Gluten free biscuits are a staple around my house. If your family is like mine, you need a great gluten free buttermilk biscuits recipe (whether you use dairy or not — read on for that secret!) you can rely on time and again to make any morning special.
In fact, a great biscuit can make just about any meal better. Of course there’s always biscuits and jam, but breakfast sandwiches and bread for your supper are great occasions for delicious gluten free biscuits, too!
There are several ordinary ingredients but the recipe is SUPER easy, and that makes it all the better! I’ve heard from so many readers that this gluten free buttermilk biscuits recipe has impressed their friends and family, that I’m confident you’ll be baking this recipe happily, too. Like Andrea did with my gfJules Flour!
Southern biscuits or baking powder biscuits, made gluten free of course, are one thing I am passionate about; politics are not another. I actually try to stay out of party politics entirely. During election season though, it’s pretty hard to ignore.
So what, you might ask, do politics have to do with biscuits? While there’s nothing overtly political about biscuits, they did make the Comedy Central “news” once during the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In one of my favorite episodes, the crack reporting team on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show (I really miss that show, do you?) did some color commentary on my home state.
Al Madrigal praised North Carolina Barbecue and noted that,
Any food you buy in North Carolina is served on a biscuit. I ordered a biscuit and it came inside another biscuit!
Well, I can’t disagree. Isn’t that the way it should be?
So, for all of you gluten free folks who fear you will never again enjoy a biscuit inside a biscuit, I give you my gluten free Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe! It, along with 149 other delicious gluten-free recipes, can also be found in my third book, Free for All Cooking.
You can also watch my step-by-step video on how to make these easy and delicious southern staples (note: the video uses my old flour blend from my old company — don’t get confused! Remember, you’re watching for technique; my award-winning gfJules Flour works even better!).
I’ve added a “rough pastry” technique that you can skip to make drop biscuits or add for even more flaky layers — either way, these gluten free biscuits are light and delicious, just like you remember and hope for!
Simply mix this easy one-bowl recipe and roll out gently. Then press straight down with your biscuit cutter.
The rough pastry method sounds a bit fancy, but it’s really not; a fairly quick method that certainly doesn’t take an extra degree to perfect. The idea is that by layering and re-rolling the dough, the cold butter inside and the flour on the outside will help to form layers as it bakes.
The net result? Gorgeous, light, fluffy and airy gluten free buttermilk biscuits just like you’ve been craving! You’ve just got to trust me and TRY IT!
Or just make it the old fashioned way and enjoy. Either way, you’re going to love having great gluten free biscuits in your life.
You’ll see – try it both ways and see which you prefer. And of course, feel free to top with butter, jam or your favorite breakfast meat. These babies are just begging to be eaten all day long!
No matter which way you vote, I hope we can all agree that yummy gluten free biscuits should be on YOUR menu! (And check out My Gluten Free Kitchen’s take on this recipe, too!)
If you’re into SUPER EASY with just a few ingredients already in your pantry + gfJules Flour, of course, then you need my Easy Gluten Free Biscuit Recipe which makes fluffy biscuits in under 20 minutes!
Where this buttermilk biscuits recipe with rough pastry technique makes loads of layers, my easy biscuit recipe makes super fluffy drop or rolled biscuits instead. There are no wrong answers with these great choices!
Also check out Karen at Healthy Gluten Free Family’s 7 ingredient Gluten Free Biscuit Recipe for another Drop Biscuit option made with my gfJules Flour!
To see the full-octane BUTTERMILK (dairy) version of this gluten free recipe with my gfJules Flour, check out Michelle at My Gluten Free Kitchen’s site for the recipe!
Gluten Free Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Light, airy, flaky, buttery ... all the things that belong in a biscuit -- these Gluten Free Buttermilk Biscuits have them, even dairy-free!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (270 grams) gfJules® All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. coarse sea salt (OR 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt + 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt)
- 1/4 cup powdered buttermilk (like Saco) OR powdered dairy or non-dairy milk OR gluten-free powdered vanilla pudding mix like Jell-O brand (biscuits will be sweeter)** -- do not reconstitute -- add as powder!
