Mariel here. On a mission to whip up whole wheat biscuits that weren’t like little mounds of lead, I worked and re-worked this recipe more times than I care to admit. I had three requirements: they had to be somewhat healthier, they had to be flaky, and they had to be delicious. I started with my mother’s recipe for Cheddar Biscuits, which she serves when catering tea parties and afternoon luncheons, and went from there.
Although I had originally conceived these tasty treats solely as an accompaniment to my forthcoming recipe for Broccoli & Cauliflower Soup, I was so pleased with the final result, I thought they deserved a post of their own. They rise beautifully, which isn’t always the case when working with dense whole wheat flour; they’re soft and fluffy on the inside (so long as they’re not over-baked); and they’re just crusty enough on the outside. And if you love parmesan the way I love parmesan, the heaping cup-full flavors every last morsel. Soup or no soup, this biscuit stands alone, and while it’s not 100% diet-proof, it’s a heck of a lot less fatty than that basket of Cheddar Bay Bread you’ve been scarfing down at Red Lobster.
Looking for something to submerge these in? Check out our “Creamy” Wild Mushroom Soup, Sweet & Smoky Roasted Tomato Soup, Pumpkin-Spiced White Chicken Chili, White Bean, Kale and Sausage Soup or peruse the “soup” category on our sidebar. Happy dunking!

Whole Wheat Parmesan Drop Biscuits
Makes about 15 biscuits
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour – stock
1 cup all-purpose flour – stock
1 heaping cup of grated freshly-grated parmesan + extra for sprinkling the tops – $4.69
¾ cup cold skim milk – stock
4 Tablespoons cold butter, sliced – stock
¼ teaspoon garlic powder – stock
1 teaspoon salt – stock
2 teaspoons granulated sugar – stock
1 Tablespoon baking powder – stock
½ teaspoon baking soda – stock
Grand total assuming “well-stocked” kitchen: $4.69
Cost per biscuit: $0.31
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly butter or “Pam” a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, lightly whisk together the flour, garlic powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Quickly work in the sliced butter using your fingers until you create a crumbly meal-like texture (don’t worry about perfection here, and don’t allow the butter to melt very much, this will result in a lighter, flakier finish). Stir in the parmesan with a wooden spoon until just combined.
3. Create a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour in the cold milk. Mix with a fork until just combined (again, don’t overwork the dough).
4. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Flour your hands then knead the dough 8-10 times – again, working quickly.
5. Place ¼-cup mounds of dough on the buttered baking sheet (I just used my (floured) hands to create little balls), then bake for 12 minutes or until the tops are just starting to turn golden. During the last two minutes of baking, sprinkle the tops with a bit of parmesan. Don’t over-bake or you’ll end up with dry biscuits. Dunk in a hot bowl of soup or slather with herb butter and enjoy!
Can’t wait for that soup recipe! These sound so good. I do love me some biscuits!
I love jazzed up biscuits! Whole wheat is a bugger to work with sometimes, especially in the light and flaky department. Just wanted to let you know that I mentioned your site on my most recent post, and this recipe cause I love you that much!
Whole wheat healthy biscuits that are not hockey pucks??? Please sign me up! I am thrilled to try these! The pics look delicious!
Kudos to you for your perseverance, the end result looks great!
🙂 Mandy
Welcome back, Mandy! Hope you had a wonderful vacation with lots of good food and plenty of fun!
You pulled it off! Certainly looks like it from the pictures.
Made these last night and what a success they are! Thank you for taking the time to not only perfect this recipe but to share it with us! These were awesome!
Yay! Thanks so much for writing in to let us know they worked for you too Nancy. Love to hear it.