These easy vegan biscuits rise beautifully and they are flaky, fluffy and buttery. The recipe riffs off a classic buttermilk biscuit recipe without the buttermilk and it guarantees the best biscuits you've ever baked. Also included are instructions for making these gluten-free.
Homemade biscuits are a beloved American food, and a much-requested one in our home as well (including vegan buttermilk drop biscuits and vegan sourdough biscuits). The biscuits I make most often, however, are these simple but classic vegan biscuits.
This recipe is simply amazing. The biscuits come together really quickly, so they're perfect for when you're in a hurry or when you have guests over. And they need just six ingredients, most of which almost certainly are in your pantry.
They are also utterly easy to make, with a few caveats to keep in mind that I will share, so you can make the most delicious homemade vegan biscuits ever.
Table of Contents
Why you'll love these vegan biscuits
- Fluffy and melt-in-the-mouth tender. These vegan buttermilk biscuits are so perfect and they will elicit rave reviews from anyone who is lucky enough to eat them.
- Six ingredients and one bowl (or food processor) needed. This vegan biscuit recipe is so simple, and once you have the biscuits cut out they take just 14 minutes in the oven to bake up into perfect, fluffy deliciousness.
- Versatile. You can serve these biscuits for any meal. They make a delicious addition to a vegan breakfast or brunch and you can also serve them for lunch or dinner, or eat them all by themselves--they are so good!
Tips for success
- With biscuit dough, as with pie dough, you want to handle the dough as little as possible, so work quickly. A winter kitchen is friendlier to making biscuits because ingredients remain colder for longer. Keep all wet ingredients, including the milk and butter, refrigerated until ready to use.
- Use a fork to mix your dough. Your hands are warm, and warmth is not good until the time the biscuits hit the oven. You will need to touch your dough a few times, while putting it in cling wrap or while rolling it, and that's fine. Just don't do all of the mixing with your hands.
- Refrigerate the biscuit dough for at least five minutes before cutting out biscuits.
- When you cut the biscuits, flour the cookie cutter lightly and don't wiggle it into the dough as you cut--cut straight down in a decisive motion. This will help the biscuits rise better, with flaky layers.
- Roll the biscuit dough on a lightly floured surface. You want enough flour to keep your dough from sticking, and you should also flour your rolling pin as well as scatter a bit of flour on top of the dough to make rolling easier.
- Round biscuits are classic, but you can also use a square or rectangle cookie cutter, if you like.
Ingredients
- Unbleached all-purpose flour. You might be tempted to substitute whole wheat flour here, and you can, but you will get the most tender, most fluffy biscuits with all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder + baking soda. These will help the biscuits get fluffy and rise a mile high.
- Vegan butter. This will help make the biscuits flaky but soft. You can use any vegan butter, including Earth Balance, Miyoko, Country Crock or one of the many others now in the market.
- Non-dairy milk. I used oat milk. Use any dairy-free milk of your choice, including almond milk, soy milk, cashew milk, etc.
- Apple cider vinegar. This, along with the milk, will create a buttermilk-like chemistry that makes the biscuits flaky and fluffy.
How to make vegan biscuits
1. Mix the non dairy milk with the vinegar and set aside in the refrigerator for a couple of minutes to curdle. This is the vegan buttermilk.
Place the flour in a bowl with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together.
2. Add the cold vegan butter to the bowl with the dry ingredients and, using a fork or a pastry-cutter, "cut" the butter into the flour until you have a coarse mixture with a few pea-size pieces of butter. You can also do this in the food processor--pulse the flour and butter three to four times, for five seconds each time, no more, until the butter has broken down into smaller bits.
3. Slowly drizzle in the nondairy milk and vinegar mixture, and mix with a fork until the dough forms. If doing this in the food processor pour the milk through the feed tube while turning on the "pulse" button in short bursts. You may not need all of the milk. The dough should be moist enough to come together in a ball, but it should not be too wet.
4. Wrap the biscuit dough in cling wrap, flatten into a disc, and place in the refrigerator for at least 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, set the oven to preheat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit/230 degrees Celsius.
