Gluten Free Biscuits are tall, fluffy, and tender — just like the real thing! Made with only 5 ingredients, they go from fridge to table in under 30 minutes. Serve as a side dish with dinner, or turn into a lunch or breakfast sandwich. Nobody would ever guess these homemade biscuits are gluten free.
“My Mother in law, who has celiac, said it was the best biscuit she has had in 20 years! Thank you for the recipe!”
I shared a photo of a hot ham and cheese Gluten Free Biscuit sandwich on Instagram the other day, and it about broke the internet.
That is to say, y’all were as excited as I was to devour these light, tall, and tender homemade biscuits that are indistinguishable from the “real thing”.
Made with 5 ingredients in under 30 minutes from start to finish, Gluten Free Biscuits are a cinch to make and bake any night of the week. I cannot tell you how unreal these are!
Watch How to Make It
Easy Homemade Gluten Free Biscuits
If the thought of making homemade gluten free biscuits seems intimidating, I’m happy to report that they’re one of the easiest gluten free baked goods to whip up.
We’re talking 10 minutes of prep to make the dough then cut out the biscuits, before sending them off to the oven to bake for 12-14 minutes.
Don’t call us, we’ll call you, Gluten Free Biscuits!
Emerging buttery and crunchy on the outside, and soft and fluffy on the inside, these biscuits are special enough to serve for the holidays, but simple enough to make every single day if you wanted to.
Ingredients Needed
All you need are 5 ingredients to whip up this gluten-free biscuit recipe:
- Gluten Free Baking Flour Blend: I tested this recipe with three popular gluten free flour blends, and one was the clear winner. I’ll share more below.
- Aluminum-Free Baking Powder: gives our biscuits a tall rise and fluffy interior. Be sure to use aluminum-free baking powder, otherwise the biscuits can have a metallic taste. I like Bob’s Red Mill Aluminum-Free Baking Powder.
- Butter: I use salted butter for all my cooking and baking. If you only have unsalted butter, consider adding a small extra pinch of salt to the dry ingredients. I’ve tested this recipe using both regular butter and vegan butter with great results.
- Salt: seasons the biscuits to perfection.
- Milk: I’ve tested this recipe using everything from whole milk to unsweetened almond milk with great results. I prefer whole milk for the best flavor and overall texture, but dairy-free / plant-based milk work too.
The Best Flour to Use for Gluten Free Biscuits
One of my (and likely your) biggest pet peeves about gluten free baking is that there are dozens of different gluten free all-purpose flour blends on the market, and they all bake up slightly different from each other.
I loathe having to buy a specific flour blend for a specific recipe, but if there’s ever a recipe to do it for, its this one.
That said, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Cup 4 Cup Multipurpose Gluten Free Flour for making gluten free biscuits. This blend was developed by Thomas Keller’s team at the French Laundry, and it blows the other flour blends I tested it against out of the water.
Two of my go-to gluten-free flour blends are Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour, and King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour, and neither came close to Cup 4 Cup in terms of color, rise, and texture. Bob’s baked up better than King Arthur, but if you want the real deal biscuit experience — Cup 4 Cup is the winner, no contest!
Ways to Use Gluten Free Biscuits
There are few things better than a hot biscuit slathered with cold, salted butter, but these biscuits are hearty and sturdy enough to be eaten and used in other ways.
Here are some ideas for what do make with fresh, gluten free biscuits:
- Sausage, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich: top warm biscuit halves with a cooked sausage patty, scrambled eggs, and a slice of American cheese.
- Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwich: top halved biscuits with deli ham and sliced or shredded cheese then broil until hot and melty.
- Make Biscuits and Gravy with ground pork breakfast sausage or shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Strawberry Shortcake: add 1/4 cup sugar to the biscuit dough then bake, slice in half, and layer with homemade whipped cream plus sliced strawberries.
Or, serve fresh biscuits with:
- Homestyle Chicken and Noodles
- Skillet Shepherd’s Pie
- Cast Iron Roast Chicken
- Baked Chicken Breast
- Best Baked Chicken Thighs
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Gluten Free Tuna Noodle Casserole
- One Pot Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie
- Gluten Free Mac and Cheese
- Any soup or stew!
Freezer-Friendly Gluten-Free Biscuits
What tickles me the most about these biscuits is that they freeze and reheat like a dream. Here’s what to do:
- Freeze: cool the baked biscuits completely then transfer to a gallon-size Ziplock freezer bag, seal, and freeze flat.
- Thaw: wrap a frozen biscuit in a paper towel then microwave for 25-30 seconds or until warm.
- Reheat: Slice the biscuit in half then either toast in a toaster oven, or broil with the oven rack placed in the center of the oven until hot and toasted.
