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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.
This is probably the last biscuit recipe I’ll ever use. Next time I’ll leave out the sugar tho, I don’t like sweetness in my biscuits as we usually have them with soup. They were soft, fluffy and very good. ( I had added about 1/4 finely grated cheddar to the dry ingredients) I got six small biscuits from the recipe. Excellent, thank you!
These were perfect, easy to make and so good. I only wanted a few and was so glad I found this. I didn’t have milk, used water 🤭 and they still came out lovely.
I didn’t really have high expectations… I’m not even a biscuit person. I just wanted something quick to eat with some scrambled eggs for breakfast. These biscuits were soft and moist with a delicious crunchy texture on the bottom. Paired well some pineapple passionfruit jam. I made them with almond milk and I can imagine how good they would be with buttermilk. These will definitely be added to and stay in my rotation.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the biscuits. Thank you so much for your feedback.
I have also used this to make dumplings for chicken with mixed vegetables! It is so delicious! It all disappears! Yummy as biscuits as well!!
I made biscuits with stoned ground wheat flour, they were soft and delicious
I am a certified foodie who LOVES breakfast food. Unfortunately, my husband does not share my breakfast food passion, so I needed to learn how to make smaller portions. My traditional recipe would not turn out right when I cut it in half, so I searched and found this one. I subbed the milk with sour cream and the are the BEST BISCUITS I have ever made!!!!!
So moist and buttery. I am making them again this morning and every morning!
They were a hit thanks from SD Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe…
Thank you for the recipe. Ive been making biscuits for…a long time. Ive tried countless recipes and I have created my own as well. Your recipe is going at the top of the list! Perfectly delicious!!!
Okay, I’m showing my age here but I’ve just gotta say these were the bomb diggity. I did change a few things but that’s because I seem to be incapable of leaving well enough ALONE.
Regardless, I added 1/4 tsp Hungarian Paprika to the mix (eh I didn’t taste it at ALL. I’ll do more next time). I also added a handful of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Instead of a sheet pan, I used a small cast iron skillet. I divided the mix into 4 equal parts, dusted with flour, and placed into the parchment-lined cast iron skillet. After 8 minutes, I turned the dial up to 450 and checked after 2 minutes, then another 2 minutes and they were PERFECT! Incredibly fluffy, perfectly flaky biscuits. Yum! Thank you!!!
I could marry these biscuits. I add 1/4tsp of smoked paprika in the dry mix and a handful of shredded cheese with the milk.
Don’t sweat how small the butter is- I try to cut into little strips then cubes, and with a little hand mush it works out just fine. I ended up baking for probably 14-16, and cranked the heat to 450 at about 12.