5. On a floured surface, roll out the dough about ½-inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out biscuits. Roll up dough scraps and cut more out. You should get about 10-12 biscuits.
6. Place the biscuits at least an inch apart on a baking sheet. You can brush a mixture of one teaspoon oil with one teaspoon non-dairy milk on the biscuits to help them color. Bake for 14 minutes until fluffy and golden brown.
Recipe FAQ
Use two cups of gluten-free all purpose flour and a tablespoon of tapioca starch or tapioca flour. You can also add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum, if the flour doesn't already have some added to it. Proceed with making the dough as instructed. You might need more milk, because gluten-free flours tend to be thirstier. Once you have a dough, pat it into a circle half-inch thick on a floured surface using your hands, not a rolling pin. Bake the biscuits for 18 minutes. They won't be as golden-brown as biscuits made with all-purpose flour, but they will taste amazing.
You can, but biscuits made with wholegrain flour won't be quite as fluffy. But if you want healthier biscuits, go for it.
My family loves these for breakfast with vegan butter and raspberry jam. You can also serve these with a side of vegan scrambled chickpea eggs, or at lunch or dinner with a vegan meatball fricassee or a vegan mushroom gravy or a vegan beef stew.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate leftover biscuits for up to four days.
- Freeze: Flash-freeze the biscuits on a baking sheet in the freezer. Then place in an air-tight container or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to four months.
- Reheat: Heat refrigerated biscuits in a 350-degree preheated oven for 4-5 minutes or until warmed through. If reheating frozen biscuits, reheat 10-12 minutes, no need to thaw first.
More vegan bread roll recipes
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Vegan Biscuits
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoon vegan butter (very cold, straight from the refrigerator. Cut into small cubes just before adding to flour)
- 1 cup non-dairy milk (cold, straight from the refrigerator. I used oat milk),
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Mix the non dairy milk with the vinegar and set aside in the refrigerator for a couple of minutes to curdle.
- Place the flour in a bowl with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together.
- Add the butter to the bowl and, using a fork or a pastry-cutter, "cut" the butter into the flour until you have a coarse mixture with a few pea-size pieces of butter. You can also do this in the food processor--pulse the flour and butter three to four times, for five seconds each time, no more, until the butter has broken down into smaller bits.
- Slowly drizzle in the nondairy milk and vinegar mixture, and mix with a fork until the dough forms. If doing this in the food processor pour the milk through the feed tube while turning on the "pulse" button in short bursts. You may not need all of the milk. The dough should be moist enough to come together in a ball, but it should not be too wet.
- Wrap the biscuit dough in cling wrap, flatten into a disc, and place in the refrigerator for at least 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, set the oven to preheat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit/230 degrees Celsius.
- On a floured surface, roll out the dough about ½-inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out biscuits. Roll up dough scraps and cut more biscuits. You should get about 10-12 biscuits.
- Place the biscuits at least an inch apart on a baking sheet. You can brush a mixture of one teaspoon oil with one teaspoon non-dairy milk on the biscuits to help them color. Bake for 14 minutes until fluffy and golden.
- Serve hot or warm.
Recipe notes
- Use two cups of gluten-free all purpose flour and a tablespoon of tapioca starch or tapioca flour. You can also add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum, if the flour doesn't already have some added to it. Proceed with making the dough as instructed. You might need more milk, because gluten-free flours tend to be thirstier. Once you have a dough, pat it into a circle half-inch thick on a floured surface using your hands, not a rolling pin. Bake the biscuits for 18 minutes. They won't be as golden-brown as biscuits made with all-purpose flour, but they will taste amazing.
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate leftover biscuits for up to four days.
- Freeze: Flash-freeze the biscuits on a baking sheet in the freezer. Then place in an air-tight container or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to four months.
- Reheat: Heat refrigerated biscuits in a 350-degree preheated oven for 4-5 minutes or until warmed through. If reheating frozen biscuits, reheat 10-12 minutes, no need to thaw first.
jacquie
HI - the recipe looks good and i'm looking forward to trying it. I do have one question though as to why the number of biscuits/serving is so different for these compared to your buttermilk ones when the same amount of flour is used. thanks.
