A couple of years ago I attempted baking gluten-free biscuits. This was when I had first started eating gluten-free. They were terrible! Either they came out dry and crumbly or as heavy as a hockey puck. I chalked it up as a loss, reaffirmed my hatred of baking and moved on to other recipes.

But I can no longer say I hate baking. I’ve been doing it so much and the more I bake, the better I get at it. I think the secret is learning the “why” of baking. Just like cooking, the ingredients are all there for a reason, but unlike cooking, making adjustments can really make or break the recipe. I used to just follow a recipe, swap ingredients here and there and then wonder why it didn’t work. Now I have a better sense of what the batters and doughs should feel like, I understand the functions of all the ingredients and I know how to make adjustments when I change things up, especially with gluten-free baking.

So it was time to attempt the biscuits again. Rather than come up with my own flour blends, I like to take advantage of all the great gluten-free all-purpose flour mixes that are out there. For these recipes, I used Mrs. Glee’s All-Purpose Performance Blend which already has the xanthan gum measured into it. One less step for me to worry about.

Gluten-free baking requires a lot more moisture and these biscuits contain a lot of milk and a good amount of oil. The fun of biscuits is that you can add whatever extra ingredients you want but the core recipe will remain the same. You can add vegan cheese, nuts, raisins, vegetables, sweet flavors, savory flavors, the sky’s the limit!

First I made pumpkin biscuits by using So Delicious Pumpkin Spice Coconut Milk in the batter. And since feta goes so well with pumpkin, I tossed in some vegan feta crumbles. The biscuits were delicious with the autumn-y pumpkin flavor and salty feta. Yum!

Then I went for gooey goodness. Garlic and rosemary added for savory flavor with vegan cheddar cheese (I used Vegan Gourmet here). Sooo good!

These biscuits are soft, tender and flaky – nothing like my first attempts. I’ve learned to make half-batches at a time because we eat them all! I like my biscuits on the smaller size so I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to portion them out but you could certainly use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to make them bigger.

Once you try my Gluten-Free Biscuits, you’ll want to make them everyday. They should definitely make an appearance on your holiday table. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Biscuits with Vegan Feta

GF
Makes about 10 biscuits

2 cups gluten-free flour mix

1 tsp. xanthan gum or guar gum (if your flour mix doesn’t already have it added)

1 Tbs. + 1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup So Delicious Pumpkin Spice Coconut Milk plus more for brushing

½ cup olive oil

3-4 oz. vegan soy feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the flour, gum, baking powder and salt. Mix well to combine. Add the pumpkin spice milk and the olive oil and mix until you have a thick batter. Fold in the vegan feta cheese.

Using a ¼-cup measuring cup, drop dough onto the baking sheet.  Brush the Pumpkin Spice Coconut Milk on the biscuits. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown. Serve warm.

Garlic & Rosemary Cheddar Biscuits

GF
Makes about 10 biscuits

2 cups gluten-free flour mix

1 tsp. xanthan gum or guar gum

1 Tbs. + 1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. dried rosemary

1 cup non-dairy milk plus more for brushing

½ cup olive oil

1 cup cheddar cheese shreds

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the flour, gum, baking powder, salt garlic and rosemary. Mix well to combine. Add the milk and the olive oil and mix until you have a thick batter. Fold in the cheddar cheese.

Using a ¼-cup measuring cup, drop dough onto the baking sheet.  Brush the milk on the biscuits. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown. Serve warm.

The “V” Word: Say it. Eat it. Live it.

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