Alrighty — let’s get you some homemade gluten free biscuits!
How to Make Gluten Free Biscuits
Step 1: Freeze the butter.
To make Gluten Free Biscuits, we’ll need to cut extremely cold butter into the gluten free flour, baking powder, and salt. You can do this using one of three tools:
If using a pastry cutter OR food processor: dice the butter into 1/2″ cubes then place in the freezer for 10 minutes to ensure the butter is very well chilled before incorporating it into the dry ingredients.
If using a box grater: completely freeze the stick of butter (you’ll need 6 Tablespoons) before grating it using the large side of the box grater. Place the frozen grated butter into the fridge or freezer to keep it well chilled.
Step 2: Cut the butter into the dry ingredients.
These photos show cutting the chilled butter into the dry ingredients with a food processor, but I’ll include directions below for using a pastry cutter or box grater.
Add the gluten free flour blend (again, I highly recommend Cup 4 Cup Multipurpose Gluten Free Flour — if you choose to use a different blend ensure it has a binder such as xanthan gum inside), aluminum-free baking powder, and salt to a the bowl of a food processor then pulse to combine.
Add the chilled butter cubes, pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then pour the mixture into a large bowl.
Recipe Tip
Use the “scoop and level” method of measuring flour vs dipping the measuring cup directly into the bag or container of flour, which ensures we don’t add too much flour to the recipe. Spoon the flour into a measuring cup until it heaps over the top then level it off with the back of a knife.
Recipe Tip
We don’t need to get too crazy about making sure the butter is very finely textured. Some bigger pieces mixed in with littler pieces ensures we’ll have flaky, tender biscuits. We’re looking for pea-sized, or a touch smaller, pieces of butter.
If using a pastry butter: whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl then add the butter cubes and cut into the flour mixture until they resemble coarse crumbs like the photo above.
If using a box grater: whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl then add the grated butter and stir with a fork to combine.
Step 3: Add the milk.
Next, slowly drizzle in milk — again, whatever you have on hand for drinking, though I do love whole milk in these — while stirring until all the dry ingredients come together and the mixture has the texture of sticky cookie dough.
Recipe Tip
The exact amount of milk you’ll need will depend on how “thirsty” your gluten free flour blend is. I usually use ~2 Tablespoons shy of 1 cup milk when using the Cup 4 Cup blend. Other blends may require more, or less.
Like I said, the texture should feel like sticky cookie dough.
If you added a touch too much milk and the dough is extremely sticky, let the dough sit and hydrate for a minute and/or add a touch more flour.
Step 4: Press the dough out.
Turn the gluten-free biscuit dough out onto a lightly-floured surface then press it together until it’s no longer sticky. Next, press the dough out 3/4″ thick.
Step 5: Cut out the biscuits.
Using a 3″ biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits then place them on a parchment-lined half sheet pan.
Press the scraps together then continue pressing out biscuits. You should get 6-7 biscuits total.
Step 6: Bake the biscuits.
Last step is to brush milk or melted butter on top of the biscuits then bake for 12-14 minutes at 425 degrees or until the biscuits are tall and golden brown, rotating the baking pan halfway through.
Recipe Tip
Err on the side of slightly over baking vs underbaking the biscuits to ensure the insides are light and fluffy, vs dense and gummy.
That’s all she wrote! There’s nothing like a hot, homemade gluten free biscuit so I recommend diving in right away. Butter optional, but highly encouraged.
Make these easy gluten free biscuits once, and I promise you’ll have the measurements and method memorized. Truly, that’s how simple they are to make. I hope you enjoy every last crumb!
More Gluten Free Baked Goods
- Gluten Free Focaccia
- Gluten Free Flatbread
- Gluten Free Cornbread
- Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
- Gluten Free Strawberry Muffins
- Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
- Gluten Free Banana Bread
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free baking flour blend, Cup 4 Cup HIGHLY recommended, see notes
- 1 Tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder, Bob's Red Mill recommended
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup milk, plus more for brushing, any kind, see notes
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees then place a piece of parchment paper onto a half sheet pan and set aside.
- If using a pastry cutter or food processor to incorporate the butter into the flour, dice the butter into 1/2" cubes then place inside the freezer for 10 minutes. If using a box grater, freeze the butter completely then grate the frozen butter using the large side of the box grater. Place the grated butter in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
- If using a pastry cutter: add the gluten free flour blend, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl then whisk to combine. Add the butter cubes then cut the butter into the flour with the pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- If using a food processor: add the dry ingredients into a large food processor then pulse to combine. Add the butter cubes then pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl.
