An easy gluten-free biscuits recipe made Southern style with buttermilk. Flaky and tender. The recipe has a dairy-free and Vegan option.
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Gluten-Free Biscuits
If you have been following my blog you probably already know that my husband is from the South- Knoxville, Tennesse to be exact. We spent many years living there and both of my oldest children were born there.
I adore Southern cooking. One of the main food groups in a Southern’s diet is buttermilk biscuits.
In the South, biscuits hold an honored place at your table, no matter which meal is being served. Biscuits are eaten at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
One of the things my husband misses the most since we both went gluten-free is biscuits. For years I was able to buy a gluten-free drop biscuit mix that was pretty good and helped with his biscuit cravings.
Well, I can no longer find the Martha White’s gluten-free buttermilk biscuit mix. So it was time for me to get in the kitchen and work on a gluten-free Southern buttermilk biscuit recipe.
It’s taken me some time to perfect my gluten-free biscuit recipe and I am very excited to share it with you all!
How To Make Gluten-Free Biscuits- Step By Step
The first thing you are going to want to do is Preheat oven to 450° F. I know my oven takes forever to heat up and you want your oven to be nice and hot.
Cut the butter into small pieces and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
If you do not have buttermilk you can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to the cup of milk (or dairy-free milk) and let stand 5-10 minutes in the refrigerator to keep cold. You can also make buttermilk out of dairy-free milk.
In a large bowl add the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (leave out if your flour already has it like the Pillsbury gluten-free flour) baking powder, salt, sugar, and give it a quick whisk or stir to combine the ingredients. (photo 1)
Cut in the butter (or Smart Balance or shortening for dairy-free) into the flour with a pastry cutter or fork into until it looks like the size of small peas. (photo 2 and 3)
Add in the buttermilk and the whisked egg (I whisk the egg right in the buttermilk) and stir until a soft dough forms. The dough will be sticky. (photo 4)
The key is to not over mix the dough because over-mixing causes the dough to yield tough biscuits. There is nothing is worse than a flat, tough biscuit!
Add one tablespoon of flour to a large piece of parchment paper. Please do not roll out the dough.
Place the dough on top of the floured parchment paper. Dust the top of the dough with 1 tablespoon of flour. (photo 5)
Gently fold the dough over on itself 2 times. You do this by folding the dough in half on top of itself and then doing it a second time. (photo 6)
With your hands form a dough round that is about 7 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. If you make it any larger or flatter you will end up with hard, flat biscuits. (photo 7)
Cut out 2-inch biscuits using a biscuit cutter, the mouth of a glass or the lid of a mason jar. Do not twist cutter when cutting; this will crimp the edges of the biscuit causing it not to rise well. (photo 8)
Reform the dough scraps into a dough round and cut out more biscuits.. ( photo 9 and 10)
Put the biscuits in a greased large cast iron pan or a greased baking sheet. You will have 12 biscuits to bake. (photo 11)
Bake the biscuits for 15-20 minutes at 450° F. At the 15-minute point please check your biscuits to see if they are golden brown. Please watch your biscuits because all ovens are different.
I like to brush melted butter on top of the warm biscuits. Serve warm and enjoy! (photo 12)
Pro Tip For Freezing The Biscuits
You can batch make the biscuits and save some for later. Flash freeze the cut biscuits (unbaked) for 30 minutes on a parchment-lined baking sheet before placing them in a freezer bag and putting them back into the freezer. When you are ready to make your biscuits bake the frozen biscuits for 15-20 minutes at 450° F. Please watch your oven because all ovens are different.
The Best Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour For Making Biscuits
These gluten-free biscuits are made with an all-purpose rice flour cup for cup blend. A cup for cup all-purpose gluten-free flour blend is one that already has xanthan gum it.
Most gluten-free all-purpose flour blends have xanthan gum already in them. The xanthan gum helps replace the elasticity and texture of gluten.
Make sure to check to see if the brand of gluten-free flour you are using has xanthan gum in it. If it already has xanthan gum in the blend, do not add any extra xanthan gum to the recipe or you will get gummy baked goods!
My favorite brand of gluten-free flour is Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
I test baked with the Pillsbury Gluten-Free, Betterbatter, Bob’s Red Mill Cup for Cup, King Arthur, Pamela’s, and Great Value Gluten-Free Flour. The Bob’s Red Mill flour, King Arthur, Pamela’s and the Great Value Flour have sorghum flour in it, which is different from the Pillsbury gluten-free flour.
