Easy Deep-Fried Drop Biscuits from Still We Rise

"These biscuits taste like old-fashioned doughnuts. This recipe utilizes the drop biscuit method, but instead of baking the biscuits, we fry them in bubbling hot grease, which creates a crisp exterior that surrounds the soft biscuit crumb we love. In the summer, we serve a limited supply of these at Bomb Biscuit Co., fresh out of the fryer - rolled in cinnamon sugar with a side of Georgia Peach Mango Jam to dunk each biscuit in before devouring."

- Erika Council

Welcome to the kitchen! This is the third biscuit recipe we've shared with you in our growing collection of recipes and we're feeling pretty good about that. Biscuits are versatile and fun, and the best part, kids love them!

These easy deep-fried drop biscuits are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Coat them in cinnamon and something sweet.

Find a free printable recipe with pics for these drop biscuits down at the bottom.

Learn more about cooking with kids.

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Still We Rise Cookbook

These deep-fried drop biscuits are from Still We Rise: A Love Letter to the Southern Biscuit with Over 70 Sweet and Savory Recipes by Erika Council.

Erika Council is the granddaughter of Mildred "Mama Dip" Council, (if you've heard of Mama Dip's Kitchen in Chapel Hill, NC you already know what's up) as well as a teacher and activist who cooked to raise money to support the Civil Rights Movement.

This cookbook will help you unleash the creativity in your kitchen w/ recipes like Everything "Bagel" Biscuits & Biscuit Bread Pudding with Whiskey Cream Sauce. There are plenty of process shots included with the recipes, making the results just as attainable as if you were baking alongside Erika.

Sara Strickland Gavin was my maternal great-grandmother. I would be a teenager before I knew what her actual name was, as Big Mama was how she was always referred to, even by those in the community of no kin to us. She was an enigma of sorts; there are no records of her birth, just a story of how she was born on Phelps Alley, which no longer exists in our small town of Goldsboro. There are stories of her ability to "pass," which allowed her to be sent to the whites-only grocery store unnoticed as a young girl, and endless recountings of the resolute woman who baked the best biscuits, sweet potato pie, and crushed pineapple cake, according to everyone. And she kept a pistol in a box by her foot during the riots of '68, according to my mother.

As children, many dream of becoming doctors, lawyers, astronauts. I just wanted to be a Big Mama: an omnipresent figure that would be remembered forever for her biscuits, coconut cake, and Colt .45 pistol.

- Erika Council

More biscuits from Still We Rise:

You can find Erika at Bomb Biscuit Co. in Atlanta, where she is chef and owner.

Have you tried these easy buttermilk biscuits from The Prairie Homestead Cookbook?

Stop by our shop to see more Family & Kids' Cooking Resources.

Learn more about allergies and your family.

Looking for more breakfast ideas? Try these Peruvian donuts, mallorcas or scrambled eggs.

Pair these drop biscuits with the perfect cup of chai.

How to Make Deep-Fried Drop Biscuits with Cinnamon Sugar

Ingredients

• stevia or sugar - we use stevia to cut down on sugar intake but you can substitute the same amount of sugar for stevia
• cinnamon - this Peni Miris Cinnamon boasts hints of whiskey, honey, orange blossom, and vetiver
• flour - we recommend Red May pastry flour for an unforgettable biscuit, but you can use any all-purpose flour you like. We've also used einkorn to make these easy drop biscuits
• baking powder
• salt - this recipe calls for kosher salt
• baking soda
• buttermilk - full-fat buttermilk works best. No buttermilk, no problem
• butter
• oil - Erika recommends peanut or another neutral oil for frying. We used refined coconut oil since that's what we have in bulk

Equipment

• prep bowls
• kitchen scale
• measuring spoons
• measuring cup
• whisk
• spatula
• kitchen thermometer
• spider strainer - perfect for flipping the biscuits while they fry and then removing them from the wok
• small saucepan
• wok - my favorite thing about this wok when making these drop biscuits is we don't waste oil. It's also naturally non-stick and lightweight, a perfect choice when cooking over high heat. If you don't have a wok, use a Dutch oven.
• cooling rack
• sheet pan

1. Make the Cinnamon Topping

Wash your hands with soap and water. Use a measuring cup and measuring spoon to measure the stevia (or sugar) and cinnamon. Whisk them together in a medium-sized bowl.

If you enjoy these drop biscuits in the fall, pair them with color-by-number printables for the sweetest breakfast experience.

2. Measure Out the Dry Ingredients to Make the Biscuits

Use a kitchen scale to weigh the flour in a large bowl. Measure the baking powder, stevia (or sugar), salt, and baking soda using measuring spoons, adding them to the bowl with the flour. Use a whisk to combine.

3. Melt the Butter

Place the butter in a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Turn off the stove when the butter is melted.

4. Combine the Butter and Buttermilk

Transfer the butter to a small bowl. Add the buttermilk to the bowl using the measuring cup. Stir with a spoon until small clumps form in the mixture. When it looks curdled, move on to the next step.

5. Add the Buttermilk Mixture to the Flour Mixture

Transfer the buttermilk mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture. Use a spatula to stir until combined. Erika says the dough will be shaggy and sticky.

6. Heat the Oil in the Wok

Add enough oil to the wok so that the level is 1 - 1.5 inches from the bottom of the pan. Turn the stove on medium-high heat.

Use a kitchen thermometer to check the temperature of the oil. When it's 375 °F, move on to the next step.

7. Deep-Fry The Biscuits in the Wok

Use a ¼ measuring cup to scoop the dough and gently drop it in the wok. Use the spatula as needed to remove the dough from the measuring cup. Add three or more at a time to the wok for frying.

8. Flip Them Over

After about two minutes, use the spider strainer to gently flip them over in the oil. Remove the drop biscuits when they're golden brown and cooked through.

9. Remove the Biscuits with the Spider Strainer

Remove the biscuits from the wok using the spider strainer. Place them on a cooling rack for 10 to 15 seconds.

10. Coat the Drop Biscuits with the Cinnamon Mixture

Transfer the biscuits to the bowl with the cinnamon topping and toss them to coat OR if you have young kids, you can roll them around. You may lose fewer biscuits to the floor using option two.

Erika also recommends shaking the drop biscuits in a paper bag to coat them.

Place them back on the rack for 5 minutes before serving. While they're cooling, fry the rest of the dough in the wok. Turn off the stove when finished.

Enjoy!

Free Deep-Fried Drop Biscuits Recipe for Pre-Readers & Up

Grab your free printable recipe cards above. Kids can gather ingredients using the ingredient list, gather their equipment with the tools list, and prepare the meal using the step-by-step recipe cards, with assistance as needed.

The cards are easy to use, include pictures, and encourage confidence and independence in the kitchen. They also make an excellent addition to your Montessori continent box for North America.