Vaishali
Hi Jacquie, it's just the size of the biscuits. You can make them bigger or smaller for more or fewer servings.
Moki
Hello, I have a friend who has just figured out that she has an unpleasant reaction to xanthan gum. Are there any alternatives? Tnx
Vaishali
Hi Moki, skip the gum.
Melissa
I made the gluten free version of these biscuits this morning, right after finding the recipe. They are yummy. They are moist and soft on the inside with a slight crisp to the outside. I followed the directions exactly. I put the dough in the freezer before baking. The only thing keeping it from being a 5 star rating is that the biscuits did not rise very high. I don't know if that's a GF thing or what. It didn't take away from the taste though.
Ann
Could you sub cold coconut oil for the vegan butter?
Vaishali
Yes! Refrigerate it first so it's really firm.
Lucy
Thank you for this recipe. Turned out great!
Hubby and kids liked the biscuits as well. 😉
Vaishali
So happy you made the biscuits, Lucy!
Sharmi
Hi, I am new to the vegan and dairy-free world and love your recipes. I have a question. Have you tried using any gluten-free flours? If yes, what would you suggest?
Vaishali
Hi Sharmi, I tried a gluten-free version of these last night using King Arthur measure for measure which is the gf flour I usually use. It already has xanthan gum added. I have included instructions for making the biscuits gluten-free above, both in the tips section and within the recipe. Hope that helps.
Leslie
Has anyone tried these using all-purpose GF flour? My friend's husband has celiac disease, and as a Southern girl born and bred, she really misses biscuits.
Vaishali
I made a gluten-free version of these last night, and have included the instructions within the recipe, with additional tips above. These turned out delicious.
Anonymous
These were awesome. Best biscuits ever ! I read on some other blog to fold the dough over a few times to make them flaky and turned out perfect.
Anonymous
Baked these a few days ago...something told me it seemed like a lot of baking powder, but I shrugged it off given the other reviews. When they came out, they smelled like baking powder and were bitter. Not willing to give up, I used 1/2 a teaspoon less baking powder than your recipe calls for the next time I made them. This time, they were light, fluffy, savory, and tasted great. No baking powder smell. Wondering if anyone else experienced the baking powder bitterness when they made these.
Phyllis
2 teaspoons of baking powder is the amount traditionally added to 2 cups of flour for biscuits whether vegan or not. I have my grandmother’s biscuit recipe from the early 1900’s & this is what she called for so it’s what I’ve always used. I have found, though, that not all baking powders are the same. I typically use Rumford aluminum free but decided to try Backer’s Cream. The Baker’s Cream gave me that same smell & taste you described so I had to cut back on that one. But Rumford, my go to, I keep at 2 teaspoons. I’m not sure if there are other baking powders out there but something to consider.
Unknown
Hey, loved your bean and oat burger recipe!! THank you!
Unknown
Hey, accidently came upon your site when i was looking for bean burgers. Thank you, tried them out and loved them absolutely............
Anonymous
This is hands down the best vegan recipe site ever! Keep it up girl you're awesome,
Kirsten Lindquist
Just made these - simple and fabulous! Thanks for sharing
Vaishali
Anon, no, that's not accurate. Cookies come in all textures, and in India cookies are called biscuits.
Miranda @The Pinterest Project
Made these tonight, and they are fantastic - my southern born and bred husband even approved, and that's saying a lot!!
Anonymous
Fabulous! Thanks for this recipie. After living in The South(southern US)I did not think it possible that the best buttermilk biscuits I'd taste would contain neither butter nor milk 🙂 . I followed the recipie exactly, though used all (2c) white whole wheat flour (didn't have any pastry flour) and instead of making sour 'milk' with vinegar, I used (plain) nondairy yogurt (in this case coconut-based). They were awesome. Thanks!
Noelle
Just finished devouring 3 biscuits!!!!! They were so delicious! Thanks so much. I will be posting this on my website linked to you!
Anonymous
Just made this recipe with a "chicken" pot pie, and this will definitely be bookmarked.
