My neighbor Sharon brought these French dip biscuits to our block party last summer, and I watched people demolish them in about eight minutes. She wouldn't give me the recipe that day - said it was her secret weapon for gatherings. Two weeks later at the mailbox, she finally told me she'd found it on Facebook and changed a few things. I've made them probably 30 times since then, trying different cheeses and figuring out how much meat actually fits without making a mess. Oliver calls them "dip sandwiches" and wants them for his birthday every year instead of pizza or cake.
Why You'll Love This French Dip Biscuits
These French dip biscuits solve my usual party problem - finding something that actually fills people up instead of leaving them hungry. I've made these for three different gatherings, and they're always gone first. The first time I brought them to Oliver's soccer team party, kids were eating them cold straight from the container before I even plugged in the warming tray. Parents kept asking which restaurant catered the food. Nope, just canned biscuits and deli roast beef.
You make the whole batch in one pan, so there's way less cleanup than making sandwiches one by one. They reheat fine without getting soggy or falling apart. Oliver takes cold ones to school, and apparently his friends offer their entire lunch in trade. The au jus is just for dipping on the side, so kids who hate sauce can skip it completely. And if someone shows up at your door unexpectedly, you can have a batch ready before they finish their first cup of coffee. I keep canned French Dip Biscuits and deli meat in my fridge now just because of this recipe.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This French Dip Biscuits
- Ingredients For French Dip Biscuits
- Step by Step Method
- Equipment For French Dip Biscuits
- Storing Your French Dip Biscuits
- Smart Swaps for French Dip Biscuits
- French Dip Biscuits Variations
- Top Tip
- FAQ
- Time to Make Your New Go-To Appetizer!
- Related
- Pairing
- French Dip Biscuits
Ingredients For French Dip Biscuits
The Biscuit Base:
- Refrigerated biscuit dough
- Unsalted butter
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Dried parsley
- Garlic powder
The Filling:
- Deli roast beef
- Provolone cheese slices
- Swiss cheese
- Caramelized onions
The Au Jus:
- Beef broth
- Worcestershire sauce
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Au jus packet
Optional Add-Ins:
- Horseradish sauce
- Dijon mustard
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Fresh thyme
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by Step Method
Prepare Your Biscuits and Filling
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grease your 9x13 pan with butter or spray
- Pop open the biscuit can and separate each biscuit carefully
- Flatten each biscuit with your hands into a circle about 4 inches wide
- Don't roll them with a rolling pin - your hands work better and they stay fluffier
- Lay flattened biscuits in the greased pan, fitting them close together
Build Your Sandwiches
- Place 2-3 slices of roast beef on each flattened biscuit
- Don't overstuff or they won't seal right (I learned this the hard way)
- Add one slice of provolone cheese on top of the meat
- Fold onions on top if you're using them
- Pinch the edges of each biscuit closed to seal in the filling
Add the Garlic Butter Magic
- Melt butter in small saucepan with minced garlic over low heat
- Let garlic cook for about 2 minutes until it smells good but doesn't brown
- Brush melted garlic butter generously over the top of each biscuit
- Sprinkle dried parsley and a pinch of garlic powder on top
- Don't skip this step - it's what makes them taste like restaurant food
Bake Until Golden
- Bake for 18-22 minutes until tops are deep golden brown
- Check at 18 minutes because ovens run hot differently
- The cheese should be melted and you'll see it trying to escape at the edges
- Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before serving
Make the Au Jus While They Bake
- Heat beef broth in saucepan over medium heat
- Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper
- Let it simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors
- Taste it and add more Worcestershire if you want it stronger
- Pour into small bowls for dipping
Equipment For French Dip Biscuits
- 9x13 baking pan (metal works better than glass)
- Small saucepan for garlic butter and au jus
- Pastry brush for butter (paper towel works in a pinch)
- Sharp knife for cutting biscuits if needed
- Small bowls for serving au jus
Storing Your French Dip Biscuits
I've made these ahead for parties enough times to know what works:
Counter Storage (2 hours max):
- Keep covered with foil if serving at a party
- Don't leave out longer than that
- The cheese and meat need to stay cold
Fridge Storage (3 days):
- Let them cool completely first
- Store in airtight container or wrapped in foil
- Keep au jus in a separate container
- Reheat at 325°F for 10-12 minutes
Freezer Storage (1 month):
- Freeze them before baking for best results
- Wrap individually in plastic wrap then foil
- Bake straight from frozen, add 5 extra minutes
- Make fresh au jus when you're ready to serve
Reheating Tips:
- Oven beats microwave every time (microwave makes them chewy)
- Cover with foil so tops don't burn while insides warm up
- Heat the au jus separately on the stove
- They taste almost as good as fresh if you reheat them right
Smart Swaps for French Dip Biscuits
Dough Options:
- Biscuit dough → Crescent roll dough (makes them flakier)
- Regular → Gluten-free biscuits
- Store-bought → Homemade biscuit dough
Meat Switches:
- Roast beef → Deli turkey
- Beef → Shredded pot roast leftovers
- Meat → Sautéed mushrooms (vegetarian)
Cheese Choices:
- Provolone → Mozzarella
- Swiss → White cheddar
- Regular → Pepper jack (for spice)
Au Jus Alternatives:
- Beef broth → Packet au jus mix
- Homemade → Store-bought au jus
- Beef → Vegetable broth (for turkey version)
French Dip Biscuits Variations
Philly Cheesesteak Style:
- Use shaved ribeye instead of roast beef for richer flavor
- Add sautéed bell peppers and onions between the meat layers
- Swap provolone for Cheez Whiz or American cheese for classic taste
- Serve with extra melted cheese for dipping alongside the au jus
French Onion Version:
- Caramelize a full onion until dark brown and sweet (takes 20 minutes)
- Mix Gruyere and Swiss cheese for that French onion soup flavor
- Add fresh thyme leaves to the garlic butter before brushing
- Make the au jus extra beefy by reducing it down longer
Spicy Horseradish Kick:
- Spread horseradish sauce on the biscuit before adding meat
- Use pepper jack cheese instead of provolone for extra heat
- Add sliced jalapeños between the beef layers if you're brave
- Mix hot sauce into the au jus for spicy dipping
Italian Beef Twist:
- Season the meat with Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes
- Add giardiniera (those pickled Italian peppers) on top of the cheese
- Use mozzarella instead of provolone for more stretch
- Serve with warm marinara for dipping instead of au jus
Top Tip
- Freeze these French dip biscuits before baking them. Put together everything, brush on the garlic butter, then stick the whole pan in the freezer. When people are coming over, take it straight from freezer to oven. Add five extra minutes and nobody knows you made them three weeks ago.