The biscuits made with Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur, Pamela’s and Great Value Brand were not as fluffy and the dough was wetter. If you use the King Authur measure or measure you will need to add more flour to the biscuit dough, so you will need 2 ½ cups of their gluten-free flour.
I have not tried this recipe with either almond or coconut flour. These gluten-free biscuits should only be made with a gluten-free rice flour blend.
Almond flour does not have the same taste and texture of rice flour. Almond flour biscuits are also denser than biscuits made with rice flour. Gluten-free rice flour mimics the taste and texture of traditional wheat flour better than almond or coconut flour.
If you are looking for a biscuit recipe that is made with almond flour try Wholesome Yum’s Low Carb Paleo Almond Flour Biscuits recipe.
Pro Tip For Measuring Gluten-Free Flour
The best way to measure gluten-free flour is the “spoon & level” method. Using a spoon, scoop the flour into the measuring cup. After you’ve spooned the flour into the measuring cup, use the back of a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup. Friends, please do not scoop the flour out of the bag with your measuring cup.
There are so many ways to eat these tender and flaky gluten-free buttermilk biscuits. I love to drizzle them with honey or slather them with strawberry jam. I also like a savory sausage biscuit or a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit.
Dairy-Free Baking
I have also included a dairy-free option to this gluten-free biscuit recipe. My husband, myself and youngest son are all dairy-free as well. So now you too can enjoy a gluten-free and a dairy-free biscuit.
For this recipe, I tested it with both Smart Balance butter and shortening. I preferred the Smart Balance butter over the shortening.
I also used almond milk when baking the dairy-free version of this recipe. Almond milk is my preferred.
To make dairy-free buttermilk add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to the cup of dairy-free milk and let stand 5-10 minutes in the refrigerator to keep cold.
I also really like baking with cashew and coconut milk. If you need to be nut-free you could also use soy milk in this recipe.
Egg-Free Baking
Recipe updated December 2018
We recently found out that my husband has an egg sensitivity. My husband LOVES biscuits, so I knew that I had to try and make my biscuits egg-free.
I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Egg Replacer, which is also gluten-free. They turned out great! They were not as fluffy as my regular biscuits but they were just as flaky and delicious.
I made them both dairy-free and egg-free, so they would also be Vegan gluten-free biscuits. So if you also need to be egg-free or are Vegan you too can enjoy my gluten-free buttermilk biscuits!
Now my family can enjoy authentic Southern buttermilk gluten-free biscuits. I can’t tell you how happy my husband is.
I’ve also turned my gluten-free buttermilk biscuits into Gluten-Free Cinnamon Biscuits {Dairy-Free Option}!
Check out some of my other easy gluten-free breakfast recipes! Below are some of my reader’s favorites.
- Easy Gluten-Free Pancakes {Dairy-Free & Vegan Option}
- Easy Gluten-Free Blueberry Banana Muffins {Dairy-Free and Refined Sugar Free Option}
- Easy Gluten-Free Waffles {Dairy-Free & Vegan Option}
- Gluten-Free Blueberry Scones {Dairy-Free Option}
- Easy Gluten-Free Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins {Dairy-Free Option}
These gluten-free biscuits are flaky on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside- which equals perfection in my book. They are easy to make from scratch, I promise!
★Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below in the comments!★
Gluten-Free Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour I like Pillsbury gluten-free. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum ,leave out if your flour already contains it
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk Make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to the cup of milk and let stand 5-10 minutes in the refrigerator to stay cold. Dairy-free use almond, cashew, or coconut milk and add the vinegar to make dairy-free buttermilk.
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter dairy-free/Vegan use Smart Balance butter, shortening, or Earth Balance butter
- 1 large egg egg-free/Vegan use Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour (I Like Pillsbury gluten-free)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450° F.
- In a large bowl add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and give it a quick whisk or stir to combine the ingredients. I like Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
- Cut the butter into small pieces and put in the freezer for 10 minutes. If you do not have buttermilk make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to the cup of milk and let stand 5-10 minutes in the refrigerator to keep cold. You can also make buttermilk out of dairy-free milk.
- Cut in butter (or shortening for dairy-free) into the flour with a pastry cutter or fork until it looks like the size of small peas.
- Add in the buttermilk and the whisked egg (or egg replacer) and stir until a soft dough forms. (I whisk the egg right in the buttermilk) The key is to not over mix because over-mixing causes the dough to yield tough biscuits. The dough will be sticky.
