These fluffy gluten free biscuits are like little pockets of buttery, flaky Heaven. Featuring gluten free flour and rich, creamy buttermilk, they are great when eaten sweet or savory.
Our gluten free biscuit recipe is perfect for a yummy breakfast, a side dish, or even for a comfort snack. They are incredibly easy to make and you may have to double the recipe because everyone will go for seconds or thirds! They do at our house…
I will say that these gluten-free buttermilk biscuits are still one of the best recipes from my mom’s kitchen to date. They are great on their own or perfect for making gluten free sandwiches.
Gluten free biscuits were always the recipe we chose to feature at cooking demos or book signings we have done for the cookbook my mom and I wrote together, Gluten-Free on a Budget. They are featured in there and are always a crowd favorite.
They just have that wow factor that people can’t resist. They are always in awe with the taste and texture of these big, fluffy biscuits!
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I say this not to boast but to let you know that REALLY good gluten free biscuits are possible. I could literally eat them everyday and be a happy gal. Well these and my moms BEST gluten-free cinnamon rolls…
How to get really fluffy gluten-free biscuits
It is KEY that you not over work them. Only shape them out once then cut your biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Put the extra dough aside and proceed to roll out more from the original batch.
When you’ve done that and have a collection of “seconds”, or the dough that has already been rolled out once, use it to roll out one more disc to cut biscuits from. The reason for this is because we don’t want to much air getting into these and taking away from that ultra fluffy biscuit results. Trust me, if you follow these directions, you will get big, beautifully flaky gluten-free biscuits of your dreams!
Pro Tip: Try to work the dough as little as possible both in your mixer and when cutting. Shape it once and cut biscuits out then put “scrap” dough to the side. When ready, combine all scrap dough and shape to make more biscuits.
Pro Tip: To get a more golden topped biscuit, simply spread butter on top the last three minutes of baking. This will get them more golden.
What you need
Gluten-free baking may seem overwhelming, but it is really easy to make these flaky biscuits. This recipe requires simple ingredients and patience. We also have a whole post dedicated to how to work with gluten-free flours and starches.
Flour Mixture
The base of the biscuit dough is flour. For the best gluten-free biscuits, you need a gluten-free flour blend. This recipe calls for brown rice flour, sorghum flour, almond flour, and coconut flour.
Another important ingredient in this flour mixture is xanthan gum. Xanthan gum keeps all of the different gluten-free flours together and adds thickness. So for these buttery biscuits to be the perfect gluten-free biscuits, they need xanthan gum.
Arrowroot
It can be tough to make a gluten-free version that is flaky and fluffy, but cultured dairy lightens them up and apple cider vinegar helps with flakiness. Arrowroot and gelatin are important in this recipe because they act as binders when not using any eggs.
How to make them
- Preheat oven to 450°. In a stand mixer mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients (as shown in photo 1). Using a cheese grater on large or coarse size, grate butter into flours (as shown in photo 2) and mix until crumbly.
- Add the buttermilk, sour cream and vinegar (as shown in photo 3). Only mix it until it pulls together. Over mixing will yield hard biscuits. The mixture will be slightly wet. Let it rest for 20-25 minutes (as shown in photo 4).
- Shape the dough with your hands (for REALLY fluffy biscuits, do NOT roll the dough out with a rolling pin) on parchment or a non-stick baking sheet, to 1”-1 1/2″ thick and cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter.
- Gather remaining dough and use your hands to create another disc. Cut more biscuits out. Bake on a parchment or silicone mat covered cookie sheet for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Definitely! Once you make the dough and cut it into discs, place them on a silicone lined baking sheet and flash freeze for 30 minutes. Remove them from the freezer and place them in freezer ziploc bags. They will keep in the freezer for 1 month or in the deep freeze for 3 months. When you are ready to enjoy them, simply remove, unthaw and bake as directed. Or you can bake from frozen just add an additional 3 minutes to the cook time.
As with all our best recipes like gluten-free crescent rolls and the BEST cinnamon rolls, it is best to stick with our specific list of gluten-free flours to get the best result. For example, arrowroot and gelatin act as binders and the combination of other flours and ingredients truly give the most authentic gluten-free biscuit. However, King Arthur gluten-free all purpose flour does work in these they just won’t be quite as great.
While I haven’t tried them dairy-free myself, I believe you make dairy-free biscuits by using full-fat coconut milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice in place of the buttermilk. You would also then need to use a dairy-free sour cream and Earth Balance butter sticks. Be sure to still freeze the sticks and grate it into the biscuits for the same buttery effect.
Allow the biscuits to cool to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container. Place parchment paper between each layer of biscuits so they do not stick together.
