The BEST gluten free biscuits recipe! 4 ingredients + 5 minutes prep and SO fluffy! you'll never make another recipe. Dairy free option too!
Are you looking for a light, fluffy, and easy gluten-free biscuits recipe - one that isn't hard or dense or grainy? Well, I spent years developing this 4-ingredient gluten free biscuit recipe, and just know you're going to love it!
In fact, every time I make these simple gluten-free biscuits, my 4 gluten-eating kids remind me that they're better than traditional biscuits. #win
Table of Contents
ABOUT GLUTEN FREE BISCUITS
This is actually my second recipe for gf biscuits. My original recipe was also great, but had a few more ingredients and steps. I love the simplicity and versatility of this one!
It literally makes the best flaky biscuits and uses just a few simple ingredients. I love that you only need a bowl and spoon-no food processor or pastry cutter.
I've used this basic recipe to make monkey bread, gluten free blueberry biscuits, gluten free biscuits and gravy, gluten free strawberry shortcake, and cheesy biscuits for breakfast sandwiches.
You can use it in any recipe calling for Pillsbury biscuits or serve these flaky, buttery biscuits on their own. They're also a great (easy!) sub for gluten-free rolls!
INGREDIENTS IN GLUTEN FREE BISCUITS
- Gluten-free flour I recommend Cup4Cup
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Whipping cream see notes below for a dairy-free option
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST GLUTEN FREE BISCUITS
You will be amazed at how simple this recipe is, even simpler than traditional biscuits. It literally takes 5 minutes to get them in the oven. Here's how to make the best gf biscuits:
- Stir dry ingredients together in a medium or large bowl
- Add cream and stir - the dough should be wet and sticky
- Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet or pan about 1 inch apart OR roll a little over 1 inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter
- Brush a little cream on top of the dough (I just use what's left in the measuring cup)
- Bake until golden brown on the top and bottom and done inside. They are SO FLUFFY!
WHICH GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR BLEND WORKS WELL FOR BISCUITS?
We have tested this recipe with Cup 4 Cup flour blend, Grandpa's Kitchen, Better Batter, King Arthur All Purpose Gluten Free Blend, and Bob's Red Mill 1:1.
Cup4Cup yielded the best results with Better Batter coming in at a close second. The biscuits pictured in this post were made using Cup4Cup flour blend.
Although we like these blends for other recipes, Grandpa's Kitchen and Bob's Red Mill 1:1 do not work well for this particular recipe. The King Arthur Flour Blend worked OK, we just preferred the texture and taste of Cup4Cup which yielded a higher rise and an incredibly light and tender inside.
PRO TIP: If you use King Arthur, you'll need to add ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum per cup of flour used in the recipe.
HOW TO MEASURE GLUTEN FREE FLOUR
It is crucial that you use the stir, scoop and level method when measuring gluten free flour. This ensures that you don’t get too much or too little flour, which will drastically affect the final results. It is easiest if you pour your flour into a pantry bin or container.
Here’s how to measure gluten free flour:
- Stir the flour with a spoon.
- Using a spoon, scoop the flour into your measuring cup so it is heaping above the rim. Be careful to not pack it down at all.
- Use a leveler or the back of a knife to scrape the top of the measuring cup, which will level off the flour.
GLUTEN FREE DAIRY FREE BISCUITS
For a dairy-free or vegan option you can use coconut cream and a different gf flour blend.
The best gf dairy-free option for flour is Better Batter. You can also use King Arthur All Purpose Gluten Free Flour but you'll get the best results with Better Batter.
To make gluten-free dairy-free biscuits: Substitute the cream for ⅔ cup coconut cream. You'll need to plan ahead and put a can of coconut cream or coconut milk into your fridge the day before.
When you're ready to bake the biscuits, open the can and scrape the solid cream from the top. Warm slightly in a pan or the microwave - just enough to liquefy it. Continue to make the recipe as written, using a gf flour that is also dairy free.
Don't forget to save this easy gluten-free biscuit recipe so you can find it later!
GLUTEN-FREE DROP BISCUIT RECIPE
To make gluten-free drop biscuits, use a 2 T cookie scoop (we love this one) or even a spoon to scoop the biscuit dough right onto your baking sheet.
If you want a layered biscuit as pictured above then layer, pat, and cut out the dough. We almost always use the layer and cut method because the flaky layers are SO pretty and tasty!
IS THE DOUGH SUPPOSED TO BE THIS STICKY?