- Add one tablespoon of flour to a large piece of parchment paper. PLEASE DO NOT ROLL OUT THE DOUGH.
- Place the dough on top of the floured parchment paper. Dust the top of the dough with 1 tablespoon of flour and gently fold dough over on itself 2 times. You do this by folding the dough in half on top of itself and then doing it a second time.
- With your hands form a dough round that is about 7 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. If you make it any larger or flatter you will end up with hard, flat biscuits.
- Cut out 2-inch biscuits using a biscuit cutter, the mouth of a glass or the lid of a mason jar. Do not twist cutter when cutting; this will crimp the edges of the biscuit causing it not to rise well. Reform the dough scraps into a dough round and cut out more biscuits. Put the biscuits on a greased large cast iron pan or baking sheet. You will have 12 biscuits to bake.
- Bake the biscuits for 15-20 minutes at 450° F. At the 15-minute point please check your biscuits to see if they are golden brown. Please watch your biscuits because all ovens are different.
- I like to brush melted butter on top of the warm biscuits. Serve warm and enjoy!
- The biscuits can be stored in an airtight container. They are best enjoyed warm.
Notes
- I like Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
- I test baked with the Bob's Red Mill Cup for Cup, Great Value Gluten-Free Flour, King Arthur, Pamela's, Better Batter and Pillsbury Gluten-Free flour. The Bob's Red Mill flour, the Great Value Flour, King Arthur and Pamela's has sorghum flour in it, which is different from the Pillsbury gluten-free flour.
- The biscuits made with Bob's Red Mill, Great Value Brand, King Arthur, and Pamela's were not as fluffy and the dough was wetter. If you use King Arthur gluten-free flour you will need to add ½ cup more flour to the recipe. So you will need 2 ½ cup of King Arthur gluten-free flour.
- The best way to measure gluten-free flour is the “spoon & level” method. Using a spoon, scoop the flour into the measuring cup. After you’ve spooned the flour into the measuring cup, use the back of a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup. Friends, please do not scoop the flour out of the bag with your measuring cup.
- For dairy-free option use Smart balance butter or shortening, almond, cashew or coconut milk.
- For egg-free use Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Egg Replacer. The egg-free biscuits were not as fluffy as the regular biscuits but were still flaky and delicious!
- If Vegan use egg replacer, shortening/Earth Balance butter, and dairy-free milk. The Vegan biscuits were not as fluffy as the regular biscuits but were still flaky and delicious!
- You can batch make the biscuits and save some for later. Flash freeze the cut biscuits (unbaked) for 30 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet before placing them in a freezer bag and putting them back into the freezer. When you are ready to make your biscuits bake the frozen biscuits for 15-20 minutes at 450° F. Please watch your oven because all ovens are different.
- I have the K&S Artisan Complete Pastry Cutter Set
- Mama says, "Check all of your labels!"
Jenny says
So good! My family immediately told me to save this recipe!
Dee Vadr says
I made these tonight and they came out great! I used King Arthur’s and had to add about 3/4 cup extra flour as the dough was wet. My “regular” recipe uses less milk and no egg, so I will experiment again using no egg to see if 2 cups works. However, adding the extra flour it made 12 biscuits so maybe I’ll just stick with it!
Jennifer says
This was my first try at biscuits. It was simple to do and they did turn out very well. I just have to lower the temp in my oven as they got brown within 7 minutes and would have burned if I kept them in at 450′. I lowered the temp to 400′ and let them continue to bake for another 5 minutes. They were browning more so I took them out and tested one. Absolutely heavenly inside. I’m GF but my husband isn’t and he liked them too. I used Bob’s One2One flour and I did have to add another 1/2 cup and not as much buttermilk to make the dough. Beyond those adjustments, which we always have to do for GF baking, I was very happy with them. I will make them again and recommend this recipe. Thanks
Donna Hill says
I have committed in the past how much I love these biscuits and you’d never know they are GF. I try to keep a batch in my freezer at all times. Just now made some and they’re in the freezer. So very nice to grab a couple as needed and bake them fresh!!
Ah Jones says
My family LOVED these. Best gluten-free, non-dairy recipe I’ve tried. Thank you!
Jess says
OH MY GOODNESS AMAZING!
I wanted to make a treat for my husband and son for when they returned home from grocery shopping for me. Realized I didn’t have eggs.Just eye balled some psylium husk powder and baking soda into the buttermilk ….perfection. can’t even tell the difference. such a good recipe.Thank you!
