and easy way to make drop biscuits without the fuss of rolling or cutting. Perfect for one or two people, they bake up soft, buttery, and golden every time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: No rolling or cutting—just mix, scoop, and bake.
- Ready in 20 Minutes: From start to finish.
- Perfect for Any Meal: Great with breakfast, dinner, or soups.
- Just the Right Amount: These small batch biscuits are great when you only need a few—perfect for one or two people.
- Scales Easily: Double the recipe if you want more.
I’ve made these small batch biscuits more times than I can count—they’re one of my favorites. There’s something so comforting about pulling a few golden, tender biscuits from the oven, especially when you don’t need a whole batch.
These are true biscuits for two—just the right amount for a small meal.
Looking for more small batch biscuit recipes? Try our garlic and herb small batch buttermilk biscuits, small batch cheddar biscuits, or my small batch butter swim biscuits recipe. We also use these drop biscuits in our chicken and biscuits casserole for one!
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch biscuit recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- All-Purpose Flour: This is the base of the biscuits, providing structure. Use regular all-purpose flour for the best texture.
- Baking Powder: Helps the biscuits rise and become light and fluffy. Make sure it’s fresh for the best results.
- Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the salt and butter.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps make the biscuits soft and tender.
- Milk: Moistens the dough and brings the ingredients together. Any type of milk will work, but I prefer using whole milk or 2% for the best flavor and texture.
Biscuit Variations
It’s easy to change up the flavor of these drop biscuits with a few simple additions:
- Cheddar Biscuits: Mix in shredded cheddar for a cheesy version.
- Herb Addition: Add dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, or parsley.
- Spicy Version: Stir in a pinch of cayenne or chopped jalapeños.
How To Make Drop Biscuits
These photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small batch of biscuits for two. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
Before You Begin: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). To prevent sticking, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Cut in the butter: Add cold, chopped butter to the dry ingredients. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, work quickly to rub the butter into the flour until it looks like coarse sand.
- Add the milk: Now, pour in the milk and stir it just until the dough comes together. You don’t need to overdo it here, just mix until there are no dry bits left.
- Shape the biscuits: Grab a large spoon and scoop out portions of the dough, dropping them onto your baking sheet. Leave some space between each biscuit for them to expand in the oven.
- Bake until golden: Pop those biscuits in the oven and bake them for 10-12 minutes, or until they’re nice and golden brown. That’s your cue to take them out and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use Cold Butter: Cold butter is essential for tender biscuits. As it melts in the oven, it creates steam that forms airy pockets in the dough.
- Mix Gently: Overmixing can make the biscuits tough. Stir just until the ingredients come together for a tender texture.
- Preheat the Oven: Always bake biscuits in a fully preheated oven. The high heat helps them rise quickly and lock in their flakiness.
- Space Them Right: Place the biscuits close but not touching on the baking sheet. This encourages them to rise upward for taller, fluffier biscuits.
Serving Suggestions
These drop biscuits are versatile and pair well with both savory and sweet dishes:
- Sausage Gravy: A classic choice, or try with mushroom gravy for a vegetarian option.
- Fridge Jam and Clotted Cream: Perfect for a sweet treat at breakfast.
- Italian Chopped Salad: Complements a leafy green or fruit salad wonderfully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Reheat in a low oven for a few minutes to refresh them.
Yes, baked biscuits freeze well. Allow them to cool completely, then place them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, wrap them in foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or microwave them for 20-30 seconds until heated through.
To make buttermilk biscuits, substitute buttermilk for the regular milk in this recipe. Since buttermilk is thicker, you may need slightly more than 1/2 cup. Start with 1/2 cup, then add a little more as needed until the dough comes together.
Absolutely! Simply double all the ingredients, and the baking time should remain the same.
RELATED: 20 Single Serving Breakfasts Worth Waking Up For
More Small Batch Breakfast Ideas
Try something new for breakfast with these tasty single serving and small batch recipes:
What To Do With Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this small batch drop biscuit recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Batch Drop Biscuits
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cold salted butter cut into ¼-inch pieces
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Toss butter into the dry ingredients. Working quickly using your fingers or a pastry blender, rub or cut butter into flour until it resembles coarse sand.
- Add the milk and stir just until the dough comes together.
- Using a large spoon, drop spoonfuls of the batter onto baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.
Notes
- Use Cold Butter: Cold butter is essential for tender biscuits. As it melts in the oven, it creates steam that forms airy pockets in the dough.
- Mix Gently: Overmixing can make the biscuits tough. Stir just until the ingredients come together for a tender texture.
