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A breakfast plate filled with a sunny side up egg, bacon and an Easy Cheddar Drop Biscuit smothered in Bacon Gravy.

Cheddar Drop Biscuits with Bacon Gravy

Tender, fluffy cheddar and garlic butter biscuits served up irresistible bacon gravy. Perfect for brunch or even a light dinner side. The biscuits are a great side to chilli or soup. The gravy is amazing over cornbread, chicken cutlets or meatballs as well!
Course Baking, Breakfast
Cuisine North American
Keyword bacon gravy, drop biscuits, garlic butter
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Cheddar Drop Biscuits

  • 250 g (2 cups) AP flour, can substitute a GF cup for cup blend flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 113 g (1 stick, 8 tbsp) cold butter
  • 113 g (4 oz or 1 cup) shredded medium cheddar cheese
  • 236 ml (1 cup) chilled buttermilk, plus a little more for brushing on the biscuits before baking

Garlic Butter Glaze

  • 3 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, can use dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Bacon Gravy

  • 1 can of evaporated milk, see Notes
  • Chicken stock, enough to make two cups with the milk, plus more if needed
  • 8 rashers of bacon
  • 2 tbsp AP flour, can use GF cup for cup blend
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

Drop Biscuits

  1. Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet(s) with parchment paper
  2. Combine the flour, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, sugar and cayenne pepper in a large bowl with a whisk.
  3. Using a box grater, grate the butter on the large holes into the flour mixture and mix well with your finger tips.
  4. Slowly pour the buttermilk evenly over the flour and cheese mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon till almost mixed through, as long as you can't see any dry flour patches you are good.
  5. Use large spoon or even an ice cream scoop to drop balls onto the parchment lined baking sheet. You should be able to get ten biscuits.
  6. Use a pastry brush to brush on a little buttermilk onto the tops and sides of each biscuit.
  7. Bake until golden brown, about 16-18 minutes depending on your oven. If you need a few more minutes, take it.
  8. While the biscuits are baking, combine the melted butter, parsley and garlic powder in a small bowl.
  9. As soon as the biscuits are out of the oven, use the pastry brush to brush the tops of the biscuits with the garlic butter mixture.
  10. These are best warm. Can be cooled to room temperature and stored in a sealed container for a few days. To re-heat, place in a toaster oven and warm through at 350F, about 8 minutes.
  11. These can also be frozen: place on a wax paper lined baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen transfer the biscuits to a freezer bag and store till needed. This applies to either unbaked or baked. When ready to eat, place the raw biscuits directly onto the baking sheet and bake as per the original directions, allowing extra time till baked through. Thaw baked biscuits in the fridge, and re-heat as stated above.

Bacon Gravy

  1. Pour the evaporated milk into a two cup measuring cup. Add enough stock to bring the total up to two cups and stir to combine. Set aside.
  2. Brown bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium to medium low heat til crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Once cooled, chop into small bite sized pieces.
  3. Remove all bacon fat, leaving two tablespoons in the skillet. If your bacon didn't release two tablespoons worth of fat, supplement with butter.
  4. Whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, till the mixture has turned golden brown and the raw flavour of the flour has been cooked out.
  5. Pour the milk stock mixture slowly into the skillet, whisking constantly till combined.
  6. Bring to boil, and then reduce to medium low and simmer until the gravy is thickened and bubbly.
  7. Add in the chopped bacon, a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper. Taste and see if you need more salt. Always better to start with less, since the stock and the bacon have salt.
  8. Serve warm over biscuits. Can be made in advance and warmed up over low heat when needed. If needed, use a bit of milk or stock to thin out the gravy if it has firmed up too much for your liking.

Recipe Notes

The biscuit recipe is easily halved if you only want a few biscuits.

Evaporated milk can come in several sized cans. You want enough to give you around 1.5 cups but no higher (350 ml or so) It doesn't have to be exact, but the more milk there is, the richer the final gravy.
If you do use regular milk as opposed to the evaporated milk, then just use half milk, half stock. In this case half and half (10% fat) milk would be best.  The stock will help it keep from becoming too rich.