Vaishali
Anonymous, how wonderful! Thanks for the feedback-- and a very happy new year to you and your family too.
Anonymous
Dear Vaishali
Finally I got a chance to bake these biscuits this year a day b4 Christmas. These tasted heavenly. I used vegan butter and all purpose flour. My fiancee is an Omni and any non-veg food is on his top list. He loved these like anything and said he won't eat biscuits sold outside and even asked me to bookmark your recipe. He cooked Pav-Bhaji (only Bhaji :)) and we all friends enjoyed our dinner with wonderful vegan food including desserts.
Once again, Thank you very much and wish you and Desi and the Pets very happy new year. Keep writing as you get time 🙂
Vaishali
Andrea, glad you liked them. Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Andrea
Oh my goodness, these are amazing! I'm from the south, where we have biscuits for breakfast with our sausage and eggs, or in the evening with dinner too. Since I've been vegan, I've been looking for a good recipe, and now I've found it - just made some and they taste incredible. Thank you so much for this recipe!!
Vaishali
Hi unmadebed, The vinegar with the soymilk produces an acidic mix that acts and tastes like buttermilk. It helps make the biscuits fluffier.
unmadebed
thanks for the recipe, but why did you use vinegar? just curious. and trying to figure out whether or not i can leave it out.
Kat
Thank you! I've been looking for a good dairy free biscuit that has the qualities of good buttermilk biscuits. You have made my day 🙂
Vaishali
Proud to be a vegetarian-- You don't mix in the butter thoroughly. You want it to be dispersed in small pieces throughout the flour so it will melt in the oven and create little flaky air pockets. That's the whole idea behind using very cold fat-- so it doesn't melt into the flour.
I would advise using vegetable shortening instead of butter to make these biscuits really flaky, but if you want to use butter, go ahead and use salted. But leave out the 1/2 tsp of salt in the recipe.
Proud to be vegetarian
In the grocery stores near my house, I can't find the vegan butter in unsalted varieties. Should i try in health food store?
Proud to be vegetarian
Is it really easy to mix cold butter with rest of the things?
Cham
ha ha when I first reached in US I didn't understand the biscuit meaning... Love the way u vegan all the food! They are fluffy & perfect!
vegwife
Those look fabulous! Love the golden color! Yum!
Pavithra Kodical
Yummy biscuits..perfect with a cup of tea.I was also confused about difference between biscuit and cookie when i came to US 🙂
Trupti
biscuits looks very delicious Vaishali. I am not a good baker so I don't know much abt patry flour. Which brand do u use for pastry flour?
Dershana
This one's a keeper , vaishali! thanx.
Mihl
I would totally call these scones. That's how confusing all these food items can be for a second language speaker. But no matter what, they sound delicious.
jayasree
Biscuits looks wonderful,scrumptous. Nice click.
sowmya
looks so fluffy and so perfect..must have been delicious,,.
Happy cook
The looks so yumm, yeah i remember when i moved here it was als a big confusion cookies and biscuits.
Kitchen Flavours
Wow yummy looking biscuits.
Vibaas
Biscuits look perfect. Oh i still refer to cookies as biscuits and my son corrects me. He has accepted marie biscuits as biscuits though 🙂
Sharmila
I have come across biscuits being described as used a part of a meal .. usually used to mop up that last bit of gravy .. I think that is the american version ... love the look of your 'stark naked' biscuits. 🙂 Can feel their discomfit under that glaring camera light. 😉
Sunshinemom
Got that drift because I was having the similar thoughts the other day! There is a very thin demarcating line, or is it there at all? I thought they looked like scones too, and they look delicious!
Soma
U amaze me Vaishalli! I love my Biscuits "Stark Naked" too:-) Only never thought of baking them with soymilk!
Indhu
yummy... I love these biscuits.. Like you said, they can be had with jams, nutella or even with some spicy gravy 🙂
Yasmeen
minus all the fatty butter milk,the biscuits look scrumptious and needless to say much healthier:)
Asha
I love them too, I made biscuit and gravy for breakfast last Sunday. Looks orangy, fluffy and wonderful. Enjoy! 🙂