These fluffy Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Biscuits are easy and quick to make. With cassava flour and tapioca starch for a light texture (making them grain-free, too) and coconut oil for a tender crumb. They're so delicious served warm with a little vegan butter and jam. Gluten-free, vegan.
Easy Biscuits in No Time
Flaky layers and a light, buttery texture are what I look for in a great biscuit and these deliver on both fronts. I love that they're so easy to make, no gums or store-bought gluten-free flour mixes needed. Just simple ingredients and great flavor. Serve them up for brunch or alongside a hearty soup for dinner.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
Almond milk - Combines with the lemon juice to form the dairy-free 'buttermilk' which binds the dough together plus keeps the biscuits moist. Use unsweetened, unflavored almond milk.
Lemon juice - Gives the biscuits a subtle tangy flavor and helps to make them tender. The acidity also reacts with the baking powder, letting the biscuits rise nicely.
Cassava flour - A grain-free, gluten-free flour with a neutral flavor made from the yuca root. I like Bob's Red Mill brand.
Tapioca starch - A light powder also made from the yuca root but processed differently to extract only the starch. It helps to bind everything together to prevent the biscuits from crumbling.
Baking powder - A raising agent which reacts with the almond milk and lemon juice to produce air bubbles. This lifts the biscuits giving them a light texture.
Coconut oil - Keeps the dough tender and buttery. You can also use vegan butter, if preferred. Whichever fat you use, ensure it's cold as this produces light, flaky bicuits.
How to Make Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Biscuits
Before you start: Preheat the oven to 425°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 1: In a small bowl combine dairy-free milk and lemon juice. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the cassava flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, and salt.
Step 3: Cut the cold coconut oil or vegan butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Step 4: Pour in the dairy-free milk mixture and stir just until a soft dough forms.
Step 5: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (use cassava flour). Gently pat into a 1-inch-thick round.
Step 6: Cut into biscuits using a round cutter or sharp knife. Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 7: With a partry brush, brush tops of biscuits with almond milk. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until lightly golden and set. Cool slightly before serving.
Variations
Once you're familiar with making biscuits, you can customize this base recipe endlessly!
- For sweet biscuits, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of cane sugar to the dough. You can also sprinkle a little sugar on their tops before baking for a crisp crust.
- As a savory twist, add 1 tablespoon finely sliced chives and a handful of shredded, dairy-free cheese to the dough.
- Mix chocolate chips or raisins into the dough to make a sweet scone.
- Mix pitted, chopped olives and some fresh thyme leaves to the dough for a savory scone.
Recipe tips
- Using cold ingredients and working quickly with the dough are key to making light, flaky biscuits.
- Roll out the dough to ¾ to 1-inch thick. If you go thinner, your biscuits won't turn out nice and tall.
- When punching out the biscuits, don't twist the cutter. This can prevent them from rising as much.
- Brush the biscuits with a little melted vegan butter once baked to keep them soft.
FAQs
Yes! They freeze really well and can be baked from frozen.
Freeze the formed, unbaked biscuits on a lined baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen according to the recipe, you may need to add 2-4 minutes extra to the bake time to ensure they're baked through.
This can be down to a few things. Firstly, it can happen if you roll the dough too thin. Warm ingredients (especially the coconut oil or vegan butter) can also make the biscuits turn out flatter and denser. Lastly, it could be that you're using out-of-date baking powder.
If you're after a simple breakfast, try them out with some homemade strawberry compote and a little vegan butter. They're also great served alongside hearty stews or soups like this Chicken & Sweet Potato Soup.
More Cassava Flour Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Biscuits
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk, plus extra for brushing tops or other dairy-free milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup cassava flour
- ½ cup tapioca starch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup vegan butter or solid coconut oil cold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl combine dairy-free milk and lemon juice. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cassava flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut the cold vegan butter or coconut oil into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Pour in the dairy-free milk mixture and stir just until a soft dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (use cassava flour). Gently pat into a ¾ to 1-inch-thick round.
- Cut into biscuits using a round cutter or sharp knife. Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Use a pastry brush and brush tops with dairy-free milk.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until lightly golden and set. Cool slightly before serving. Best served freshly baked.
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