The Best Damn Vegan Biscuits

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Fluffy Vegan Biscuit filled with butter and jam

Before you suggest there’s no way vegan biscuits can taste just as good if not BETTER than regular biscuits, everyone I’ve fed these to agree that these are in fact LEGIT, amazing, fluffy, buttery biscuits.

As in, serve them to your 80-year old grandmother who’s been making biscuits for centuries and she wouldn’t know the difference. As in, slap some gravy on it and you’d think you died and gone to heaven. As in, fluffy, buttery, savory, biscuit perfection. It’s true.

Baking sheet with a batch of the Best Damn Vegan Biscuits
Vegan butter in a bowl of dry ingredients

Origins of Biscuits

Soft, flaky biscuits are believed to be a pre-Civil War Southern creation. And because flour was expensive back then, they were enjoyed as a special treat on Sundays. The concept may have been inspired by British biscuits which were more like a thin cookie or cracker.

Our recipe resembles the Southern version, but is a plant-based take on this delicious, buttery creation. Outside the US, you’ll more commonly hear this type of biscuit referred to as scones.

How to Make Vegan Biscuits

I have tried making vegan biscuits once before and they did not meet my ridiculously high biscuit standards. They lacked that quintessential buttery flavor and fluffy texture that I so deeply adore. So this time, I read every single tip out there to fail-proof my biscuit making. And I’m happy to report that IT WORKED.

Using a pastry cutter to mix vegan butter and flour
Batch of Vegan Biscuits ready to go in the oven

You need just 1 bowl, 30 minutes, and these simple ingredients:

1. Unbleached all-purpose flour.
2. Non-dairy butter (such as Earth Balance).
3. Sea salt
4. Baking powder
5. Baking soda
6 Plain almond milk.
7. Lemon juice.

That’s it! And you’re well on your way to vegan biscuit perfection.

Baking sheet with a freshly baked batch of Vegan Biscuits on it

The commandments of biscuit making, as I’ve discovered, are:

1. Do not over-handle the dough.
2. Never use a rolling pin, fool.
3. Make sure yo’ butter is cold.
4. Baking powder and soda are a must for fluff.
5. Brush the tops with butter to achieve that crusty, buttery top.
6. Make a divot in the middle with your fingers to prevent them from rising in a “dome.”
7. A hot oven (450 degrees F / 232 C) is essential. Don’t ask questions.
8. Biscuits must touch while baking to help them rise properly.

I would include a # 9. but it’s simply to eat biscuits immediately.  I shouldn’t have to tell you that. A BISCUIT FRESH OUT OF THE OVEN > A BISCUIT REHEATED 3 DAYS LATER. Duh.

Batch of our Best Damn Vegan Biscuits recipe resting on a baking sheet

These little guys are PERFECT. Fluffy, moist, buttery, savory, perfect with jam, perfect for breakfast, perfect with anything. Hence the reason I’ve dubbed them THE BEST DAMN VEGAN BISCUIT.

Batch of The Best Vegan Biscuits wrapped in a kitchen towel
Sliced open biscuit with a slab of vegan butter

And yes, I totally ate that whole damn biscuit (and them some).

