Easy Tea Biscuits

Five ingredients, one bowl, no rolling pin required. These drop biscuits skip all the fussy parts of traditional cut biscuits and still deliver warm, tender results perfect with jam and a cup of tea.

The technique is forgiving. Cut shortening into flour until it looks like coarse crumbs (think uneven sand), then stir in milk just until the dry ingredients are moistened. The lumpy, shaggy batter is intentional. Overworking gives you tough biscuits. A wooden spoon and 10 stirs is plenty.

Dropping by spoonfuls instead of rolling and cutting saves time and energy. The biscuits won’t be perfectly round, but they will have those craggy tops that brown beautifully and give you crispy edges in every bite. Plus you avoid the dough-toughening that comes from re-rolling scraps.

A hot 400°F (200°C) oven is key. High heat creates steam that lifts the biscuits fast and sets the structure before they have a chance to spread flat. Pull them at 10 minutes if your oven runs hot.

Pro Tips

• Keep the shortening cold. Warm fat means flat biscuits.
• Don’t overmix. Lumpy batter is correct here.
• Use a generous spoonful per biscuit. Skimpy drops give flat, dry results.
• Brush tops with melted butter immediately after baking for restaurant-style finish.

Variations

• Add 1 tablespoon of sugar for sweeter biscuits, perfect for strawberry shortcake.
• Fold in 1 cup grated cheddar and ½ teaspoon garlic powder for savory cheese biscuits.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs like dill, chives, or rosemary.