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Gluten Free Baking Powder Biscuits

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Tender, light, and flaky gluten free baking powder biscuits have a secret ingredient that also makes this recipe unbelievably easy. They’ll have everyone asking if they’re “really” gluten free!

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Your search for the perfect gluten free biscuits is over. I know that sounds like a tall order, but I promise you these biscuits don’t disappoint! They are fluffy and soft and rise beautifully.

Gluten Free Biscuits

When we began eating gluten free 6 years ago, I was making 2 batches of everything: one gluten free, and one with regular wheat flour (anyone been there, done that?) After a while I realized that just wouldn’t work because it was time consuming and too hard to avoid cross contamination with wheat flour in the house.

We gave all our flour away to family and neighbors and set out to make recipes that even the gluten eating kids would love. This Gluten Free Baking Powder Biscuits recipe was perfected just before we made the switch, and the kids begged me to make these over the gluten-filled kind!

(looking for more biscuit recipes? Check out our new 4-Ingredient Easy Gluten Free Biscuits or Blueberry Biscuits

Gluten Free Biscuits

We tried many a biscuit recipe, and many a variation, before coming up with this one. There are a lot of gluten free versions that are just like regular biscuit recipes and we just didn’t feel like they turned out quite the same. Enter this unique recipe for gluten free baking powder biscuits!

We were looking for a biscuit that, in addition to being gluten free, was also tender, light and flaky – without a gritty texture and dense structure.

The secret to making gluten free biscuits without a grainy texture is (shhh! don’t tell) melting the butter. That means you whisk up the wet ingredients, add the dry, mix it all together with a fork, fold over a few times, cut, and bake. Easy peasy, right?

We know it’s a baking chemistry no-no, but you’ve got to trust us on this one – it works! While the melted butter makes for a soft, non-gritty texture, the plain seltzer water lends a beautiful, high rise. 

These biscuits are low maintenance, meaning  you don’t have to work nearly as hard for them as you should (bonus much???)

 Gluten Free Soda Biscuits

Here’s another secret step: You’ll notice the dough will still be fairly sticky, as you can see below. Keeping the dough sticky and coating it in flour keeps the gluten free biscuits soft and tender instead of hard and grainy. I use the same technique with my crescent rolls.

 

You might be asking, Which gluten free flours work well with this recipe? Well, we’re glad you asked! 😉 Because Gluten free biscuits are very delicate and require just the right flour, We strongly recommend using  Cup4Cup.

We realize you may or may not have these in your pantry, but it’s worth the extra effort and cost of keeping a bag on hand for those times when you want a truly good gluten free biscuit! 

While GF Jules and Better Batter are fantastic flour blends for most recipes, their higher starch content doesn’t work well in this recipe. We have also tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill and Grandpa’s Kitchen, and while we also love these and use them in other recipes, they don’t work with this particular recipe.

Gluten Free Biscuits

 

 

Gluten Free Biscuits Pinterest Image

 

Gluten Free Biscuits

Gluten Free Baking Powder Biscuits

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Tender, light, and flaky gluten free biscuits have a secret ingredient that also makes this recipe unbelievably easy. They'll have everyone asking if they're "really" gluten free!

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups high quality gluten free flour (we use Cup4Cup)
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/3 cup club soda or unflavored, unsweetened, sparkling water

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 425°.
    2. Melt 1/3 cup butter in a medium bowl in the microwave. Begin with 10 seconds, remove and stir. Butter should be barely melted.
    3. Whisk sour cream and sugar into melted butter until smooth.
    4. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar and stir with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
    5. Add sparkling water and stir until mixture comes together. It should be fairly sticky.
    6. Lightly flour counter top with about 2 tablespoons more flour mix and turn dough onto counter, turning to fully coat. Be careful not to mix the flour into the dough.
    7. Flatten with your hands into a circle about 3/4" thick.
    8. Fold in half to form a half circle, then in half again to form a triangular shape, and pat to 3/4" thickness again.
    9. Repeat the last step. This folding is what creates the flaky, layered effect.
    10. Cut into circles with biscuit cutter or large cup and arrange in a round cake pan so the biscuits are so close they are almost touching.
    11. Bake biscuits for 7-10 minutes. Remove biscuits just as edges begin to turn a golden brown and be sure not to overcook or they won't turn out so flaky and soft.
    12. These are best served warm. Store any leftovers (if you happen to have any!) in a sealed bag at room temp for up to 2 days.
    13. You can also freeze. To reheat, wrap in foil and place in 300° oven about 5-10 minutes, or microwave individual biscuits about 25 seconds on 50% power.
    14. Feel free to double this recipe if you would like more biscuits.

Notes

I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour and full-fat sour cream and butter for this recipe.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 196Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 531mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 3g

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Krystal

Sunday 12th of November 2023

15 years I have been looking for a biscuit recipe that was not like a hockey puck or gooey on inside! Finally....thank you so much for this recipe! My family loved them!!!

Celeste Noland

Monday 13th of November 2023

Yay!! So happy you're all enjoying them.

Carol

Monday 14th of November 2022

Ok don’t have the water you talk about please give an alternative before I ruin my entire recipe. chicken tonight carol

thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com

Tuesday 15th of November 2022

Sorry Carol, there really isn't an alternative to the sparkling water.

Gina D from Texas

Monday 15th of August 2022

Which of your gf biscuit recipes do you like the best - baking powder or no dairy?

thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com

Friday 2nd of September 2022

I am assuming you mean the baking powder biscuits or the easy 4-ingredient biscuits, and my preference is the 4-ingredient because they are sooo easy and super fluffy! That recipe is my go-to and while I usually make the recipe with cream, the dairy free subs work super well.

Gina

Monday 5th of July 2021

Hi, These look delightful! Coud I drop them in stew for dumplings or would they fall aparrt?

thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com

Tuesday 6th of July 2021

I think that would work!

Jan T

Wednesday 14th of April 2021

I confess I didn't read all the comments, so I hope I'm not asking a question already asked. I am seeking recipes for gluten free that are just for one or two servings. This one looks like it would divide down. Please give some thought to providing this once in a while. So many of us are alone in our gluten free journey and end up passing up these great looking recipes because it's just too much for us to eat. Surely not everyone avoiding wheat has 4 people eager to eat them and we won't even talk about the cost, or the higher carb content.

thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com

Wednesday 14th of April 2021

Thanks for the feedback Jan! This recipe is actually quite small, and you can absolutely half it if you would like. The biscuits also freeze well, as do all of my bread recipes. Hope that helps.

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