- 4 Tbs. butter or non-dairy alternative (Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks) – cut into small cubes and freeze or use frozen and grated
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (OR half & half OR liquid non-dairy creamer like So Delicious® Coconut Creamer OR non-dairy milk PLUS 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar)
- 1/2 cup sour cream, dairy or non-dairy (like Kite Hill Vegan Sour Cream) OR plain yogurt, dairy or non-dairy
- melted butter OR milk (dairy or non-dairy) to brush on tops before baking OR may use egg wash of one full mixed egg + 1 Tbs. water
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375° F (static) or 350° F convection.
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or in a food processor only just until you achieve the consistency of coarse meal — do not over-process.
If not using powdered buttermilk, add apple cider vinegar to measured half & half /creamer/milk ingredient. Add together with sour cream to dry ingredient bowl and stir with a fork to combine. If the dough does not hold together once mixed, stir in more milk, one tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together well and is not dry.
Pat the dough onto a lightly floured (with gfJules Flour) counter or pastry mat, patting to an even 1 inch thick.
Quick method:
Dip a biscuit cutter into more gfJules Flour and push straight down to cut the biscuits; do not twist with the cutter. Repeat with remaining dough, gathering dough scraps together when necessary, and re-patting flat to cut more biscuits.
Rough Pastry Method:
Fold the pastry into thirds, as shown in the 4-square photo. Once folded, gently roll out again and fold again; then repeat the process once more, rolling to the thickness of the biscuits you prefer.
Dip a biscuit cutter into more gfJules Flour and push straight down to cut the biscuits; do not twist with the cutter. Repeat with remaining dough, gathering dough scraps together when necessary, and re-patting flat to cut more biscuits.
____
Transfer each cut biscuit to a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick the tops with a fork a few times. Brush each biscuit with milk or egg wash, and lay a thin pat of butter or dairy-free alternative on top, if desired, before baking.
Bake for approximately 12 minutes (depending on thickness - may need to add time), or until the tops are lightly browned and the dough resists when pushed lightly with a finger. They should NOT be hard, so do not overcook!
Yield: 6-9 biscuits (depending on size)
Notes
Nutrition Information
Yield 9 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 256Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 73mgSodium 742mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 1gSugar 21gProtein 7g
Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.
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Hello, I am a little confused. Do I used both of these steps for ingredients or is it one or the other?
-1/4 cup powdered buttermilk OR powdered dairy or non-dairy milk NOT reconstituted (Vance’s DariFree™ Non-Dairy Milk Alternative or powdered Coconut Milk)
-1/2 cup half and half OR liquid non-dairy creamer (So Delicious® Coconut Creamer) or non-dairy milk like almond, coconut or organic soy (depending on the viscosity of the milk you choose, you may need to add more — add more milk until the dough holds together without crumbling but isn’t wet and sticky)
Hi Brittany, sorry for any confusion but yes, those are two totally separate ingredient listings. The powdered milk helps with structure and it’s not reconstituted, so you add as powder. The other milk ingredient is the liquid. I hope that makes sense! Enjoy!
~jules
Can you help me understand when/if you add the ACV? Recipe says “ apple cider vinegar (only if not using powdered buttermilk).” I thought the video used buttermilk powder AND the ACV. Thought the ACV went onto the liquid to sour it…? Can you tell me what I’m missing? They look so yummy….
Hi Barb, so glad they look so yummy to you! I do hope you make them soon!! To clarify — you really can’t get it wrong!
I write my recipes to be dairy-free and then offer the dairy as an option, so it can get confusing because there are so many options. So, I’m sorry for that confusion!
You can use liquid buttermilk AND powdered buttermilk, but you don’t have to.
If you’re using actual buttermilk powder, then you don’t need to use buttermilk as the liquid, you can just use milk.
Of course, there’s no need to add the apple cider vinegar to milk to turn it into buttermilk if you’re using actual buttermilk.
If you are using powdered milk, not powdered buttermilk, then you’ll want to curdle your actual milk if it’s not buttermilk — you do that by adding apple cider vinegar.
As long as one ingredient — liquid or powdered — is buttermilk-y, then you’ll be good.
I hope that makes more sense!!! It’s really mostly just for flavoring, anyway.
Let me know how it goes!
~jules
Omg amazing! I just made them tonight. I haven’t had a gluten free biscuit and I had to go Gf almost two years ago and it hit the spot. The flour is expensive but it is worth it. I’ve also done chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies and they are awesome as well. So nice to have flavor back in my life!