Lyanna Racedo says
Wow wow wow!!!! I made these using Cup4Cup gluten free flour and wow!!!!!!!!! They are light and fluffy and amazingly delicious!!!!! You would never never know that they were gluten free!!!
Jared says
By far the BEST Gluten Free biscuits I have ever made, light and fluffy with just the perfect crisp on the outside. Did NOT taste gluten free/gritty like so many others-these tasted like FULL WHITE FLOUR SOUTHERN BISCUITS!🙌
Ivey says
YES! This is the Best!
Kylie Sabra says
I used cup4cup in the recipe and followed it exactly. These were every bit as good as, if not better than, my own homemade flour biscuits. I can’t wait for my husband to try them. He says he hates everything gluten free, whether it tastes different or not. Yes. I am rolling my eyes. Well done. I will use this recipe often. Thank
Natasha Klein says
Gluten free recipes are typically not great. This is awesome. Very tasty and fluffy
Kathleen Walker says
Thank you for this recipe! I used Namaste “Perfect Flour Blend” and biscuits were soft and better than anything I’ve made with G-Free flour. 10 stars for this recipe!
Donna Hill says
Being a transplant Mainer from Texas I can tell you these are the absolute BEST southern style biscuit you can make. I would challenge anyone not think they are wheat flour biscuits if using Audreys recommended Pillsbury GF Flour and follow her directions. Highly recommended and now my go-to recipe. Not surprised though as everything I’ve made from this sight has been superb!!
Katelyn Kelly says
These are so good! Not only were these the first biscuits that I ever made but I like the fact that they actually taste good and they won’t upset my stomach. After I put everything together the dough was more like cake batter so I had to add at least another 1/2 cup of flour for it to form the dough round. Probably needed a little more to be honest. Other than that little hiccup I will hold onto this recipe because they taste good, they’re easy to make, and I like to meal prep
Tas says
I made this twice now and it’s fantastic with Better Batter. I tried Bob’s Red Mill AP Flour the last time and I ended up having to add more than an extra 1/2 cup to be able to handle the dough and it ultimately came out grainy so I’ll stick to Better Batter or try Pillsbury next time. I found 450 to be too high – the bottoms burned. 410 worked much better. Just as good when made from frozen.
Emma says
These are OUT OF THIS WORLD! Better than a lot of gluten full biscuits I’ve had. First time around I mixed just a bit too much and made them too small. Next time I barely mixed and cut them bigger and they were everything you want in a biscuit. Thank you!!!
Peggy Ricca says
Wonderful! These are the best gluten free biscuits I have ever had and were easy to make, I made them with my 9 year old Grandaughter, We had fun making them and they turned out wonderful. I used the Pillsbury GF flour. Thank you for all the tips and pictures you have showing what to do and the flash freezing tip. My husband who never eats my gluten free food, tried them and loved them also. I can’t wait to try your other recipes. Thank You, Peggy
Jill says
Hands down the most unbelievably delicious! Even my husband, who dislikes most anything gluten free, loves them!
Tasha says
Excellent real biscuit flavor! It was just slightly sweet (I’d omit sugar if preparing with gravy), crisp outside and fluffy inside. The detailed instructions really made the texture just right. I don’t know what the standard biscuit cutter size is but I was able to make 7 large 3″ biscuits – I’d go with 2.5″ next time. I used Better Batter and store-bought buttermilk. I also used a cast-iron pan and oven thermometer and found that 450, and even 425 was too high – bottoms burned. I would suggest 400-410 for 18-22 minutes. They froze really well but I would suggest baking at 400 for ~20-22 mins from frozen. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Miriam Bell says
These are the best gf biscuits ever!!! I use different 1-for-1 blends and didn’t see the adjustments at the end until they were in the oven. They were still amazing. I cook gf because I am, but no one else is. They loved them. May try to omit sugar and see how they taste. I bet this could have savory herbs added. Thank you!!
Barb Sipes says
This was my first attempt at gluten-free biscuits and they were delicious!
Kim says
As I live in the UK, I used the Doves brand GF self rising flour, increased to 2 1/4 cups, added only a half teaspoon of Xantham gum, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1tbsp sugar. I used a food processor and dropped the mixture on to a greased baking tray. I lightly glazed with an egg wash and although bigger in size, still only baked for 15 minutes. They turned out amazingly, so light and fluffy. Can’t wait to share them with my friends!
