I don’t crave biscuits often, but when I do I want one that’s serious:
Super fluffy, buttery and fresh out of the oven. For that, thankfully I have my go-to Best Damn Vegan Biscuit. But a girl has to have more than one biscuit recipe in her arsenal if you ask me, so I went back to the drawing board.
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 is inspired by the texture of the Southern version, but is our plant-based take with an extra kick of flavor!
Vegan Cheddar Jalapeño Biscuits
I’ve been on a bit of a nutritional yeast kick lately and have been putting it on everything, especially pizza and pasta. And if you’ve been reading Minimalist Baker for a while now, you know I adore spicy food. So it was natural to want to try my take on a cheddar jalapeño biscuit.
I’m happy to report that the result was a massive success. These little golden gems are the real deal!
It starts with your basic dry ingredients plus nutritional yeast! That’s what gives it that amazing yellow color and cheesy flavor.
The rest is simple: Mix your dry ingredients while your vegan buttermilk activates, then cut in your vegan butter or coconut oil. Next, stir in your jalapeños and add your buttermilk and stir. Form into a disc, cut and butter! That’s it – the whole process takes about 10-15 minutes.
And the result is so worth it: A beautiful, buttery, tender biscuit just asking to be devoured. I mean, come on…look at these guys.
These biscuits are legit! They’re:
Buttery
Warm
Savory
“Cheesy”
Fluffy
Tender
Slightly spicy
& Perfect with a little vegan butter and maple syrup (What? Who said that…)
Make these for a special weekend brunch or slow breakfast or alongside your favorite soups or summer grilled items. I can’t wait to make these for some unsuspecting cheese-loving friends. I think they’ll be totally oblivious to the fact that these are completely dairy-free. Cheers!
Vegan Cheddar Jalapeño Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened PLAIN almond milk
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 scant cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 4 Tbsp non-dairy, unsalted butter (I use Earth Balance // or sub coconut oil)
- 1/4 cup jalapeño (seeds removed // finely diced)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C).
- Add lemon or vinegar to almond milk to activate/curdle.
- Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- 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. Then add jalapeños and toss.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and, using a wooden spoon, stir gently while pouring in the almond milk mixture 1/4 cup at a time. You may not need all of it. Stir until just slightly combined – it will be sticky.
- 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.
- 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 or drinking glass) 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 or until all of the dough is used– you should have 8-10 (as original recipe is written), depending on the size of your cutter.
- 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. Will keep for a couple of days at room temperature.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Jen says
Delicious and Excellent recipe! Thank you There isn’t a crazy amount of fat as I’ve found in other vegan biscuit recipes. I subbed chopped spinach and a green onion for the jalapeños (but I’m eager to try them with the chilis too). I added a touch of miso to the melted butter brushed on the tops before baking to give an even more savory flavor. I also used a bit of whole wheat pastry flour for about 1/3 of the total flour to add a touch of nutrition. Turned out great. Curious, if use even more or all whole wheat pastry flour next time do you think that would require I alter the fat, liquid and leavening much?
We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Jen! Thank you for sharing! We haven’t tested with whole wheat pastry flour, but think it could work without modification. Let us know if you try it!
Rachel says
These are killer. And so simple. You guys never disappoint!! Made a triple batch for a bake sale. Great reviews all around.
Yay! Thanks for the great review, Rachel!
Ernalee Shannon says
Do your vegan cheddar jalapeno biscuits have any vegan cheddar in them? I can’t see any in the recipe. What am I missing?
Hi Ernalee, they do not! They get “cheesiness” from nutritional yeast + salt.
Jamie says
I love this recipe and have been using it for years! I actually use canned chipotles in adobo that I’ve frozen and it is sooooo good and adds a smoky flavor. Plus it helps keep the butter cold for better/easier handling! Thanks for sharing the recipe, they are super light, fluffy, and oh so yummy every time <3
Yum, that sounds delicious, Jamie! Thank you so much for the lovely review and for sharing your addition! xo
Tiffany says
These were tasty little treats. I subbed in some vegan cheddar cheese, another recipe, I found on this site, for the nutritional cheese, and added a bit of extra nutritional yeast for luck! We would call these savoury scone’s in the uk. I could also see them working well as a cobbler topping to a stew too.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Tiffany! Love that cobbler topping idea. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Helen says
Hi there, I love the idea of this recipe. However, we have a nut allergy at home. Is there another milk I can use? Usually, I would sub with oat milk, but you seem to be very precise about it being almond. Thank you in advance.
