Marry Me Butter Swim Biscuits
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These Marry Me Butter Swim Biscuits have golden edges, soft and tender middles, and enough Parmesan, sun-dried tomato, basil, and garlicky herb flavor to make plain dinner rolls feel a little underdressed. I make a simple biscuit dough full of those classic Marry Me ingredients, press it into a dish of swimming melted butter, then slice it before baking for 25 minutes. There’s no kneading or rolling in this easy recipe. Be warned, they disappear quickly – everyone loves them!
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Pin ItButter Swim Biscuits with a Marry Me Twist
Butter swim biscuits take the usual biscuit routine and politely throw most of it out the window. Their name comes from the dough baking in a generous pool of melted butter, which bubbles up around the sides before soaking into the biscuits as they rest. Unlike my classic homemade biscuits, which get their flaky layers from cold butter worked into flour, this version is softer and more cake-like, with heavy cream supplying both moisture and richness. And it might just be the easiest way to make biscuits ever. You just mix the dough, spread it in the pan, and let the oven take it from there!
The “Marry Me” part comes from the same savory lineup that makes my Marry Me chicken such a favorite, including sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, garlic, basil, Italian herbs, cream, and a little red pepper. Those cheesy, garlicky flavors make these butter swim biscuits right at home on the dinner table. I like to serve them warm alongside a big bowl of tomato soup for a cozy lunch or dinner.
Helpful Tips
- Melt the butter, but don’t brown it. Browned butter is absolutely delicious, but that’s not the flavor we’re going for here. Keep a close eye on the hot oven and remove the dish as soon as the butter is fully melted, pale yellow, and lightly foaming, which only takes about 4 minutes. If it does brown slightly, it’s not the end of the world, but that nutty flavor will carry through the entire batch.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Stir only until everything is mostly combined. The dough should look soft and sticky. Too much mixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can make the biscuits dense and tough instead of tender.
- Grease your hands and tools. This dough is quite wet, so I like to grease my hands and whatever tools I’m using with some cooking spray to avoid it sticking.
- Put a baking sheet underneath! I always set the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet before the biscuits go back into the oven. This catches any melted butter that bubbles over and saves you from cleaning up a smoky mess.
Marry Me Butter Swim Biscuits
Equipment
- 8×8 Square Baking Dish
- Medium Bowl
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, sliced, (1 stick)
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp dry thyme, or 1 sprig fresh thyme, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp Italian seasoning
- ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 large basil leaves, chopped
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and finely chopped
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place butter into an 8×8-square baking dish. Transfer to the hot oven until melted, about 4 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and all the seasonings.
- Add in the basil, sun dried tomatoes, and Parmesan. Stir to combine.
- Pour in the heavy cream and stir until mostly combined and a wet dough forms, being careful not to overwork the batter.
- Place the dough on top of the melted hot butter and use a greased offset spatula (or grease your hands) to evenly spread the dough out to the edges of the dish. (Don’t fret if some of the butter rises above the dough.)
- Spray a bench scraper or knife on both sides. Cut the unbaked dough into 9 squares (3×3 rows.) Wipe and spray the bench scrape or knife again and go through the cut lines once more. (Don't fret if the dough tries to pool back together).
- Transfer the dish onto a rimmed baking sheet (just in case of spillover!)
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a tester in the center comes out clean, the tops are golden brown, and the biscuits start to pull away from the edges of the dish. (Start checking at 22 minutes).
- Allow the biscuits to rest for about 5 minutes before cutting so the butter can be absorbed.
- Slice along the lines you already made. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
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How to Make Marry Me Butter Swim Biscuits Step by Step
Gather all of your ingredients and preheat the oven to 450°F.
Melt the butter: Place ½ cup (1 stick) sliced unsalted butter in an 8×8-inch baking dish and transfer it to the hot oven for about 4 minutes. I slice the butter to help it melt faster. Keep a close eye on it and remove the dish as soon as the butter is fully melted.
