Garlic Cheddar Biscuits an easy, simple drop biscuit recipe made from scratch and packed with tasty garlicky, cheesy flavor. No baking mix!
This is the best recipe for crumbly, buttery drop biscuits packed with cheesy garlic flavor! They are so quick and easy to whip up whenever you need a Side Dish for soups, stews or chili. If you are looking for classic rolled biscuits with flaky layers, check out my Buttermilk Biscuits and Pumpkin Biscuits.
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Cheddar Garlic Biscuits Recipe
My soft, golden Garlic Cheddar Biscuits never disappoint. The biscuit dough is made from scratch any baking mix and combined with sharp cheddar cheese and garlic powder, plus frozen butter. The butter melts slowly for the softest, most tender biscuits. The baked biscuits are finished with some melted butter and garlic. The garlic and sharp cheddar add just the right amount of bold flavor and that buttery crust makes them irresistible!
These Cheesy Garlic Biscuits are drop biscuits, meaning instead of rolling out the dough and using a biscuit cutter, you just scoop and drop it onto the baking sheet. You don’t even need a mixer, they are whisked by hand. Read more for how to make these delicious, easy biscuits for dinner tonight!
Ingredients
- Flour: Regular flour works great for these simple biscuits because they aren’t meant to rise much or be rolled out. Sift the flour to remove any clumps so your biscuits mix easily!
- Baking Powder: Drop biscuits are meant to be slightly dense but you need baking powder to help them rise a little while baking so they don’t completely flatten. It’s similar to how a cookie bakes.
- Garlic Powder: ½ teaspoon might not seem like a lot, but dried garlic powder has a lot of flavor. If you want them even more garlicky, you can use up to 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. You could also use 1-2 cloves fresh minced garlic. You could also add ¼ teaspoon garlic powder to the melted butter at the end.
- Sugar: The little bit of sugar adds some moisture to the biscuits and helps them turn golden brown as they bake.
- Salt: Some salt helps round out the flavors and make the dough more balanced.
- Frozen Butter: The frozen butter melts while the biscuits cook, creating air pockets for a melt in your mouth crumbly biscuit texture. Using frozen butter also makes it easier to grate. Use unsalted butter since you are adding salt.
- Milk: I used whole milk for moisture in the biscuit dough to give them a richer flavor but you can also use low fat or skim. If you want even more richness with some tang, try these biscuits with buttermilk or use half sour cream!
- Cheese: The bold flavor of sharp cheddar stands out instead of getting lost in the rich, buttery flavor of the biscuits. If you use a different cheese, I suggest using one with bolder distinct flavor, like a smoked Gouda or Parmesan, so you can taste it!
- Topping: Once the biscuits are baked, they are brushed with melted butter and topped with fresh parsley. The butter soaks into the biscuits just a little and the parsley adds a bit of herby freshness.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Cookie Scoop: I use a large cookie scoop so my biscuits are all pretty uniform in size, plus the dough is sticky so it keeps my hands clean!
- Baking Sheet: One standard large baking sheet should fit all the biscuits in one batch.
- Parchment Paper: Parchment paper will keep the biscuits from sticking to the sheet plus it helps the bottom cook evenly so they don’t burn easily.
How to Make
Time needed: 30 minutes.
- Prep Work
Start by preheating the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, use foil or lightly grease the baking sheet.
- Sift the Dry Ingredients
Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, and kosher salt to a large mixing bowl. Then whisk the flour mixture together to sift it and remove any large clumps.
- Make the Dough
Once it’s combined, add the cold butter, milk, and shredded cheddar cheese to the dry ingredients. Whisk again until the butter mixture is incorporated into a soft dough.
- Scoop the Biscuits
Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the Biscuits
Bake drop biscuits in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they’re golden brown. Melt unsalted butter in a small dish during the last few minutes of baking time.
- Add the Butter Toppings
Once the biscuits are done, use a pastry brush to add melted butter to the top. Sprinkle minced parsley on top of that. Serve your biscuits while they are still warm.
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes but these biscuits are best fresh baked, so it’s better to make the dough and either freeze or refrigerate it versus just reheating baked biscuits. Make the biscuit batter as usual and scoop onto a prepared parchment-lined baking sheet and cover the tray with plastic wrap. You can refrigerate them overnight or freeze them for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours. Once the dough balls have hardened, transfer them to a gallon-sized freezer bag for storage. Bake the biscuits from the freezer or fridge, adding a little extra baking time to the frozen biscuits as needed.
Nutritional Facts
Tips for Homemade Biscuits
- Cold Butter: Cold butter melts slowly which releases steam to make the biscuits more airy and soft. Use frozen butter and ice cold milk so the butter stays cold.
- Scoop: Use a scoop or large spoon to form the dough. If you handle the dough, the warmth of your hands could warm and melt the butter.
Ideas to Serve Garlic Cheddar Biscuits
These amazing Garlic Cheddar Biscuits go with all your favorite savory dishes!
- Soup: Serve these tender biscuits as the side dish for hearty soup and stew dishes like Beef Stew, Clam Chowder or Texas Chili.
- Casserole: Use the biscuit dough as the topping on a meaty, saucy casserole like Chicken Casserole. Scoop and drop the biscuit batter balls on the filling then bake until they are golden and cooked.
- Breakfast: For a quicker, cheesier twist on a breakfast classic, use these cheesy biscuits for your Biscuits and Gravy.
How to Store
Store: You can store leftover biscuits in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Let them cool completely before storing.
Reheat: To reheat Cheesy Garlic Biscuits, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet then pop them in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes. If they are frozen, it will take about 15 minutes for them to thaw and then heat through.
Freeze: Once cooled, seal the Garlic Cheddar Biscuits in a gallon-size freezer bag, and keep the frozen biscuits for 2-3 months. You can reheat them from frozen.
Frequent Questions
Dropped biscuits use more liquids in the ingredients than rolled biscuits so if you tried to roll them, it would be sticky and messy.
Rolled biscuits are made with less moisture and have layers of butter rolled into the dough, similar to pie crust, so they are more flaky but hold their shape better. Drop biscuits have a rougher, wetter dough that is like a cross between batter and cookie dough, so they are crumbly but super tender.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , frozen and grated
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese , shredded
To Finish:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 2 tablespoons parsley , finely minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder and salt.
- Add in the butter, milk and cheddar cheese and whisk to combine.
- Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, drop the batter onto the baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parsley.
Nutrition
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Variations
Whole Wheat Flour: My original recipe uses regular white flour to make soft, buttery biscuits. However, if you want a healthier option, you can replace the white flour with wheat flour. Just keep in mind wheat flour can make recipes denser. If you want to maintain a softer texture, try using half white and half wheat flour.
Gluten-Free Biscuits: If you need a gluten-free version, you’ll just need to substitute the flour with a gluten-free alternative. You can use almond flour, although I recommend a gluten-free blend for baking because it tends to make softer baked goods.
Cheese: You can always substitute the grated cheddar cheese with any other variety of grated cheese you prefer. Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, Parmesan, Swiss, or Gouda cheese are all tasty picks!
Herbs: Instead of parsley, try fresh chive, rosemary, or thyme to finish these biscuits. Fresh dill would taste great if you are serving them with seafood!
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