Oat milk would work!
Amy Bosnoian says
These came out really dry and smelled like a sugar cookie, rather than a biscuit. Any idea what could have gone wrong? I kneaded the dough about 8 times and tried to knead it to allow layers. The dough was really sticky so I had to add some flour to help with that. I also doubled the recipe, maybe that had something to do with it?
Sorry to hear that, Amy! Did you make sure to use unsweetened, plain almond milk? As for doubling the recipe, we haven’t tried that, but perhaps it causes issues? Did you make any other modifications?
Amy Bosnoian says
I did not many modifications except for using plain, unsweetened soy milk in replace of almond milk.
Hm, we wonder if this one doesn’t work well with soy milk? Either way, we’ll take another look at the measurements!
Yuri says
I’ve made this recipe countless of times and the consistency of the biscuits is incredible! Wasn’t too into biscuits before, but I find myself craving these flaky spicy biscuits often and can’t go wrong with nooch in my opinion! They’re my husbands favorite and soooo easy to make!
Thanks again for this wonderful recipe!
Yay! We’re so glad you both enjoy them, Yuri! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Julie Gardner says
I am not your patisserie type of girl, if I had to choose between a piece of double chocolate chateaux and a cheese biscuit (scone on this side of the pond), the latter would win everytime.
I love cheese scones and this is my go to recipe everytime, I freeze them and unfortunately, when peckish, i pop them in the microwave for a 15 second blast. Good on stews and casseroles in place of dumplings or potatoes. So do double the recipe and do cut 1 inch thick. You want a perky, stand alone cheese “biscuit” and we wont talk about “divots”????
Jan says
Oh so Yummy‼️ I was out of nutritional yeast and substituted 3 T finely grated Parmesan cheese. I have also submitted coconut milk for almond milk. These are a great last minute make, bake and eat recipe without giving up great taste ! Thanks so much for your fab site – my best friend shared it with me and every thing I have made is deeeeeeeeelicious ‼️
Aw, thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review, Jan! xo
K says
I missed the part in the instructions about maybe not needing the whole cup of milk and added it all. I ended up with a very wet dough, but I went with it (and a generous amount of flour on the cutting board) and the biscuits were delicious! Probably my all time favorite. Big hit at the breakfast table. I’m sure I’ll be making these again and again.
Thanks for sharing, K!
Deborah Kelley says
Is there a Keto friendly version for this?
Hi Deborah, we haven’t experimented with that, sorry! Let us know if you do!
Michelle says
Picked up some chives at the farmer’s market last night so this morning I made these, subbing the chives for the jalapeño. The only plant milk I had in the house was coconut milk, luckily the coconut flavor did not come through. Used Miyoko’s cultured butter, because that’s what I had. Didn’t get much of a cheesy flavor, but not a big deal for me.
Very nice, flaky, moist on the inside, a nice crunch on the outside. Will definitely make these again when I have a jalapeño or two!
Thanks for sharing, Michelle!
Rina sanabria says
I made these over the weekend and they were a huge hit. Thank you
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Rina!
Chris says
Do I have to use yeast?
They won’t have that “cheesy” flavor, but it might still work!
Janet Caterina says
Sorry, this recipe did not work. ! cup liquid to 2 cups of flour makes a batter, not a dough. I had to add a cup of flour and then drop it from a spoon. It should be half the amount of liquid – 1/2 cup of soy milk.
Thanks for the feedback, Janet! We’ll take another look at the recipe and see if modifications should be made.
Dan says
I was so hyped to make these that I showed the recipe off to all of my coworkers and told them I would made a batch for all of us. I made them yesterday afternoon and they were incredibly disappointing. Had absolutely no cheesy flavour at all – just tasted like garlicky dough. ?
Maybe a good recipe for someone that’s been vegan for a while and forgot what real cheese scones taste like? (Sorry not to sound sassy – but nutritional yeast just does not deliver – there are so many great vegan cheeses out there, I would definitely recommend re-visiting the recipe and including some in there.)