Mary Bailey says
finally a GF/Dairy-free biscuit recipe that reminds me of the baking soda biscuits my mom used to make. Came out perfect and enjoyed leftovers for 3 more days, thank you for such a great and easy recipe.Mary B
Keri Rasberry says
These are amazing! The best gluten free biscuit recipe I have found. Believe me I have tried several.
d'shon shapiro says
these biscuits came out deliciously, thanks to the detailed directions. i really appreciate that they helped me to avoid the pitfalls that would’ve made for a lesser product. too bad all recipes aren’t written with such insight!
Elizabeth says
Having not made biscuits in ages, I lack bread options because yeast and wheat and dairy are all forbidden. I tried these, using the flax and water method for egg substitute, and sprinkled in some cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Came out great! (Also chilled the dough for 1/2 hour to allow it to hydrate = a tip on gluten free baking from a local bakery.)Thank you! Will try the cinnamon bun version soon.
Erin says
These are absolutely fabulous! We have a 2 out of 5 celiacs in our house and every one of us LOVED them. Going to try the cinnamon ones for christmas morning,
Shelly Fisher Putnam says
I loved the recipe! Thanks! I substituted apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon of finely ground coconut sugar in the recipe…great flavor, really tender, perfect!
Cait says
My husband has a gluten allergy so family gatherings always end up with me making double meals. I tried this recipe and served them to the whole family. Got compliments and NO ON knew they were gluten free. THANK YOU!! Will definitely be adding this one to my arsenal 😉
MARY L. MUNOZ says
You nailed it is all I have to say, you wonderful baker you. Your family must be so proud.
Thank you so much for the beautifully written recipe. My husband did not say much, just ate.
Ron Fedorchak says
Awesome. I have missed biscuits and gravy since I was diagnosed with celiac. Made a batch and they were terrific. Thank you so much.
Helene says
Wow at last I found some free from recipe that works Having a lot of trouble making bread etc But this recipe is fab Soooo yummy Thank you for the recipe Love it❤️
rockON says
OMG! Thank you! I made this, and the consistency of the dough when I was ready to put it in the oven was really soup-like; it was somewhat formed. I think I needed to add an extra 1/2 cup of flour, like your recipe suggested. Anyway, I didn’t and man…this was AMAZING! Tasted like scones. Like you described, it wasn’t as fluffy as a biscuit but it tasted so good, it was a total hit with my mom, who is a complete kitchen narcissist. Made me feel good to be able to cook a delicious recipe and show her up a bit. Thank you! Honestly, these recipes are empowering women and men everywhere; we no longer have to rely on family members who might not be so nice to show us how to cook good food :).
MC says
These are SO good! Thank you for the recipe. I’ve made them twice now. Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 flour works great here, and I omit the sugar. They’re heavenly!
Frances Anette Bohr says
This is the best gluten free buttermilk biscuit recipe I have ever tried. I used Cup 4 Cup flour and a tad more flour when folding out the dough. They baked up golden, light, and fluffy. Thank you so much for sharing this great recipe.
Jackie says
These were great! I used my own GF mix with various flours. Worked fine. I used a cast iron skillet and brushed a little butter on once they were finished cooking. I think those 2 things take it over the top. I probably melted 2 Tablespoons of butter. Also, your directions were thorough and I felt like I had a grandma helping me through this. thanks!! I’m getting your book!
Ashley says
FANTASTIC! Just what I was craving. I took a stick of butter straight from the freezer for this one and used my hands instead of a fork to get the butter in the dry ingredients. This is my new go-to recipe for gluten free biscuits!
Randy B says
Love, love, love this recipe. The best biscuit recipe I have ever found. So good, my family requests these all the time. I tried them with jalapeno and vegan cheese mixed in. So yummy. I use 3 tbsp of aquafaba for the egg.
Ginger says
Very good recipe! Mine kind of flattened a bit, but I think it was because I didn’t let the butter chill in freezer long enough. They still were tasty though!
Smiles says
Based on these biscuits alone I’m ordering your cookbook. I’m from Texas. I know, and have really missed, biscuits. And not only are they perfect, all the notes regarding the different flours, milks and changes to make and not to make tell me I can trust your recipes. KUDOS Audrey!
Karla says
DELICIOUS. I’m not gluten-free but my sister is, and I wanted options for when we dine together. I compared this with my traditional recipe – very similar but with an egg, and more liquid. I was prepared to be forgiving with a “substitute” recipe, but these knocked my gluten-tolerant socks off. Outstanding. I’ll be keeping this one close.