Yes! Gluten free baked goods absorb more moisture than 'regular' baked goods. Keeping the dough a bit wet means light and fluffy gluten free biscuits with no gritty texture. Yay!
From our kitchen to yours, we hope you get to enjoy these delicious and EASY gluten free biscuits recipe soon! Let us know if you have any questions, and ENJOY!
HOW TO SERVE
These delicious biscuits are so versatile and are the perfect addition to just about any meal.
Try using them alongside my sausage gravy recipe to make gluten free biscuits and gravy, as a companion to my easy Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup, or alongside this creamy dairy-free tuscan chicken from my friend Allergy Awesomeness.
You can also add a little sugar (or sugar substitute) to make sweet biscuits perfect for gluten free strawberry shortcake, gluten free blueberry biscuits, or we've even used it as a dough for easy cinnamon rolls.
The thing I love most about these fluffy gluten-free biscuits is that the whole family will love them, whether they have celiac disease or eat wheat all the time.
HOW TO STORE GLUTEN-FREE BISCUITS
Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap (plastic wrap keeps them softer). Consume within 24 hours if storing at room temperature, or pop them in a freezer bag and store in the freezer for longer.
Warm them up for 10-15 seconds in the microwave.
We would love to see what you create! Snap a photo and tag @LifeAfterWheat on social media!
GLUTEN FREE BISCUITS RECIPE
Easy Gluten Free Biscuits (dairy free option)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, baking powder, and salt. Add cream while stirring with a spoon, just until everything is combined. Dough should be sticky.
- Sprinkle about a tablespoon of gluten free flour onto the counter and turn the dough to coat (be careful not to work the flour into the dough)
- Pat to about ½ inch thick, then fold in half and in half again.
- Using a rolling pin, gently roll to a little over 1 inch thick.
- Use a biscuit cutter to cut biscuits and place them on a baking sheet.
- Gently brush the biscuits with a little cream. We use a pastry brush and whatever cream is left in the measuring cup
- Bake for 8-12 minutes (10 minutes is perfect in our oven) until the tops are a golden brown and biscuits are done inside. Don't over bake
- Remove from oven, and enjoy!
Eileen says
Hello. Can I use milk instead of whipping cream? If so, do I use the Sam measurement. Also wanted to know if I can add some cold butter too?
Celeste Noland says
No, only whipping cream will work with this recipe, it's different than most other recipes in that way!
Kimberly says
I followed recipe- they still taste ‘Sandy’ I read that gluten free four should rest after liquid is incorporated for 30 min bc GF flour absorbs liquid more slowly.
Celeste Noland says
Hey Kimberly, be sure you're using Cup4Cup brand gf flour, their all-purpose blend. Using King Arthur or another brand can make them taste grainy. If that's what you used, let me know and I can help you troubleshoot.
Samantha says
Can you explain why heavy whipping cream would only work for this? Is it heavy whipping cream or regular whipping cream? I don’t see too many regular whipping creams in my store. I am baking them now and they don’t seem to look exactly like yours, but I just did the recipe exactly the way you did it.
Celeste Noland says
I recommend heavy whipping cream, but some (such as Darigold that you would find in Costco) have an even higher fat content and you'll need to add more cream as it will be thicker.
Sandra Gail says
I have been making these 3-4 times a week for the last couple of years. I am allergic to yeast so these are my go to bread. I always use Cup 4 Cup flour. When my husband was alive and I didn’t know I needed to eat gluten free (thought I had the stomach flu every month!), I made biscuits daily! I am so glad I found this recipes! If you love fresh homemade biscuits, you must try this recipe!!!!
Celeste Noland says
Yay! I'm so happy to hear this.
Philip says
I maded the biscuits and gravy this morning (and I do not profess to be a cook, but they both turned out wonderful! With a little practice I know that I can work the dough better for the biscuits. I'm so thankful for all the work that Celeste Noland has done to make those of us who are gluten intolerant have a better, more normal lifestyle!!
NYCbaker says
Hello - Have you tested this recipe with the new Cup4Cup? They have completely reformulated their blend. Thanks.
Celeste Noland says
I haven't seen it in stores yet, but I will as soon as I can get my hands on it!
Amanda says
Did you ever retest this
mary says
what do you mean by "If you want a layered biscuit as pictured above then layer, pat, and cut out the dough. "
do you mean to cut it and not drop it...but what is the 'layer, pat, cut' part mean. I did not see it done in the video....
thanks,
Mary
Celeste Noland says
Sorry for the confusion, just roll the dough out, fold it a few times, gently roll out to about 1 inch thick, and cut with a biscuit cutter.
