Pulling off 3 ingredient biscuits might sound too good to be true, but I promise you this recipe is so easy it's almost embarrassing. If you're craving homemade Southern biscuits but don't want all that rolling, messy floured work surface, and biscuit cutter nonsense, then I'm about to make your day.
With this recipe, you just stir, scoop, and bake and you get tender, buttery biscuits that will disappear in a flash.
Here's the thing: from-scratch doesn't have to mean complicated. These biscuits are my favorite Southern girl hack because they use pantry staples you probably already have, they come together in under 10 minutes, and the muffin pan guarantees perfectly portioned, golden edges every single time.
Are they traditional Southern buttermilk biscuits? No. (But I do have a recipe for those, if you want to go that route.) Are they buttery, tender, and wildly dependable? Absolutely. Sometimes you need the classic and sometimes you need the shortcut.
Eat them just the way they are or alongside sausage gravy, your favorite preserves or homemade jam, or a slather of my jalapeno pimento cheese. They're great with scrambled eggs and maple brown sugar bacon. Or, use them to sop up my easy Brunswick stew.
Another fun twist? Use them to top my chicken cobbler with Red Lobster biscuits (instead of the biscuit mix). Honestly, you can't go wrong with these, and I promise everyone's going to 1. be super impressed with your baking skills and 2. ask for the recipe.
Ready to make the easiest biscuits of your life? Let's do it!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients for this fluffy homemade biscuits recipe:
- salted butter
- sour cream
- self rising flour
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!
- First, using a fork, a pastry blender, or your fingers, blend together the softened butter and the flour until the mixture is like coarse sand. Mix in the sour cream until the mixture forms a dough.
- Then, using an ice cream scooper, divide the dough evenly between lightly greased muffin cups. Bake at 400°F for 20 to 22 minutes or until the biscuits are done and golden brown. Remove from the muffin tins and serve.
Hint: For the best results, be careful not to overwork the dough, as the biscuits can become rubbery. Just mix the ingredients until they come together.
Substitutions
Out of something? Need some ingredient substitutions? I've got you covered:
- Self-Rising Flour - Self-rising flour makes this recipe super easy (I'm a White Lily gal, myself), but if you don't have any on-hand you can make your own self-rising flour. Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoon baking powder + ½ teaspoon kosher salt (I like Diamond Crystal). Cake flour will not work in place of the all-purpose flour--it doesn't have enough structure.
- Salted Butter - Use unsalted butter if that's what you've got and add ½ teaspoon salt.
- Sour Cream - If you don't have sour cream, full-fat plain Greek yogurt will give you close to the same results. You can also use whole buttermilk instead. Just reduce the amount to about 1¼ cups and note that the dough will be softer.
Variations
This 3 ingredient biscuit recipe is so versatile. Here are some variations:
- Cheddar Biscuits - Stir in 1 cup freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese before baking for cheesy biscuits.
- Garlic Herb Biscuits - Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (I recommend chives, parsley, or thyme).
- Mini Biscuits - These work great as mini biscuits. Fill mini muffin tins level with the dough and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown.
- Cinnamon-Sugar Biscuits - Give these a sweet twist by adding ground cinnamon to the dough. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar before baking.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need to make this recipe:
- dry measuring cups
- large mixing bowl
- 12-cup muffin pan
- ice cream scoop
- fork or pastry blender
Storage
Room temperature: Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
To refrigerate: Transfer the cooled biscuits to an airtight container or zip-top bag and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat in a low oven (300°F) for a few minutes until heated through.
To freeze: To freeze, cool completely and wrap individually in plastic wrap. Store in a zip-top freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, and reheat at 325°F for 10 to 12 minutes.
Tasty Tip
Let the biscuits rest in the muffin tins for about 5 minutes after you remove them from the oven. That'll allow them to set up just right, and they'll be easier to remove from the pan.
Frequently asked questions
You can! Instead of the muffin tin, drop scoops of dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or into a greased cast iron skillet. They'll spread slightly but bake beautifully.
Traditional buttermilk biscuits have lamination (flaky layers), sort of like a croissant. These are softer and more tender, with less flake.
Technically yes, but full-fat gives the best texture and flavor. Using a lower-fat sour cream will also create a looser biscuit.
Because you "drop" the biscuit dough directly into the pan. There's no rolling or cutting required.
Yep! Don't worry--this dough is meant to be thick. And honestly there's enough butter and sour cream in there to work miracles.
There's a good chance that your self-rising flour is too old. As it sits in the pantry, the leavening agent loses its oomph. Unless you work with it all the time, I recommend buying the smallest bag of self-rising flour possible. That way you'll use it up before the leavener has a chance to go flat.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these 3-ingredient biscuits:
🍽Get the recipe
3-Ingredient Southern Sour Cream Drop Biscuits Recipe
Equipment
- dry measuring cups
- large bowl
- 12-cup muffin pan
- ice cream scoop
- fork or pastry blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup salted butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 1½ cups sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Combine the flour and butter in a large bowl. Using a fork, pastry cutter, or your fingers, cut the butter into small pieces and mix into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Add the sour cream and mix just until a dough is formed.
- Use an ice cream scooper to divide the dough evenly between the muffin cups in the prepared muffin tin.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the biscuits are cooked through and golden brown. Remove from the muffin tin and serve warm.
Video
Recipe Guidelines and Test Kitchen Tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe:
- Don't leave leftovers sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
Christina says
These sour cream biscuits were delicious!
Elaine says
This is a genius biscuit recipe. Really no work at all and the biscuits are delicious!
Gary says
Love how simple this is but still so good. The sour cream keeps them rich and fluffy.
Tina says
These biscuits were so easy to make! Will be making them again for sure!
Ana says
These 3-ingredient sour cream drop biscuits look like such a cozy, fuss-free bake! Do you prefer serving them warm straight from the oven, or letting them cool slightly so the texture sets a bit more?