Simple Gluten Free Drop Biscuits {Vegan Option}
Biscuits are meant to be a quick and easy treat, which is why this drop biscuit recipe is ready from start to finish in just 20 minutes! It’s perfect for those busy families who want a delicious gourmet breakfast but don’t have the time to spend hours in the kitchen.
My dad recently went gluten free and he told me the thing he misses the most is good biscuits. When he looked online for recipes they all seemed too involved with all the laminating and complicated drawn out directions. He wanted something easy to make that tasted just like the delicious drop biscuits I grew up eating at home every Sunday morning.
I kept his request in mind when making this recipe and I could not be happier with the results. They are so fluffy and buttery on the inside and go perfectly with some jam or a rich country gravy on top. When I tasted them for the first time I was transported back to my family’s kitchen table on Sunday morning. I can’t wait to share this recipe with all of you, let me know in the comments what you think!
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Ingredients For These Drop Biscuits
- gluten free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1)
- baking powder
- baking soda
- cream of tartar
- xanthan gum
- cornstarch (can be substituted with tapioca flour, arrowroot, or potato starch)
- kosher salt
- unsalted butter (use vegan butter for a dairy free or vegan option)
- granulated sugar
- milk (use milk alternatives for a dairy free or vegan option)
How Are These Biscuits So Light & Fluffy?
When testing this recipe I found that many recipes out there resulted in dense pucks that hardly reminded me of the biscuits I loved as a kid. I worked really hard to make these as light and fluffy as possible and here’s how I did it.
Normally in order to get a more airy flaky texture you would laminate a sheet of cold butter into the dough, folding it again and again to create those flaky layers. Since we are going for ease here you’ll be cutting the butter into very small 1/4″ cubes or grating the butter with a cheese grater to achieve pea sized clumps of cold butter throughout the dough. When baked these small bits of butter melt and create stem which creates the air bubbles and makes them light and fluffy.
Can I Make These Biscuits Vegan?
Absolutely! I originally made this recipe with the intention of making them dairy free and vegan so you don’t have to feel like your compromising with this recipe. In order to make them both dairy free and vegan simply replace the butter with a vegan butter like Earth Balance Butter and replace the milk with a milk alternative like almond, soy, or oat milk.
The Perfect Side For Any Meal
In my opinion biscuits can be a delicious side or main component of any meal, any time of day. Obviously they make a great breakfast item and you can serve them in a variety of ways. Whether you keep it simple and smear them with some butter and jam, make a hearty breakfast sandwich, or even a delicious biscuits and gravy the possibilities are endless
For lunch I like to cut them in half and broil them with ham and cheese to make delicious open face sandwiches.
For dinner these biscuits make a perfect side in place of a roll or slice of bread. They are easy to tear and dip in whatever sauce or soup you are enjoying that night. Try cutting them in half and brushing the inside with some garlic butter and Italian seasoning, they make amazing garlic bread bites.
Why The Cream Of Tartar?
In order to make these drop biscuits taste like buttermilk biscuits I used cream of tartar. This is a common way to make a dairy free and vegan version of buttermilk. In addition to adding some flavor to the biscuits cream of tartar also acts as a stabilizer and keeps the biscuits airy and fluffy after they are baked. Cream of tartar is a common ingredient in meringue and cakes to keep them fluffy and stabilize their structure so they don’t collapse after they come out of the oven.
What Variations Can I Make?
If you are looking for a more savory biscuit try adding some cheddar cheese and garlic powder the the dough to make a cheddar bay biscuit, or simply brush it with garlic butter before baking to give it more of a savory flavor.
If you want a sweet version of this biscuit try doubling the sugar to make the perfect base for a strawberry shortcake!
Simple Gluten Free Drop Biscuits {Vegan Option}
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 whisk
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- 1 Rubber Spatula
- 1 baking sheet
- Parchment Paper
- 1 basting brush
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour See notes
- ½ tsp xanthan gum
- 1 ½ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 8 tbsp chilled butter cut into ¼" cubes (substitute with vegan butter for vegan and dairy free option)
- 1 cup cold milk (Substitute with milk alternative for vegan and dairy free option)
- 2 tbsp melted butter For brushing before baking (substitute with vegan butter for vegan and dairy free option)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange oven rack to the center position. Cut 8 tbsp cold butter into 1/4" cubes and place back into the fridge until ready to use.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together gluten free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cream of tartar together. Take the cold cubed butter out of the fridge and use a fork to cut the butter into the flour until pea size clumps form.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and puour milk into the center of the well. using a rubber spatula, mix the milk into the flour until a loose dough forms. make sure there are no clumps of flour at the bottom of the bowl. Work fast so the butter does not melt, you should still see small clumps of butter in the dough.
- Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup lightly greased with cooking spray, scoop the dough onto prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Using a basting brush lightly brush melted butter over each biscuit.
- Place onto center oven rack and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.