Michele says
I just love these biscuits! I'm not even the gluten free person in the family. Question: can I make them in advance and freeze before baking? If so, would I need to thaw before baking or throw them in frozen? Just wondering if you've ever tried that.
Celeste Noland says
Oooh this is such a good idea! If you try it, will you let me know if it works? I'm so happy you AND your gluten-free family members love this recipe 🙂
Megan says
Hey!! Did you try baking from frozen??
Kathy F. says
Made these wonderful biscuits tonight and they are awesome!! My son and I have to both eat gluten-free, so when he tasted this biscuit he said,"Oh Mom, these are awesome!" I thought I would never get to taste a biscuit like we had before gluten-free".
Thank you, thank you!
Celeste Noland says
Awww, I love this! Thank you for sharing.
Setareh says
Do you have weights instead of cups? I’ve gotten used to getting tbt scale out. How many grams of flour?
Celeste Noland says
So sorry, I'm currently working on adding weight measurements. For each cup of flour, you'll need 125 grams.
Barb says
Can whipping cream be replaced with plain yogurt in this recipe? Thank you.
Celeste Noland says
I haven't tried it 🙂
Barbara Sullivan says
These are the best and easiest biscuits I have made since going gluten free. I used America’s Test Kitchen flour blend (adding xantham gum). They rose up beautifully and were light and flaky! Finally I can make strawberry shortcake again! Thank you so much!!
Celeste Noland says
Thanks so much for sharing what flour you used! I'm so happy you're enjoying the recipe 🙂
Sarah says
I have made whipping cream biscuits for years with self-rising flour and whipping cream. My granddaughter has recently been diagnosed with Celiac so I searched for gluten free whipping cream biscuits and found these. I tried with the cup4cup flour, it looks more like whole wheat flour, I guess because of the ground flaxseed. Then .I tried King Arthur’s 1:1. We like the whiter biscuit. I patted the dough out and used biscuit cutter. They didn’t rise much but tasted great then I realized I patted the dough to 1/2” instead of 1”. Will try again before Christmas since we always have a country ham brunch on Christmas. So glad I found this recipe!
Celeste Noland says
You must have gotten the whole grain Cup4Cup, they also have a white version that works much better.
Julie says
Excellent! I didn’t realize it was only 3-4 biscuits and I made like 8 small ones. (Says roll into 1” roll) but still worked great! Moist! I have a gas oven and they took 14 min
Rebecca says
Thank you for this recipe! My gf husband loves them, and I have to admit that they are completely delicious!
Celeste Noland says
yay for gluten-free recipes the whole family enjoys!
Natalie says
Would Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour work for this recipe? Sorry I am new to cooking with gluten free anything and that’s what I have on hand.
Celeste Noland says
Good question, almond flour behaves very differently and will not work in this recipe.
Sasha says
Do you know of any flours that doesn't have rice flour in them ? Allergic to rice. Thank you for your time.
Celeste Noland says
I have a recipe for a homemade flour blend, you could substitute sorghum for the rice flours. I haven't tried it with this particular recipe but I *think* it would work OK. Just be sure the dough is plenty sticky and add more cream if needed to be sure you get tall fluffy biscuits. https://thereislifeafterwheat.com/2014/10/gluten-free-flour-mix/
Lance Erickson says
I was a chef for fifteen years and worked in a bakery for three before I realized my health problems were a result of having Celiac's disease. I've now been gluten free for five years and work as a personal chef. I primarily teach people how to cook gluten free for themselves or their family.
This recipe is a pile of lies. It creates a dough so sticky, that it is physically impossible to roll out and fold as instructed. No amount of flour on your counter, hands, or rolling pin will stop it from sticking. I even tried to roll it out between two sheets of wax paper and it stuck to that too. After baking, the "biscuits" tasted fine, but had not texture worth noting. This recipe is clearly a non-gluten-free recipe recycled to be "gluten free." It literally doesn't work.
Zero stars.
Celeste Noland says
Hi Lance, I've been making this recipe for my family almost weekly for years. Me and all my kids are *not* gluten-free and we love it! I would love to help you trouble-shoot and help you find a flour and process that works. I've had many great reviews for the recipe as well.
Lisa says
No way you did it correctly with the listed brands. I just made this recipe and it was FABULOUS!
Carol Weber says
No, it literally DOES work. I'm sorry you were having such a grumpy day when you posted this.