YAY! So happy you don’t have to go without favorite recipes any longer, April! It’s not expensive if everything you make with it turns out and you’re proud to share! It’s when baking with sub-standard flours and they go right into the trash that is so wasteful of time and money! Thanks so much for letting me know how well you’re liking the recipes and my gfJules Flour!
~jules
YUM! I finally made them! YUM I say!!
My son who doesn’t need to eat gluten free loved these biscuits! Thank you for your great recipes for my other son who has celiac disease. He has done without so many things that he used to eat before we knew what was going on. Now he doesn’t haven’t do eat differently from the rest of us!
Exactly, Trish!!! That’s the way it’s SUPPOSED to be! I’m so happy they BOTH loved the biscuits and they can share them together from now on, without one feeling left out or different. Life is a much happier place when you share experiences with others!! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know!
~jules
I really appreciate the dairy-free alternatives you provided 🙂 These look incredible! Definitely giving them a try soon
Always, Jenna! We don’t do dairy so you know the recipes on my site will work without traditional dairy. Happy it was useful to you!
~jules
Oh my gosh, these look so great! I grew up with buttermilk biscuits but have yet to attempt making a gluten-free version. I can’t wait to try these!
Wonderful! I can’t wait to hear how you like it!
~jules
No one will ever be able to tell these are gluten free! They look perfect!
Thank you, Erin!
~jules
Jules, this recipe is so good, my non gluten free friends and family can not tell these are gluten free! I always double the recipe for leftovers. I wrap each cool biscuit individually, put in a freezer bag and freeze. When I want one all it takes is unwrap, put on a small plate, microwave for 15 seconds, turn it over and another 15 seconds, awesome. Your is the only recipe that actually tastes like a real one! Thanks for all your testing, and flour blend!
Oh Roberta that makes me SO happy to hear! And how smart of you to make extra and freeze them! I’m going to have to do that next time I make them!!!
~jules
What do you mean by wrap? Like put a paper towel around it before the ziplock bag?
Hello! love your recipes! I’ve seen you sometimes use vegan protein powder as powdered buttermilk substitute, would that work here as well? Any vanilla flavored vegan powder would work? Thank you!!
Hi Brenda – yes, I think it would work well here, too. Choose a powder that actually tastes good by itself, as it will impart a flavor in these delicate biscuits. Enjoy!
~jules
Another successful recipe!! These were easy to make and quite delicious! Thanks for such fantastic recipes and a phenomenal product!
YAY Cheryl!!! So happy you loved it!!!
~jules
Can these biscuits be frozen before they are cooked?
Hi Cynthia – sure! Then thaw them before baking. Enjoy!
~jules
So Wonderful! First time biscuits were flaky and rose fairly well (especially vs my previous gf recipes which were generally rocks). Definitely recommend.
SO happy you loved these biscuits! It’s such a wonderful gift to get flaky biscuits back, isn’t it? Seems like most GF biscuits are like rocks or hockey pucks. At least now you have real biscuits back in your life!
~jules
These were really good thx for sharing!
So glad you loved them, Jessica! Thanks for letting me know!
~jules
I made the biscuits tonight because we wanted breakfast for dinner. They were beautiful and delicious! I might use less salt next time as they were a bit salty but that’s my preference as I just don’t care for the taste of salt. We had biscuits and gravy and enjoyed every bite. Thank you for the recipe!
YAY for breakfast at dinner! I’m so glad you tried the recipe and loved it. And yes, you can easily cut back on the salt, especially if you’re making biscuits and gravy.
~jules
Jules, where would I find powdered buttermilk? Can’t wait to make these! Thanks for another fab recipe!
Hi Sherry, powdered buttermilk is usually on the baking aisle in the grocery store, but you can also get it on-line here. Enjoy the recipe!
~jules
I have been looking for a good GF biscuit recipe. I can’t wait to try it for our memorial day brunch this weekend!
Wonderful, Kris! I hope you love it!
~jules
This is one of the best GF biscuit recipes!!! I was wondering though if you might have any insight as to why mine wouldn’t rise or be as flaky as the one in your picture? I followed the recipe pretty much to a T except for not using frozen butter and using light sour cream.
HI Desire, I’m so glad you love the recipe! Next time try making the biscuit dough thicker and following the directions that way. Meaning, when you put the biscuit dough on the baking sheet, make sure it’s at least 1 inch tall. You may have to bake them a little longer. Let me know how it goes!
~jules