- Preheat the Oven: Always bake biscuits in a fully preheated oven. The high heat helps them rise quickly and lock in their flakiness.
- Space Them Right: Place the biscuits close but not touching on the baking sheet. This encourages them to rise upward for taller, fluffier biscuits.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I’ve been trying to make 2 biscuits for years, and they just don’t turn out great. These did! Thank you! Delicious.
Hi! I absolutely love this recipes. Can it be doubled?
Yes, it can.
Love them always looking for small batch recipes that deliver on taste and ease!
Omg!!!
I just made them and Amazing with my eggs over easy beef sausage and cheese grits
I love love love it I ended with melted butter on too and sprinkles of sea salt
*top
Can you use this recipe for chicken and dumplings
Yes, you can use the biscuit recipe for chicken and dumplings and I usually add them 1 hour before the meal has finished cooking. Cut one of the biscuits in half to make sure they are cooked through before eating them.
Is the nutrition calculation listed for 1 biscuit or for the batch?
One biscuit.
Perfect everytime!
Thank you thank you thank you!!
These biscuits never fail! They always come out delicious! Definitely my go to forever!
Love this recipe! The four biscuits are just perfect. The recipe is so simple that it is now my go to whenever I want a quick bread with a meal. Delicious with honeybutter brushed on hot from the oven. Thank you so much!
This recipe is perfect! I needed a biscuit recipe with smaller portions, they are so good. I have been making them all the time.
I feel they are no fail, I’m gluten free so I have tried several flours, they are all amazing.
Wonderful flavor and texture. Also just the right amount for just my husband and myself.
These were so good! I used half the salt because i’m trying to reduce my sodium and they were still delicious. I used my food processor to crumb the butter and dry ingredients. I did need to cook them for 15 minutes to get some browning. These remind me so much of the Bisquick drop biscuits from my childhood.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the biscuits. Thank you.
These are delicious! I followed recipe exactly. It made the perfect amount for two people. I have my own recipe for sausage gravy for one or two if you’re interested!
I made these biscuits and added a 1/2 tsp garlic salt and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. They were delicious!!
Will definitely try these biscuits. Thank you for posting
amazing, I cooled my room temp butter in the freezer while measuring out the dry ingredients, and made 5 big biscuits! Took a little longer to cook in my convection/humid oven, worth the wait. I will definately make them again!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the biscuits. Thank you for your feedback.
The best biscuits that I’ve ever had. Easy prep. Foolproof. Ready in mins. Right amount for a small batch. Thank you thank you!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them. Thank you for your feedback.
hello this is my fist time making biscuits well my family uses margarine instead of butter can i use it. oh and i can’t find baking powder how can i replace it with something. please help
Yes, you can use margarine but the taste and texture of the biscuits is so much better if you use butter. As for the baking powder, yes you do need to use it with this recipe. The baking powder helps the biscuits rise.
These were so good. Flaky. Buttery. Light. Easy. I used my food processor to make these. This is my go to recipe for biscuits from now on. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the biscuits. Thank you for your feedback.
This was the first time I made biscuits. I loved them. I used cold butter and it was great. The dough was sticky and I had little difficulty dropping them on the baking pan.
That said, husband loved them. Thank you so much.
Mauri
I’m glad you both enjoyed the biscuits. Thank you for your feedback.
I wanted something to go with beef and barley soup but I didn’t want to spend a lot of time rolling out dough. This recipe was perfect, it came together easily with just a few pantry staples!
I used buttermilk powder and whole milk for a nice tang. I also opted to melt my butter and pour it into really cold milk. I prefer this method when I’m short on time.
I’m so glad you loved this biscuit recipe. Thank you for your feedback.
I love this recipe! It’s so simple and delicious! I have made it multiple times a week since I found it. Does this recipe transfer well when doubled/tripled? (If you have done so)
Yes, this recipe doubles and triples well. Glad you enjoyed the biscuits!
I looked for a 3 1/2 qt stand mixer, but I could not find one. Where can I get one?
Excellent. Wonderfully easy for the occasional baker and taste great. Thanks for sharing this!
Easy, only a few ingredients, and very good!
I also topped them with a little Everything Bagel seasoning and ate them with some homemade sausage gravy. So good.
How much milk?? Thanks!
1/2 cup of milk.
I’ve been using this recipe for the past six months. It’s so easy to remember and so satisfying when you want a biscuit but don’t want to make a huge batch. The texture is amazing! Since I’m not a consistent baker, my biscuits come out a little different each time but they’re always soft inside with a light crust on the bottom. I bake them in my toaster oven. They are perfect! I use buttermilk instead of regular milk however. I think the buttermilk really sets them off!!