- If using a box grater: add the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl then whisk to combine. Add the grated butter then use the back of a fork to incorporate the butter into the flour until the texture resembles coarse crumbs — this shouldn't take long since the grated butter will be small already.
- Slowly drizzle the milk into the flour and butter mixture while stirring with a fork until the mixture comes together. Depending on the GF flour blend, and how "thirsty" it is, you may not need the entire cup. I use ~2 Tablespoon shy of 1 cup milk when using Cup 4 Cup Gluten Free Multipurpose Flour. The mixture should be a little stickier than cookie dough.
- Turn the mixture out onto a gluten free flour-dusted surface then press together until it becomes a workable dough. Press the dough 3/4" thick then use a 3” biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits. Press the scraps together then cut out more biscuits — you should get 6-7 total if your dough is pressed 3/4" thick and you’re using a 3” biscuit cutter.
- Place the biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet then brush the tops with more milk and bake for 12-14 minutes or until the biscuits are browned, rotating the pan halfway through. Err on the side of slightly over baking vs underbaking the biscuits. Serve warm.
Notes
- Read the post in its entirety for all my tips.
- I HIGHLY RECOMMEND using Cup 4 Cup Gluten Free Multipurpose Flour for the best results. Your results may vary if using a different GF flour blend. Whatever blend you use, ensure it includes a binder such as xanthan gum.
- Use the spoon and level technique for measuring flour vs scooping the measuring cup directly into the bag or container of flour to avoid adding too much flour to the recipe. Place a 1 cup measuring cup inside a bowl then spoon the flour inside until it’s heaping over the top. Use the back of a knife to level off the top.
- Be sure to use aluminum-free baking powder, otherwise the biscuits can have a metallic flavor.
- I have tested this recipe using everything from whole milk to unsweetened almond milk with great results. I do prefer whole milk for the best results.
- To freeze/reheat: cool the biscuits completely then place inside a gallon-size freezer Ziplock bag, remove the air, seal, and freeze flat. Wrap a frozen biscuit in a paper towel then microwave for 25-30 seconds or until warm. Slice in half then broil with the oven rack placed in the center of the oven until warmed through and slightly crispy.
- Adapted from Bob’s Red Mill.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
I used the Cup for Cup blend that doesn’t have the milk powder. This recipe is so easy to make and has flaky layers without the folding. My son was diagnosed with Celiac a year ago. I almost wanted to cry when I saw the look of pure satisfaction on his face as he took a bite. My other kids said, “These are the best and don’t taste gluten-free!” Thank you so much!!!! They are absolutely PERFECT.
I can *totally* relate to these feelings – both as a Mom watching their child eat something they never have or haven’t been able to in a very long time, and as a person with CD. THRILLED these were a hit, Kami!!
My Mother in law, who has celiac, said it was the best biscuit she has had in 20 years! Thank you for the recipe!
This truly thrills me, Jami!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
These are the best gluten free biscuits I have had! Excited to have them with gravy for my daughter’s bday tomorrow. Better than the mixed I have tried
YAY! Thrilled these were a hit, Amy! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I have made this recipe twice. The first time I did not use the recommended flour or baking powder and they were ok. The second time I did and they turned out AMAZING! Even my non gluten free child loved them.
Wohoo!! Love hearing this, Angi! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Almost perfect and super easy…. My second batch I did 7 tbl spoons of butter and a tbl of sugar. Perfect! FYI my blue bag cup for cup did not show any milk powder in the ingredients.
Oh my gosh, I just checked their website and looks like they’ve removed the milk powder – it’s not free from the top 9 food allergens. Amazing!! I need to buy a bag of this new recipe to try it out and compare side by side!
Do you think buttermilk can be substituted for milk for this recipe?
Hi Patrice! That could work, though you would need to replace some of the baking powder with baking soda. That said, I would need to do additional testing of the recipe to recommend what the correct amount of both baking powder and baking soda would be if using buttermilk vs regular milk.
So the big hullabaloo around Cup4Cup this Fall was how they changed their famous recipe and omitted the dry milk powder it previously contained, which of course had helped with performance and flavor and made the product a favorite of many. So, were your biscuits made with the old bag recipe or the new dairy free recipe? I assume the new dairy free recipe, because of the modifications offered? Just curious. I wanna have the best chance at decent biscuits. Thank you much.
I have not heard anything about them removing the milk powder! My bag and the products on their site (and Amazon) all contain milk powder!
I just double-checked their website — their Ancient Grains mix is dairy free, however this biscuit recipe is formulated using their Multipurpose flour as shown in the blue bag in these photos.
can I use the dough to make ake monkey bread?
Hi Deb! I haven’t tried using this dough to make Monkey Bread so I can’t say for sure. Let us know if you give it a try!