- Don't microwave these unless you have no choice. The biscuits get rubbery and the cheese does weird things. Wrap them in foil and heat them at 325°F for about 12 minutes. They come out tasting pretty close to fresh.
- Make a double batch on Sunday and stick half in the fridge. Oliver takes cold ones to school all week and says they're still good. His friends trade their whole lunch for one. Cold French dip biscuits turned into lunch currency somehow.
FAQ
What's the secret to a flavorful French dip?
The au jus makes or breaks it. Don't just heat up plain beef broth and call it done. Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and let it simmer for at least 5 minutes so the flavors mix together. I also brown some onions in the pan first before adding the broth - that extra step makes it taste way better.
What is the best bread for a French dip?
For regular French dip sandwiches, crusty French bread or hoagie rolls work best because they don't fall apart when you dip them. For these French dip biscuits, the flaky canned biscuits in the blue tube are perfect. Don't use the thin cheap ones - they get soggy too fast.
What do French call biscuits?
French people don't really have American-style biscuits. What we call biscuits, they'd probably call something closer to a scone. Their word "biscuit" means what Americans call cookies. It's confusing, but these French dip biscuits aren't actually French anyway - they're just named after French dip sandwiches.
What cut of meat makes the best French dip?
For homemade French dip, ribeye or chuck roast work best because they stay tender when you slow cook them. For these French Dip Biscuits though, just grab thinly sliced deli roast beef from the counter. Tell them you want it sliced medium-thin - too thick and it won't fit in the biscuits right.
Time to Make Your New Go-To Appetizer!
The thing I love most about this French Dip Biscuits is how it looks way harder than it actually is. People see these golden brown biscuits with that garlic butter on top and the little bowls of au jus, and they assume you spent all afternoon cooking. Nope. Half an hour, most of which is just waiting for the oven to do its thing while you sit on the couch. I've had people ask if I catered parties where I literally threw these together during the first quarter of the football game. The secret is out now though - it's just canned biscuits and deli meat arranged in a way that looks impressive.
Craving more food that makes people think you're a better cook than you actually are? Try our Easy Black Forest Cheesecake that looks like it came from a fancy bakery but takes about 20 minutes of actual work. Our Easy Chicken Alfredo Monkey Bread is another pull-apart situation that people demolish at parties - I've seen grown adults fight over the last piece. Or switch gears completely with our Easy Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes that turn boring baked potatoes into something your family will request weekly. Each of these has that same "no way you made this" reaction without needing special equipment or ingredients you can't pronounce.
Share your French Dip Biscuits with us! We love seeing your versions and hearing about who ate the most before everyone else got to the table!
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Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with French Dip Biscuits
French Dip Biscuits
Equipment
- 1 9x13 inch baking pan (Metal preferred for even browning)
- 1 Small saucepan (For garlic butter and au jus)
- 1 Pastry brush (For brushing garlic butter)
- 1 Sharp knife (To separate or trim biscuits if needed)
- Several Small bowls (For serving au jus)
Ingredients
The Biscuit Base
- 1 can Refrigerated biscuit dough - Use flaky "buttermilk-style" for best results
- 4 tablespoon Unsalted butter - Melted for brushing
- 2 cloves Fresh garlic - Minced
- 1 teaspoon Dried parsley - For topping
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder - Optional for extra flavor
The Filling
- ½ lb Deli roast beef - Sliced medium-thin
- 6 slices Provolone cheese - Or mozzarella
- 4 slices Swiss cheese - Optional blend
- ½ cup Caramelized onions - Optional but adds flavor
The Au Jus
- 2 cups Beef broth - Low-sodium preferred
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce - Adds depth
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder - Optional
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper - To taste
- 1 packet Au jus mix - Optional boost
Optional Add-Ins
- 1 tablespoon Horseradish sauce - For heat
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard - For tang
- ½ cup Sautéed mushrooms - For earthy flavor
- 1 teaspoon Fresh thyme - Optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven and grease the pan
- Flatten biscuit dough and arrange in pan
- Add roast beef, cheese, and seal biscuits
- Brush with garlic butter and bake until golden
- Make au jus and serve warm for dipping
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