Flaky, buttery, sky-high biscuits are one of life’s simple joys. When I learned that I would need to be gluten-free for rest of my life, biscuits were one of those simple joys that I was not willing to give up. So, I set to working on gluten-free biscuit recipes!
Over the years, I’ve made some truly awesome gluten-free biscuits, but of all those biscuits, these may be my favorite.
In developing this recipe, I used every trick in the book to make my gluten-free biscuits just as good as the gluten-y ones I remember. All those tricks came with a big payoff!
Speaking of mixing, I find the best way is to rub the butter and flour between your fingers making a motion that mimics snapping.
Also, don’t skimp on the resting time when making these biscuits. Gluten-free flours benefit greatly from resting since they can take longer to hydrate than wheat flour. Also, working with very cold, well-chilled dough makes those biscuits even flakier.
This combination of techniques and ingredients produces a biscuit that is flaky, buttery, and slightly tangy. They are a complete pleasure to eat on their own, drizzled with honey, or topped with strawberries and whipped cream, shortcake-style.
If you’d like to use this biscuit for a savory recipe, like biscuits and gravy or a pot pie, just reduce the sugar to 2 teaspoons.
Over the years, I’ve made some truly awesome gluten-free biscuits, but of all those biscuits, these may be my favorite.
In developing this recipe, I used every trick in the book to make my gluten-free biscuits just as good as the gluten-y ones I remember. All those tricks came with a big payoff!
3 Tips for Mile-High Gluten-Free Biscuits
- Replace the buttermilk with sour cream and a touch of heavy cream. This results in a light texture, a very tender crumb, and a lovely flavor.
- Treat the biscuit dough like a pie crust. Work with very cold butter and cold hands. Also, turn and fold the dough to create distinct flaky layers.
- Bake the gluten-free biscuits in a cast iron skillet with very little room in between each biscuit. The biscuits have almost no room to expand sideways and must puff up high instead. I like using a 9-inch cast iron skillet.
Speaking of mixing, I find the best way is to rub the butter and flour between your fingers making a motion that mimics snapping.
Also, don’t skimp on the resting time when making these biscuits. Gluten-free flours benefit greatly from resting since they can take longer to hydrate than wheat flour. Also, working with very cold, well-chilled dough makes those biscuits even flakier.
This combination of techniques and ingredients produces a biscuit that is flaky, buttery, and slightly tangy. They are a complete pleasure to eat on their own, drizzled with honey, or topped with strawberries and whipped cream, shortcake-style.
If you’d like to use this biscuit for a savory recipe, like biscuits and gravy or a pot pie, just reduce the sugar to 2 teaspoons.
How to Make Fluffy Gluten-Free Biscuits Recipe
Use any all-purpose gluten-free flour mix for this recipe, but check the ingredients to make sure it contains xanthan gum. I use Better Baker in my kitchen.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour, with xanthan gum
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons very cold butter, cut into small pieces, plus more to grease the pan
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream, plus extra to brush the tops
- 9-inch cast iron skillet (or a 9-inch cake pan)
Read More: How to Make Fluffy Gluten-Free Biscuits