I’m so glad you love the recipe. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know and for leaving your feedback.
Tasty! Made these to go with a pot of veggie/beef soup, really hit the spot!
could these be frozen? And if so which stage would you do it make the dough and freeze them uncooked or bake them and then freeze them. I cannot wait to try these
Hi Marda,
I haven’t frozen these biscuits but I have frozen other breads. When I freeze scones, etc. I make the batter and shape them, then I put them on a baking sheet (not touching) and freeze. Transfer them to a zip topped bag or other airtight container and keep in the freezer. Bake when you’re ready to enjoy them. You’ll need to add an additional 5 or more minutes to the original baking time.
I have been looking for a recipe like this for awhile. I am so glad I found it because tomorrow morning I am going to have SOS which I have been craving lately. Thank you.
delicious and easy! thank you
My Mom loves this biscuit recipe! They turn out perfect!
Made these tonight and we ate all 4. They were delicious!
These were excellent! And it was the perfect amount for my husband and me! Will make these again and again!
Planning to make these biscuits tonight to go with a pot of beef stew. Since I am just cooking for myself after 45 years of cooking for my husband and children, it’s nice to have recipes that are “downsized” so I don’t have a lot of waste. Hoping these turn out good, and thank you for the recipe!
Hi, I am so glad that I found this site cooking for one. This morning I wanted a biscuit but, did not want to make a whole batch, this recipe was quick, easy and delicious.Thanks
I’m so happy you found us too! Thanks so much for letting me know that you enjoyed the biscuit recipe. Hope you find many more recipes that you love. Have a wonderful weekend!
I halved this recipe (but not the sugar) and made one good size biscuit. I sprinkled it with sugar and used it for a single strawberry shortcake. Thanks!
AMAZING!!! Thank you for this great recipes my whole family enjoyed it!
I’m so happy you liked the recipe, Rosa. Thank you so much for letting me know!
Awesome Recipe it worked wonderfully I actually added cheese to mines but it’s definitely a great idea for one person or if you like shearin for two. Thanks again for the tips!
Thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed the recipe, Iris. I love your idea to add cheese, I’ll have to do that next time.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COOK BOOKS
Hi Gary, I have a free eCookbook that I offer to new subscribers. It’s ten of the most popular single-serving recipes that you can download. Here is the direct link https://onedishkitchen.com/cooking-for-one-subscription-full/ – I will never share email addresses with anyone and you can expect to receive at the most, one email a week with new recipes listed. Thanks for asking.
This recipe is awesome. I’ve been making biscuits for a long time and always end up with too much dough. This is perfect for two portions and it tastes great. I didn’t even have milk and had to use water, but it still tastes fantastic. Don’t know why I’ve never thought to add that bit of sugar… It makes such a difference. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so happy that you loved the recipe, Cynthia. Thank you so much for letting me know. Have a great week!
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Hi Beth, I use salted butter.
yey! Ive been needing a small batch biscuit recipe. Esp. since its just my hubs and I. Thanks!!
Thanks, Chrysta! Now that my kids are growing up and going away to college, I don’t need to make big batches of foods we enjoy. It’s nice to be able to prepare smaller portions.
I totally agree – sometimes you just need a good biscuit to start your day! And I normally end up making way to many so this recipe is perfect! Pinned and yummed! And trying ASAP friend 🙂
Thanks, Kelley.
I would eat these all up myself for sure. I LOVE biscuits!
It’s the perfect amount, Andi. Thanks!
Perfect for afternoon tea time! These biscuits are gorgeous. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Levan. You’re right, they would be perfect for tea time.
Homemade biscuits are the best! These looks so gooood!
They’re so good and easy to make. Thanks so much!
You make it sound so doable! I think I am sold…
Totally doable, Lydia. Hope you try them soon.
Everyone needs a small batch biscuit recipe! Yours look perfect!
Yes they do. Thanks, Trish!
Love that you are sharing a recipe for two, sometimes one is perfect!
Now that my kids are moving out and on with their lives, I don’t have a need to bake “in bulk”. Smaller portion sizes work great for us. Thanks, Amy!
This recipe is so fabulous, Joanie! I’m always looking for recipes for one or two people! Pinning for later!
Thanks so much, Justine.
There is nothing like a biscuit warm from the oven with butter and honey…mmmm…. I love that you are sharing a small batch recipe – SO handy!
So true, Heather. Thanks so much.