Vegan biscuit sliced open with jam and vegan butter inside

The Best Damn Vegan Biscuits

Fluffy, buttery vegan biscuits that require just 30 minutes, 7 ingredients, and 1 bowl! Perfect for breakfast as is or smothered with jam!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Baking sheet with six freshly baked Vegan Biscuits
4.83 from 687 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 7 (biscuits)
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 Month (cut & freeze dough)
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsweetened PLAIN almond milk
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour*
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder (see notes for brand recommendations)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt
  • 4 Tbsp non-dairy, unsalted butter (I use Earth Balance)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C), and add lemon juice to almond milk to make “vegan buttermilk.” Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
  • Add cold butter and use fingers or a pastry cutter to combine the two until only small pieces remain and it looks like sand. Work quickly so the butter doesn’t get too warm.
  • Make a well in the dry ingredients and, using a wooden spoon, stir gently while pouring in the almond milk mixture (vegan buttermilk) 1/4 cup (60 ml) at a time. You may not need all of it. Stop when it resembles a slightly tacky but moldable dough, stirring until just combined.
  • Turn onto a lightly floured surface, dust the top with a bit of flour and then very gently turn the dough over on itself 5-6 times – hardly kneading. Add more flour as needed to prevent sticking.
  • Form into a 1-inch thick disc, handling as little as possible.
  • Use a 1-inch thick dough cutter or a similar-shape object with sharp edges (such as a cocktail shaker) and push straight down through the dough, then slightly twist. Repeat and place biscuits on a baking sheet in two rows, making sure they just touch – this will help them rise uniformly. Gently reform the dough and cut out one or two more biscuits – you should have 7-8 (as original recipe is written).
  • Next brush the tops with a bit more of melted non-dairy butter and gently press a small divot in the center using two fingers. This will also help them rise evenly, so the middle won’t form a dome.
  • Bake for 10-15 minutes or until fluffy and slightly golden brown. Serve immediately. Let remaining biscuits cool completely before storing them in an airtight container or bag.

Video

Notes

*You can substitute an equal amount of our NEW 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour in this recipe.
*Some brands of baking powder can leave a bitter aftertaste. We recommend using aluminum-free for best results. We like Trader Joe’s brand, Bob’s Red Mill, and Rumford.
*Adapted from the man, Alton Brown.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 7 servings)

Serving: 1 biscuit Calories: 170 Carbohydrates: 25 g Protein: 3.4 g Fat: 6 g Saturated Fat: 1.8 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Fiber: 1 g Sugar: 3.4 g

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  1. Celina Waddy says

    Hi! So excited to try these! If I don’t have baking powder, would the recipe still work? Like using extra baking soda? Thanks :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Celina, we wouldn’t recommend using more baking soda because it will be bitter. You could possibly look up a recipe for how to make baking powder from baking soda (by adding cream of tartar), but we can’t guarantee the biscuits will turn out as fluffy!

  2. COURTNEY says

    I woke up feeling like biscuits and came across this recipe. My husband LOVED the taste! They pair well w syrup, honey, or jam. Super easy to make, and I was thrilled that the ingredients were few. Won’t be purchasing biscuit dough from Pillsbury ever again. !!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Whoop! We’re so glad you both enjoyed the biscuits, Courtney. Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  3. Anna says

    I made these today and had to do some substitutes just because my kitchen is pretty bare (I’m talking making my own baking powder, subbing water for half of the milk, and using all whole wheat flour). They still turned out very nicely! They rose fine and they taste delicious! Definitely will make again!

    I did chill the liquid, the flour, and the butter.

    That’s a great recipe when even with my limitations they turned out so well!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad they turned out well with your creative modifications. Thank you for sharing, Anna! xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi David, yes, other neutral-flavored dairy-free milks would work! Oat milk may add a bit of sweetness depending on the brand you’re using, but other readers have reported success with oat milk in this recipe.

  4. CQ says

    Agreed, best damn vegan biscuits. I tend to over mix so I was very careful not to do so this time. The dough was very wet and tacky until I turned it out onto the floured surface. I didn’t have white whole wheat and used a combination of spelt and all purpose, maybe 50/50 but I don’t recall.Very tender and yummy.

  5. Heidi C Minett says

    These look like what I’m wanting. My question is can I make the dough the day before, put in the refrigerator, then bake in the morning?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Heidi, we think so, but we haven’t tested that. However, the cut biscuit dough can be frozen. Set them out an hour before baking to slightly thaw and then bake as directed in the instructions until golden brown and fluffy. Hope you love them!