Heidi says
What is 1/2 T for baking powder? Tablespoon or teaspoon?
Celeste Noland says
Sorry for the confusion, it is 1/2 tablespoon which is equal to 1.5 teaspoons.
Melanie says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I rarely write reviews, but these biscuits were delicious and turned out beautifully. I made them this morning for egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches, and they hit the spot. They were gone before I had a chance to snap a photo!
I used King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free flour. I had no xanthan gum, so I simply added an extra 1.5 T of flour. I did not drop or roll the dough, but instead "patted" it out on a lightly floured counter and then used my biscuit cutter. Each biscuit had two layers. As the recipe suggested, I then lightly brushed each biscuit with cream right before placing them in the oven at 450. They did require the full 12 minutes to bake (but be sure to keep an eye on your biscuits, as each oven has its unique characteristics). They were not especially brown on top, but they were done after 12 minutes.
Eating gluten-free can become boring very quickly. These biscuits hit the spot this morning. Thank you for the delicious recipe and your wonderful website. I'm eager to explore your other recipes!
Celeste Noland says
So happy you enjoyed the biscuits!
Gwen says
I’ve tried twice and they look good but they come out gummy in the middle. The last time I used a silicone mat with no extra flour and they still did. What am I doing wrong. They had a good taste.
Celeste Noland says
What flour did you use? and are you using the dairy free version or regular? Most times I find that the wrong flour was used. Something like Bob's Red Mill or Namaste can lend grainy or gummy results. If you used Cup4Cup flour, try checking your oven temp with an oven thermometer, or reducing the temp to 400 or 425 while increasing the baking time.
Gwen says
I tried twice and they look good with a good taste but were gummy in the middle. I used pastry mat and added no flour
Celeste Noland says
Could you share what flour you used? 9 times out of 10 it's because of the flour blend, I recommend using Cup4Cup brand which can be purchased in many stores as well as online, and is also dairy free and nut free.
Linda says
Awesome! These are delicious, and I live alone, so 3 is perfect. I had fantastic biscuits and gravy thid morning. Many thanks.🤩
Emily Murray says
Did you ever retest this with new cup4cup?
Celeste Noland says
Yes, and it still works great! Thank you for asking.
Elizabeth says
I tried this recipe and I know I already made a mistake bc my coconut milk didn’t solidify in the fridge over night. But I was curious if that could keep them from rising? Mine all came out very flat 🙁 but they taste good
Celeste Noland says
Yes that will affect the texture-use coconut cream instead of coconut milk! I like the Thai Kitchen brand.
Lisa says
I've had my own mini bakery, but just found this week that my daughter has been diagnosed with Celiac's disease. After trying and rejecting a restaurants attempt at a gluten free biscuit (simply could not eat it), I decided to take on the biscuit challenge from home. I have tried several different recipes and this is BY FAR THE BEST! Cup 4 Cup is the way to go. I could not believe how light and fluffy and soft they were. Zero grittiness. I added 2 T honey to the recipe. Used the press and fold method. The baking time for me was more like 12-14 minutes so that the interior was not too doughy. After letting them cool, I just popped on in the toaster on light. Perfect again with the best pastry like flaky edges. I had to immediately text my sister and say we did it!! Truly a bight spot in the hardness of this week!!! Use Cup 4 Cup! Thank you for this hope!!
Celeste Noland says
You win with this review-thank you!! I'm so happy you love the biscuits as much as I do, thanks for coming back to let me know 🙂
A says
Followed the recipe exactly and these looked NOTHING like biscuits…
Celeste Noland says
Happy to help you troubleshoot, what flour did you use?
Michael M says
Can you use almond milk instead of coconut cream?
Celeste Noland says
No, almond milk doesn't have the same fat contact and won't work.
Carol Weber says
Celeste, I've made these several times for our adult GF son, and he's always so tickled! For Thanksgiving, I'm thinking about typical yeast rolls and I thought of "Angel Biscuits" since they have yeast in them, and that gets them closer to a typical yeast roll flavor. When I first discovered Angel Biscuits almost forty years ago, I realized that it was simply an issue of making a typical biscuit batter and adding yeast, leaving them to rise for 30 minutes, and then baking. I read all the comments here in hope that someone has tried that, but didn't find anything. Have you tried it? See any reason it isn't worth a try? I know you have dinner rolls, but these are mindless, and your rolls will be a new recipe on top of all the other recipes, LOL!
Celeste Noland says
I haven't heard of angel biscuits, I'm intrigued!