Virginia Willis’ Herb and Cheese Drop Biscuits

Serves: Makes about 32 biscuits

Hands-On Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

4 cups self-rising flour

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tablespoon freshly chopped herbs, such as parsley, chives or sage

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)

2 cups buttermilk

Instructions

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper or nonstick silicone baking mats.

Place the flour in a medium bowl. Using a fork, cut in the butter until crumbs are the size of peas. Stir in the herbs and cheese. Using the fork, stir in the buttermilk to form a soft dough.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, about 23 minutes. Transfer to a rack and serve warm.

About the recipe

Drop biscuits are like biscuits with training wheels — you don’t have to worry about overworking the dough. These drop biscuits get an extra dose of flavor from fresh herbs and cheddar cheese.

Recipes for drop biscuits are wetter than biscuits you roll and punch out with a cutter; they contain more milk or buttermilk than a traditional biscuit recipe. For uniform biscuits, use a small ice cream scoop to portion the dough.