Cheddar and Chive Drop Biscuits are easy, weeknight-friendly, and ready in under 40 minutes, making them a go-to baking recipe for families who want something cozy without extra steps. This homemade drop biscuit recipe comes together with sharp cheddar, fresh chives, and cold buttermilk for soft centers, crisp edges, and simple one-bowl mixing.
If you love this recipe, you may also enjoy our Sweet Corn Muffins or our Puff Pastry Cheese Twists for simple entertaining.
Cheddar Chive Biscuit Recipe at a Glance 🔎
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 14-17 minutes
- 🧊 Optional Chill: 10 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 10 biscuits
- 🔥 Cook Method: Oven-baked
- 🍽️ Cuisine (or General Category): Homemade biscuits / Baking
- 👩🍳 Pair With: Roasted Tomato Basil Soup, scrambled eggs, roasted chicken
- ⭐ Difficulty Level: Easy
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These savory biscuits are great for holiday brunches. On weeknights, they can be served warm with soup or a simple roasted chicken. ~Jami
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Quick Prep: These cheddar and chive drop biscuits come together fast, making them perfect for busy nights or last-minute entertaining.
- Simple Ingredients: Most of the ingredients are pantry staples like flour, butter, cheddar, so you can make them without a grocery run.
- Family Favorite: The cheesy, buttery flavor always gets a big reaction, and they're the kind of biscuits everyone reaches for first.
- Versatile Side: They pair easily with soups, salads, and weeknight meals, and they're just as good with breakfast the next morning.
Cheddar and Chive Drop Biscuit Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: The structure that keeps biscuits soft without being heavy.
- Baking Powder: Gives lift, helping the biscuits rise quickly in the oven.
- Sugar: We like a small amount to balance the savory notes.
- Garlic Powder: Adds warmth without overpowering the chives.
- Cold Unsalted Butter: The colder the butter, the taller the biscuits.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Melts into pockets of cheesy goodness.
- Buttermilk: Helps the dough come together while keeping the centers soft.
- Chives: Their mild onion flavor cuts the richness of the cheddar.
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Chives: Try swapping with green onions.
- Butter: Use plant-based butter to make dairy-free biscuits.
- Buttermilk: Swap with unsweetened non-dairy milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
- Flavor: Add cooked, crumbled bacon for a smoky twist. Use white cheddar or gruyere for a café-style flavor.
- Spice: Add a pinch of cayenne, paprika, or mix garlic butter with crushed red pepper for heat.
How To Make Cheddar and Chive Drop Biscuits
STEP ONE: Prepare the Dry Base
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
STEP TWO: Prepare the Butter Mixture
Add the cold grated or cubed butter and work it into the dry mix until it looks pebbly.
STEP THREE: Prepare the Dough Mixture
Fold in the sharp cheddar cheese and chopped chives, then pour in the cold buttermilk and gently stir until the dough looks shaggy. Avoid overmixing.
STEP FOUR: Prepare to Bake
Scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 14-17 minutes, and brush with garlic-herb butter right out of the oven.
Expert Tips for Success
👩🍳Jami's Pro Tips: Want to take this recipe to the next level? Check out my expert tips below for the best flavor, texture, and meal prep hacks!
✔️ DO Use really cold butter for lift.
✔️ DO Chill in the refrigerator briefly before baking to prevent spreading.
✔️ DO Bake on parchment for even browning.
❌ DO NOT Warm the dough or knead heavily.
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Storage
Store leftover homemade drop biscuits in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes until warm. Freeze baked biscuits for up to three months, and thaw at room temperature before reheating. These hold up great for make-ahead meal prep.
Recipe FAQs
Drop biscuits are an American staple known for their rustic shape, quick mixing method, and tender crumb. Unlike rolled biscuits, drop-style dough is spooned directly onto a baking sheet, eliminating the need for shaping or cutting, which saves time and preserves the soft texture.
No, traditional drop biscuits don't use eggs. The moisture in buttermilk and the fat in butter create a tender crumb, eliminating the need for an egg binder. This keeps cheddar and chive biscuits soft, rustic, and easy to mix without overworking the dough.
They usually flatten when the butter isn't cold enough. Keeping the butter chilled helps the biscuits rise tall, and even a quick 10-minute chill in the fridge before baking makes a noticeable difference. Warm butter melts too early, causing spreading instead of lifting.
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📖 Recipe
Cheddar and Chive Drop Biscuits
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Pastry cutter or forks
- Cheese grater
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Silicone spatula
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
Homemade Drop Biscuits
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper optional
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter grated or cubed
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼-⅓ cup finely chopped fresh or lightly dried chives (.4 ounces)
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
Garlic Butter Topping
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- ½ garlic clove grated (or a small pinch of garlic powder)
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or extra chives
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Add the cold grated or cubed butter. Work it in with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks pebbly.
- Fold in the cheddar and chives. Pour in the cold buttermilk and gently mix until just combined. The dough should look slightly shaggy.
- Scoop the dough into rustic mounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 425°F for 14-17 minutes or until golden brown and crisp on top.
- Right out of the oven, brush generously with the warm garlic-herb butter. For extra richness, brush again after 2 minutes.
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Video
Notes
- Chives: Try swapping with green onion.
- Butter: Use plant-based butter to make dairy-free biscuits.
- Buttermilk: Swap with unsweetened non-dairy milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
Jami Powell says
These are the best savory biscuits. They're great for holidays!