Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

FAQs

Why do my drop biscuits fall apart? ›

When the fat is cut too small, after baking there will be more, smaller air pockets left by the melting fat. The result is a baked product that crumbles. When cutting in shortening and other solid fats, cut only until the pieces of shortening are 1/8- to 1/4-inch in size.

Drop biscuits have a more fluid batter and are made by simply scooping the batter out of the mixing bowl and dropping it onto a baking sheet. Roll-and-cut biscuits have a firmer, more compact dough rolled out and cut into flat-topped circles.

Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces of dough. Toss the pieces with cinnamon sugar, and place in a bundt pan. (You can add chopped dried fruit or fresh fruit into the pan if desired.) Pour a mixture of melted butter and brown sugar into the pan and bake until golden and bubbly around the edges.

The butter version rises the highest — look at those flaky layers! The shortening biscuit is slightly shorter and a bit drier, too. Butter contains a bit of water, which helps create steam and gives baked goods a boost.

Drop biscuits have more milk or other liquid added to the dough than rolled biscuits. The dough is moister and cannot be kneaded or rolled; simply drop tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheet. Drop biscuits don't rise as much as other biscuits and they are always coarser in appearance and texture.

For light and fluffy biscuits, steer clear of any flour made from 100% hard red wheat; this style is relatively low in starch and high in protein, readily forming gluten in a high-moisture dough. That's great when it comes to making chewy breads and pasta, but bad news for light and tender biscuits.

Southern biscuits made using flour made from soft red winter wheat are taller because of the lower protein content of the flour. According to Science Direct, the amount of protein is inversely proportional to the volume of the baked good.

The most obvious key difference is texture. Drop biscuits are often made with a looser dough, almost batter-like, and the result is a denser and more crumbly biscuit. Regular biscuits are airy and flaky from distinct layers of dough and fat, which give a slight advantage of structural integrity to the final product.

Drop biscuits, or so-called “emergency biscuits,” were first noted in the Boston Cooking School Cookbook in 1896. It's an appropriate name because they can be made in a hurry, as the dough is dropped from the spoon onto the pan, rather than rolled or cut.

“If you want the most luscious biscuits ever, brush the tops with melted butter after they come out of the oven,” says James. Brushing the butter on after baking ensures that the butter soaks into the baked biscuit so you get that great buttery flavor in every bite.

What is the secret to an excellent biscuit? ›

The secret to the best biscuits is using very cold butter and baking powder. We've made a lot of biscuits, but this easy biscuits recipe is the one we turn to the most (they are so fluffy!). See our easy drop biscuits and cheese drop biscuits for even easier biscuits.

*Substitute buttermilk, light cream, or heavy cream for the whole milk, if you prefer; use enough of whatever liquid you choose to bring the dough together readily, without you having to work it too much. The higher-fat liquid you use, the more tender and richer-tasting your biscuits will be.

Heavy cream provides rich butterfat that gives the biscuits tenderness and flavor, as well as moisture from its water content. The formula requires minimal mixing, reducing the risk of too much gluten development.

Fat (Shortening, Butter, or Bacon Fat) – You can use solid vegetable shortening (Crisco shortening or a similar product), salted butter, or even bacon fat, according to your preference. It's best to use COLD fat. The fat adds moisture to the biscuit dough and helps it to be flaky and flavorful.

Falling apart

Conversely you might find that your biscuits are too crumbly. The likelihood here is that your recipe needs a bit more liquid, or your recipe has too high a ratio of flour. Be sparing with any flour you put on the work surface to roll your dough too.

First, try adding more liquid to the dough. This can be milk, water, or even just a little bit of extra oil. If that doesn't work, you can try kneading the dough for a few minutes to help it come together. Lastly, if all else fails, you can always add in a few tablespoons of flour to help bind the dough together.

Yes, more butter. I find that most recipes do not use enough. Spread the biscuit mix over the base of the tin and press down really well - I use my knuckles. Then refrigerate for long enough for the butter to harden and bind it all together.

Increasing the amount of butter definitely makes the biscuit "taste" softer, more crumbly, and more flaky. I usually associate flakiness and softness with size; you expect a big biscuit to be fluffy and soft, and a biscuit that doesn't rise to be dense.