These easy homemade ham and cheese drop biscuits are both tender and buttery. Made with black forest ham and sharp cheddar cheese, these biscuits are made in a cast iron skillet for the best addition to breakfast or brunch!
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine and remove any lumps.
Cut 6 Tablespoons of the cold butter into small pieces and using a pastry cutter or fork, cut it into the flour until the butter pieces are the size of small peas and well incorporated.
Add buttermilk, ham and cheese and stir until the mixture just comes together into a wet dough. Place the dough in the freezer to chill for 5 minutes.
While the dough is chilling, add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter to the preheated cast iron skillet in the oven to melt.
Once the butter is melted, remove the skillet from the oven using a towel or oven mitts. Scoop the dough out in 8 equal pieces and drop it into the buttered skillet.
Place the skillet back in the oven and allow the biscuits to bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops and edges of the biscuits are golden brown. Let biscuits cool for 5 minutes and then serve.
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Notes
Don't over-mix the dough or they will become tough.
Make sure the ingredients are super cold to make the most flaky biscuits.
Use an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop to evenly divide the dough and place it in the hot skillet.
Substitutions and Variations
Buttermilk Substitute - Mix ½ cup of whole milk with 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes before use.
Ham - Honey ham, smoked ham, or leftover holiday ham can be used.
Dairy Free - Use the buttermilk substitute but use a dairy-free or plant-based milk. Substitute the butter for a dairy-free or plant-based substitute.
Vegetarian - Omit the ham.
Alternative Cooking Methods
Cut - Add an extra ½ cup of flour and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Flatten into a square using a rolling pin and then fold it over on itself. Repeat this twice and shape it into a rectangle. Use a biscuit cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into squares or circles. Place the cut biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze while the oven preheats. Bake as directed.Pan - Biscuits can be made in a pie or cake pan, small baking dish, or muffin pan. Don't preheat these pans ahead of time, but do make sure they are greased with butter or baking spray. Cooking times may vary.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
Finished biscuits can be made a day ahead of time and warmed up in the microwave or oven for serving time.Baked and cooled biscuits can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days and the freezer for up to 1 month.