3 tablespoons baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon iodized salt
¼ cup organic vegetable shortening or unsalted butter
1 cup milk
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk the baking powder, all-purpose flour, and salt in a large bowl. Using your fingers, cut in the shortening or butter until pieces are no larger than a pea.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the buttermilk. Using a rubber spatula, fold the milk into the dry ingredients. Use as few strokes as possible because the less you stir the dough, the more tender your biscuits will be.
Use a medium spring-action ice-cream scoop to scoop up a ¼-cup portion of dough and drop it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all of the dough has been used. Be sure to leave an inch or so between each biscuit, but don’t be too particular about their shape—drop biscuits are supposed to be rustic. Bake for 15 minutes or until the craggy edges are brown and crispy.
Makes 10 to 12 biscuits.
VARIATIONS: To make Cheddar 3-2-1 Drop Biscuits, add one cup of shredded sharp Cheddar or smoked Cheddar to the dry ingredients.
To make Buttermilk 3-2-1 Drop Biscuits, substitute 1 ¼ cups buttermilk for the whole milk.
NOTE: These biscuits are best right out of the oven, but they can be cooked, frozen, and reheated if necessary. To reheat, place frozen biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush the tops with melted butter, and place into a 350° F. oven until the tops are nicely browned. The result is a crispier, slightly richer biscuit that is still moist and tender inside.