Make the dough: Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 4 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp coarse salt, ½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp dried thyme, ¼ tsp Italian seasoning, and ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes. Whisk thoroughly to evenly distribute the baking powder and seasonings through the flour.
Now stir in 4 chopped large basil leaves, ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (drained and finely chopped), and ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan. Pour in 2 cups heavy cream and stir only until the mixture forms a soft, sticky dough. It should look much softer than traditional biscuit dough and will not be firm enough to knead. Stop mixing once everything is mostly combined because overworking the flour can make the butter swim biscuits dense and tough.
Spread the dough into the butter: Carefully remove the hot baking dish from the oven and place the dough on top of the melted butter. Use a greased offset spatula or lightly greased hands to gently spread it into an even layer that reaches all four edges. Some butter will rise around the sides or come up over the dough, and that is completely normal. Don’t stir it in or drain it away.
Divide the biscuits before baking: Coat both sides of a bench scraper or long knife with nonstick cooking spray, then cut through the dough to the bottom of the dish, making a 3×3 grid for 9 biscuits. Wipe the scraper or knife clean, spray it again, and retrace each line. The soft dough may flow back into the cuts, but the lines will still guide you when separating the baked biscuits. Carefully set the hot baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any butter that bubbles over.
Bake until golden and set: Bake for about 25 minutes, beginning your checks at 22 minutes. The tops should be golden brown, the middle should look risen and set rather than shiny or sunken, and the edges should begin pulling away from the dish. A tester inserted into the center should come out clean without any sticky dough attached. You may still see butter gently bubbling around the edges.
Let the butter soak in: Allow the swim biscuits to rest in the dish for 5 minutes. During this time, the remaining butter will soak into the biscuits, and the soft centers will settle enough to hold their shape. Run a knife back through the original cut lines, separate the 9 squares, and serve them warm. Enjoy!
What to Serve with Marry Me Butter Swim Biscuits
These savory biscuits are made for dipping, so my first choice is a warm bowl of easy tomato soup. If you want to double up on those Parmesan, sun-dried tomato, and Italian herb flavors, Marry Me chicken soup is an even more obvious match. Both soups cook on the stovetop, so start the soup first and slide the biscuits into the oven once it reaches a steady simmer. For brunch, make my stovetop scrambled eggs during the biscuits’ 5-minute rest so everything reaches the table warm. These Marry Me butter swim biscuits are also the perfect side for anything you’d normally serve garlic bread with, such as pasta pomodoro. Both recipes share classic Italian flavors, but the simple tomato sauce gives the rich, buttery biscuits plenty of room to stand out.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerator
Let the biscuits cool completely, then separate them along the original cut lines and transfer them to an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The edges will soften once chilled, but the biscuits will still taste delicious and reheating will bring back some of that freshly baked texture.
Reheating
For the best texture, warm the biscuits in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes. The air fryer is great when you only need one or two; heat them at 325°F for 2-4 minutes and check early so the Parmesan and herbs don’t get too dark. You can also microwave one for 10-15 seconds, but it’ll turn out much softer.
Freezing
These biscuits freeze very well once baked. Let them cool completely, wrap each square tightly, and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as above.
More Easy Biscuit Recipes
- When I need a biscuit recipe that couldn’t be much easier, I turn to these Buttermilk Drop Biscuits. They’re tender, buttery, and on the table in about 20 minutes.
- For a hearty weekend breakfast, Biscuits and Gravy pairs fluffy homemade buttermilk biscuits with creamy, peppery sausage gravy.
- I’m a sucker for the garlicky herb butter I brush over these Cheddar Bay Biscuits, especially when they’re still warm from the oven.
- These Apple-Cheddar Skillet Drop Biscuits are absolutely DELICIOUS, with tart apples, sharp cheddar, and fresh thyme giving the biscuits a sweet-savory spin.
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
