Gluten-Free Buttermilk Biscuits

4.96 from 528 votes

These gluten-free buttermilk biscuits have taken me a while to get right, and I’m happy to say they hit the spot. This version delivers soft, fluffy, and full of buttery layers that pull apart just like the ones my husband grew up with. No rise, golden tops and tender centers made in just 30 minutes.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten-free biscuits, gluten-free buttermilk biscuits

Servings:

Author: Audrey Roberts

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 tsp xanthan gum leave out if your flour already contains it.
1 tbsp gluten-free baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp 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 tbsp 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 tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour

US Customary - Metric

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.
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!

Notes

I recommend Pillsbury gluten-free flour—it yields the fluffiest results. Other blends like Bob’s Red Mill, Great Value, King Arthur, and Pamela’s contain sorghum flour, which makes the dough wetter and the biscuits less fluffy. If using one of those, increase the flour to 2½ cups.
Always use the spoon & level method to measure flour: spoon it into the measuring cup, then level with a knife. Avoid scooping directly from the bag—it packs the flour and throws off the ratio.

Nutrition