  6. Deanna Smith says

    These were so easy and turned out great!! I couldn’t find my pastry cutter so used the food processor to pulse in the vegan butter. Thank you for all the tips like pushing down the centers so they don’t dome up, worked like a charm!!

  7. Tayeson says

    I have NEVER attempted to make biscuits in my life. So as you can guess I ran into some problems, lol, like the dough stuck to everything (because I didn’t use enough flour on my surface, I fixed that quickly). As I placed the misshapened biscuits on the pan, and placed them in the oven I told myself “the market is a 5 min drive, I can run and grab some can biscuits as a back up (because the confidence was not there), but I didn’t. All I can say is…they turned out amazing! My family was asking for more. When hear the words “Daddy can we have this again tomorrow?” Makes you wanna cry a little, lol.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed them, Tayeson. Thanks so much for the lovely review!

  8. Christy says

    I’ve made this many times and it’s the bomb. Can I double it, though? I got nervous with that amount of baking soda and just made two batches in a row.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Christy! We’re so glad you enjoy it. You should be able to double it! It just might be harder to work with that amount of dough.

  9. Monica Grixti says

    They look delicious! I would say they are scones rather than biscuits. Taking absolutely nothing away from them, however. Love them.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Monica, they are called different things depending where you’re from! Biscuits in the US and scones in the UK and Australia.

  10. Kacie Larson says

    I just made these and they are delicious! I’m wondering if there’s anything I can do thought to tweak the recipe as they came out slightly dense/chewy and not as fluffy. I used Bob’s 1:1 baking flour (blue bag) and I suspect that’s why. Any tips? Thank you so much!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kacie, we find Bob’s (blue bag) works okay as a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour in recipes, but our homemade blend performs better. It’s possible using more of the Bob’s 1:1 could make the biscuits more fluffy. Another option would be to use our gluten-free biscuit recipe. Hope that helps!

  11. Kristin P. says

    Would this work with cow’s milk (or premade buttermilk) and butter instead? This lacto-ovo vegetarian would love to save an extra trip to the store, if possible! :)

  12. Yvonne says

    I made a half batch of these for breakfast this morning, and omg, sooo good! They came together in a snap, and the result was a high, fluffy, buttery and delicious biscuit. I’d already prepared the vegan gravy (mushrooms & Fieldroast sausage), so I enjoyed some like this, and the remainder will be perfect reheated for tomorrow’s grab n’ go breakfast. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

  13. Lacey says

    Wow. These were so easy, I don’t know why biscuits were always so daunting to me. I was sure I didn’t get the butter small enough, that I turned it over too much and that the tiny bowl I had to cut them wasn’t right. But oh man none of that mattered. They are better than any biscuit I’ve bought and I now know I can make them whenever! Thank you so much!!

  14. Tay VA says

    I would like to make this in advance and freeze it. If I freeze them should I cook from frozen or move to the fridge before cooking?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Tay, Set them out an hour before baking to slightly thaw and then bake as directed in the instructions until golden brown and fluffy. We hope you love them!

  15. Annie says

    Truly delicious! I feel like I’m not missing out on the delish side of life with these!!! I used a combo of almond flour, gf flour and tapioca starch😋

  16. Kim says

    Ended up having to turn these into drop biscuits. Heed the note about maybe not needing all the liquid! I added too much and it made the dough too sticky and wet to properly knead and form. I’ll pay better attention next time! I also subbed plain/unsweetened soy milk + ACV for the buttermilk. These still turned out delicious, even with my screw-up!

  17. Brooke says

    Lordy these are delicious and EASY to make. This is the first time I’ve ever made biscuits, so I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. I needn’t have worried. I have made them several times and added other spices, with the same delicious results. I love your commentary as well, so all in all, the recipe is an enjoyable read and the biscuits are enjoyable to make and eat!

  18. Linda says

    I made these for my tofu pot pie.

    It was simply to make! I did use Kamut and Almond flour & it was Yum.

    Thank you for sharing this recipe. Keep it going…