More gluten-free bread recipes
If you love this recipe, please let us know below. Consider leaving a comment, a rating or sharing on social media. We are so grateful for wonderful readers like YOU! Here are some other great recipes…
- Gluten Free Sourdough Bread (Honey Whole Grain)
- Fluffy Gluten Free Crescent Rolls
- BEST Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- French Toast Bites
- BEST Gluten-Free Waffles
Also, you can find over 100 delicious gluten-free recipes like this in our cookbook, Gluten-Free on a Budget. Even my mom’s coveted flaky pie crust recipe is even included! Get your copy HERE.
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Fluffy Gluten Free Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup brown rice flour
- 1/3 cup sorghum flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca starch
- ½ cup potato starch
- 2 tablespoons almond flour
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon gelatin
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon Realsalt
- 2/3 cup butter cold
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to o 450°. In a stand mixer, combine all dry ingredients (as shown in photo 1). Using a cheese grater on large or coarse size, grate butter into flours (as shown in photo 2) and mix until crumbly.
- Add the buttermilk, sour cream and vinegar (as shown in photo 3). Only mix it until it pulls together. Over mixing will yield hard biscuits. The mixture will be slightly wet. Let it rest for 20-25 minutes (as shown in photo 4).
- Shape the dough with your hands (for REALLY fluffy biscuits, do NOT roll the dough out) on parchment or a non-stick baking sheet, to 1”-1 1/2″ thick and cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter.
- Gather remaining dough and use your hands to create another disc. Cut more biscuits out. Bake on a parchment or silicone mat covered cookie sheet for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Video
Notes
Can you make these dairy-free?
While I haven’t tried them dairy-free myself, I believe you could do it by using full-fat coconut milk with 1 T lemon juice in place of the buttermilk. You would also then need to use a dairy-free sour cream and Earth Balance butter sticks. Be sure to still freeze the sticks and grate it into the biscuits for the same buttery effect.Can you freeze gluten-free biscuits?
Definitely! Once you make the dough and cut it into discs, place them on a silicone lined baking sheet and flash freeze for 30 minutes. Remove them from the freezer and place them in freezer ziploc bags. They will keep in the freezer for 1 month or in the deep freeze for 3 months. When you are ready to enjoy them, simply remove, unthaw and bake as directed. Or you can bake from frozen just add an additional 3 minutes to the cook time.How to store the leftovers
Allow the biscuits to cool to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container. Place parchment paper between each layer of biscuits so they do not stick together.How to get really fluffy gluten-free biscuits
It is KEY that you not over work them. Only shape them out once then cut your biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Put the extra dough aside and proceed to roll out more from the original batch. When you’ve done that and have a collection of “seconds”, or the dough that has already been rolled out once, use it to roll out one more disc to cut biscuits from. The reason for this is because we don’t want to much air getting into these and taking away from that ultra fluffy biscuit result. NOTE: Try to work the dough as little as possible both in your mixer and when cutting. Roll it out once and cut then put “scrap” dough to the side. When ready, combine all scrap dough and roll out to make more biscuits. Basically, you want to treat them like little angels or they will not be fluffy and super duper soft. Once you make the dough and cut it into discs, place them on a silicone lined baking sheet and flash freeze for 30 minutes. Remove them from the freezer and place them in freezer ziploc bags. They will keep in the freezer for 1 month or in the deep freeze for 3 months. When you are ready to enjoy them, simply remove, unthaw and bake as directed. Or you can bake from frozen just add an additional 3 minutes to the cook time. Pro Tip: To get a more golden topped biscuit, simply spread butter on top the last three minutes of baking. This will get them more golden.Nutrition
Video by Amie Pendle. This post was originally published in our cookbook in 2014. Here is a glimpse of the photo…
This post was originally posted on March 18, 2019 but has been updated with new tips and information on September 22, 2022.
Sydney Besendorfer says
These turned out so good! They are so fluffy and have the same texture as regular biscuits Im so happy to have found a really good gluten free biscuit recipe that everyone loves!
Chandice says
Thanks so much, we are so glad you like them!! You can enjoy them either sweet or savory too. 🙂
April Farmer says
Ok, these are the BEST biscuits I have ever eaten! I don’t normally eat gluten free, but I would choose these biscuits over any others any day. They are flaky and fluffy, and oh so delicious! They are a must try. You’ll be hooked, I promise!
Chandice says
I love that even non gluten-free eaters like yourself love them, thanks so much April! 🙂
Ann says
These look amazing! Can I use Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream?
Chandice says
I haven’t tried but it’s worth trying…the cultured dairy is what is needed.
Brittney Long says
YUM! These are something that is a comfort food for me and would be perfect for a Sunday morning biscuits and gravy. Thanks for the recipe!
Chandice says
Thanks Brittney! Yes, that’s our favorite time to enjoy them too 🙂
Celeste says
I LOVE a good biscuit, and these look great! So fun that you can make your Mom’s biscuits gluten free.
Chandice says
Thanks Celeste! I always love when a traditional recipe turns out just as delicious gluten-free. 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
They looks lovely! Perfect texture and crumb!
Chandice says
Thanks so much Rebecca! We love them around here 🙂