Garlic Bread Biscuits

What garlic bread might lack in texture, it certainly makes up for in flavor—and vice versa with buttery biscuits. So, we combined the best parts of each—the buttery pungency of garlic bread and the tall, flaky layers of homemade biscuits—into the ultimate dinner side: garlic bread biscuits. These biscuits double down on garlic bread flavor, adding Parmesan cheese, garlic and parsley to the dough and to the tops of the finished biscuits by way of a homemade garlic butter sauce.

Unlike most biscuit recipes, these are hardly a baking project. We skipped the fussy folding and still managed to achieve pull-apart layers (thanks to the genius of Taste of Home recipe editor Maggie Knoebel). Do, though, get these in the oven before you start tonight’s soup recipe, so you can serve them pleasantly warm rather than piping hot.

Ingredients for Garlic Bread Biscuits

• All-purpose flour: No need for any fancy type of flour here. The best biscuit recipes benefit from all-purpose flour’s mix of hard and soft wheat.
• Baking powder: You’ll need plenty of baking powder to help the biscuits rise nice and tall. Test your baking powder for potency if it has been hanging out in the cabinet for a while.
• Parmesan: If you can, always grate the Parmesan fresh from the block for the best, freshest flavor. Bagged shredded cheese contains cellulose (an anti-caking agent) that affects its flavor and meltability.
• Garlic powder: A lot of our garlic flavor comes from garlic powder, so there’s no need to mince up a ton of garlic cloves beforehand.
• Butter: We normally call for room-temperature butter when baking, but biscuits need cold butter. Like pie crusts, cold butter creates pockets of steam as it heats up, which helps form those iconic flaky layers.
• Milk: While we suggest 2% milk, feel free to use whole milk instead. Anything thicker or thinner will poorly affect the dough’s texture.
• Parsley: Tender-stem herbs can be quite sandy, so it’s important to thoroughly wash and dry them before mincing.
• Garlic butter: You’ll make a quick garlic butter sauce with melted butter, garlic, Parmesan and fresh parsley, then brush it on the biscuits just as they come out of the oven.

Directions

Step 1: Make the dough

Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, Parmesan, salt and garlic powder. Using a pastry cutter, a fork or your fingertips, cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the 2% milk and parsley, and stir just until the dough is moistened.

Step 2: Cut into squares

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it gently 8 to 10 times. Pat the dough to a 1/2-inch thickness. Use a very sharp chef’s knife or bench cutter to cut the dough into 2-inch squares.

Editor’s Tip: Do not over-knead the dough, or you won’t get those pretty, flaky biscuit layers.

Step 3: Bake

Place the biscuits 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake them until they’re golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes.

Step 4: Finish with garlic butter

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, minced garlic cloves, grated Parmesan and fresh parsley. Brush the garlic butter over the hot biscuits.

Garlic Bread Biscuit Variations

• Try another cheese: Parmesan cheese is traditional for garlic bread, but you can use other cheeses here instead, like Asiago, Gruyere or Grana Padano.
• Roast the garlic: Like caramelizing onions, roasting garlic mellows its pungency and makes it taste nuttier, so the flavor won’t be as abrasive.
• Use a different herb: Instead of parsley, try thyme, rosemary or sage to give the biscuits a cozier, Thanksgiving-like flavor.
• Make them spicy: Love a little kick? Add a very small amount of Calabrian chili paste or red pepper flakes to your garlic butter blend.

How to Store Garlic Bread Biscuits

Allow the garlic bread biscuits to cool completely to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container. They can be kept in the fridge for up to three days. Rewarm them gently in the microwave or a convection oven.

Can you freeze garlic bread biscuits?

Yes, you can freeze garlic bread biscuits. Once they’re completely cooled to room temperature, transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge or in the oven before enjoying them.

Can you make garlic bread biscuits ahead of time?

Yes, you can make garlic bread biscuits ahead of time. After you cut the dough into squares, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover them tightly with storage wrap. The next day, remove the storage wrap and bake them according to the recipe, adding bake time as needed.

Garlic Bread Biscuits Tips

What should I serve with garlic bread biscuits?

Serve your garlic bread biscuits with cozy fall soups and chilis like tomato soup, autumn pumpkin chili or pizza soup. You could also split them in half and turn them into sandwiches or an ultra-decadent version of Virginia ham biscuits. Bake them on one of these biscuit-topped casseroles (just roll them out to a 1/4-inch thickness) or serve them as one of your Thanksgiving sides.

Can I make these garlic bread biscuits gluten free?

Yes, you can make gluten-free garlic bread biscuits. Swap one of the best gluten-free flour blends for the all-purpose flour, first making sure it’s a “cup-for-cup” or “measure-for-measure” blend. It should not be an all-purpose-style gluten-free flour blend—it won’t work the same. Make sure all other packaged goods were not produced in a facility that handles wheat.