Forgot to make the biscuits for breakfast? Don’t panic! This vintage Fannie Farmer recipe for emergency biscuits has got you covered. You d...
Emergency Biscuits: The Quick Dough Your Great-Grandma Used to Make
Forgot to make the biscuits for breakfast? Don’t panic! This vintage Fannie Farmer recipe for emergency biscuits has got you covered. You don’t have to knead or roll out the dough. You don’t even have to cut out the biscuits. This recipe couldn’t be simpler to follow.
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What Are Emergency Biscuits?
To start, they’re called “emergency biscuits” because you can make ’em in a hurry. They’re also called drop biscuits, because they’re made by dropping biscuit dough by the spoonful onto a baking sheet. Compared to traditional biscuit dough, these biscuits are made from a thinner, spoonable batter. This thinner batter means you can skip the steps of rolling out the dough and cutting it into biscuit shapes.
The resulting texture is different, but these biscuits still have the same delicious biscuit-y flavor you’re looking for.
This recipe is adapted from Fannie Farmer’s The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, published in 1918. It makes six large biscuits.
Ingredients
2 cups bread flour
5 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter, cold and cut into small cubes
1-1/4 cups milk, divided
Instructions
Step 1: Sift together the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Step 2: Cut in the butter
Use a knife or pastry blender to cut the cold butter cubes into the flour mixture until it resembles large pebbles.
Step 3: Add the milk
Pour in the milk. Use a fork to mix together until a shaggy dough forms. Add additional milk (in small amounts) if the dough is too dry.
Step 4: Spoon the batter onto a baking sheet
To prepare a baking sheet, butter the sheet or line with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Use a quarter-cup measuring cup to scoop six rounded mounds of dough onto the prepped baking sheet. Brush each biscuit with milk.
Step 5: Bake the biscuits
In her recipe, Fannie Farmer says to “bake in hot oven eight minutes.” We preheated the oven to 400° F and baked the biscuits for 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them and pull ’em out when golden brown.
Serve warm with butter and honey.
The Outcome
While the emergency biscuits lacked the flakiness of standard buttermilk biscuits, they were fluffy in texture and had all the biscuit flavor I craved. When served warm from the oven with a pat of butter and a generous dollop of honey, this recipe hit the spot! And given these biscuits only require dirtying one bowl, the next time I need biscuits, emergency or not, I think I’ll reach for this recipe. Thanks, Fannie Farmer!
Not only is this recipe a favorite of my husband's, it's extra special to me because it goes back to my great-grandmother. For holidays, we like to sprinkle on colored sugar for a festive touch. —Mary Ann Konechne, Kimball, South Dakota
My great-grandmother created this recipe more than 100 years ago, so it's made many appearances at family parties. Make the treats even more fun for the holidays by using both red and green maraschino cherries. —Anne Mullen, Windsor, Ontario
I received this recipe from my great-grandmother. She brought this over from England, where they enjoyed leeks immensely during the fall and winter. —Suzanne Kesel, Cohocton, New York
My great-grandmother started this easy meatball recipe with our family. We use ground beef and turkey for these meatballs, and the flavor’s so good, you won’t miss the extra calories. —Audrey Colantino, Winchester, Massachusetts
My family's best carrot cake recipe dates back to my great-grandmother! We bake up a few of these carrot cakes for special occasions to make sure there's enough to go around. You'll love the texture this pretty, moist treat gets from pineapple, coconut and, of course, carrots! —Debbie Terenzini-Wilkerson, Lusby, Maryland
When my two daughters were young, their great-grandma made them coconut cookies with oats. Thankfully, she shared the recipe. —Debra Dorn, Dunnellon, Florida
My great-aunt from Sicily taught my mother how to stuff and bake a steak in a jelly-roll style. It’s unique and really special in our family. —Roseanne McDonald, Days Creek, Oregon
Passed down by my grandmother and mother, this Martha Washington candy recipe is a cherished family tradition. We've even had each grandchild and great-grandchild take a turn stirring the candy mixture! —Cindi Boger, Ardmore, Alabama
As far as I know, this cake recipe can be traced back to my German great-grandma. When I got married, my mother gave me a copy and I hope to someday pass it down to my children. —Stephanie Travis, Fallon, Nevada
It's tradition for my family to make these German treats together. The recipe came from my great-grandmother's cookbook, and judging from the amount of requests I get, it has certainly stood the test of time. —Esther Kempker, Jefferson City, Missouri
My great-grandmother made these meatballs, and I'm sure her mother must have taught her. Six generations have enjoyed them, and one of my daughters even served them at her wedding. —Kallee Krong-McCreery, Escondido, California
I remember my Grandmother Voltie and Great-Aunt Ophelia making this southern-style pie for Thanksgiving. It was always one of the many cakes and pies lined up for dessert. —Angie Price, Bradford, Tennessee
What could taste better than turkey and cranberry on Thanksgiving Day? My grandmother's classic recipe makes the best cranberry stuff to share with your family and friends this holiday. —Catherine Cassidy, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
My Great-Aunt Hilda makes this recipe every Christmas, and everybody loves them! Kipplens taste a lot like Mexican wedding cakes, but I like my aunt's version better. —Susan Bohannon, Kokomo, Indiana
The wild blueberries on our property spark recipe ideas. When my daughter and I made this ice cream at a Girl Guide meeting, it was well received. Even today, our 10 children, 19 grandkids and 4 great-grandchildren think it tastes great. —Alma Mosher, Mohannes, New Brunswick
My great-aunt made an incredible sweet potato casserole for our holiday dinners. I’ve lightened it up a bit, but we love it just the same. —Beth Britton, Fairlawn, Ohio
I look forward to August because our family reunion means fun and great food, like this classic cake with the special flair it gets from pineapple. My great-aunt gave me this recipe, and I always make it for the reunion. —Victoria Casey, Enterprise, Oregon
My family has passed down this elegant dessert generation by generation. It started with my Russian great-grandmother, who traveled to America more than 100 years ago. I love continuing the tradition with her recipe. —Tonya Burkhard, Palm Coast, Florida
This hearty casserole is great for a family reunion or church supper. I've also made half the recipe for family gatherings. It's become a special favorite of my grandson-in-law and great-grandson, who often ask me to serve it when they're visiting. —Lois Lauppe, Lahoma, Oklahoma
This recipe came from my mom's Grandma Alice, who taught her how to bake. Grandma Alice always had a fresh plate of warm cookies on her counter. I learned some of her recipes by heart as a child, and I've been making these since high school. They taste like Christmas.—Kristin Bowers, Rancho Palos Verdes, California
My Great-Aunt Lou made a luscious fresh apple cake recipe that became a family tradition. My mom makes it for our annual beach trip to the Outer Banks. —Cristy King, Scott Depot, West Virginia
This recipe is from my great-grandmother, though I've added a few ingredients to make it my own. Serve it with a side salad and some artisan bread for a wonderful, hearty family dinner. —Terrel Porter-Smith, Los Osos, California
This simple yet satisfying coconut cookie recipe has been around for generations. Pressing a fork into the top gives the look of an old-fashioned washboard. —Tommie Sue Shaw, McAlester, Oklahoma