Hi Dan, sorry to hear that was your experience, but thanks for the honest feedback! We try to stick to whole food based ingredients whenever possible. But we do have a guide to vegan cheese that you might find helpful if you want to do some experimenting: https://minimalistbaker.com/guide-to-vegan-cheese/
Dan says
Discovered this recipe last year and have made a dozen times. Sometime I will crush one clove garlic to give it something a little extra
Great idea, Dan! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Tiffany says
I’ve subsituded jalanpeno with pickled olives, it enriched the biscuits with even more buttery-cheesy flavour!
Wow! Love that idea! Thanks for sharing, Tiffany!
Newvegan says
I just made these biscuits and they are amazing. I used oat milk instead of almond milk. I will definitely be making these again.
Faith says
I made these. They turned out not the best but that was on my end. I ended up adding the whole cup of milk- which was too much. At 1/2 a cup it wasn’t enough so i thought forsure 3/4 wouldnt be enough and i was wrong. Then i kneaded the dough too much, then when rolling it out i made it too thin and didnt know til i took them out of the oven ?
Faith, it sounds like your dough got too wet, and then over-kneaded. Sorry for the mishap there! Next time add the milk a little at a time.
Natasha says
Hi there!!! Love your recipes was wondering if you think I could sub the unbleached all-purpose flour for something Like a sorghum flour or coconut flour? Thank you ☺️
Hi Natasha, we haven’t made these gluten-free and aren’t sure how they would turn out. If you do some experimenting, it may help to reference our gluten-free biscuit recipe which uses potato starch and almond flour. Let us know how it goes!
Jenn says
Hi! Do you think I could refrigerate the dough just before baking? I’m thinking of making them this weekend and bringing the pan with the dough to a friend’s house to bake there so they are ready to serve while hot. Wondering if they would still turn out if I did that — any ideas?
Karen J. says
Hi there, I have made similar biscuit recipes and YES, it is fine to freeze or refrigerate them until baking. Just be sure to cover them tightly during storage so they don’t absorb any other flavors. Baking times remain the same in my experience whether room temp, chilled or frozen! Good luck!
I plan to try this recipe very soon!
Megan says
Love these!! I’ve made them a couple of times and they’re so easy and delicious!
Sofia says
I make these all the time! They’re always soooo good. I haven’t tried with coconut oil, only the vegan butter.
Your recipes are always so good!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Sofia!
Toni says
Have you tried making these using gluten free flour? Scrolled down to see there were a couple people who asked but didn’t see an answer. Thanks!
Brittany Temple says
Love this recipe! worked out amazingly. Will definitely making these again.
Leah says
Wow! I didn’t have jalapeno so I used an equivalent amount of green onion, buy otherwise followed the recipe. These are sooooo tasty. I think I may add a little bit more nutritional yeast next time and make sure I actually have jalapeno on hand.
Alyshia says
These were the perfect addition to Sunday night dinner. I had everything on hand. I used coconut oil in place of butter and they turned out well. Thanks for the great recipe!
Danielle says
Has anyone tried to make these with whole wheat flour? Whole wheat pastry flour would likely be best, trying to reconcile my desire to please the masses at a work potluck with my personal avoidance of white flours.
Felicia says
sooo good. followed exactly except i left out the jalapenos. still cheesy and delicious! does everyone just microwave the leftovers when they want another biscuit?
Caitlin says
The first batch I made I lined up on the baking sheet almost ready to go in the oven when I realized I forgot to add the salt. I went online to see if that would be an issue. I learned that salt is an impartant component to baking breads. So, my question is I only have salted butter (earth balance) should I use less salt or the amount the recipe calls for?
Caitlin says
I just wanted to follow up, I made the ones without salt and salted butter and they acutally came out really good! I did make a second batch with coconut oil and salt, still good! I have baked and cooked countless of your recipes and I just have to say you never cease to amaze or disappoint me. Keep up the yummy work!
So kind! xoxo
Megan says
I’m not usually a fan of jalapenos in biscuits but I tried these and they’re delicious!!
Andrew says
I have tried to make this gluten free and whilst you get more of a thin biscuit than what you have discribed it is still a great recipe! Any ideas on how to make them more fluffy with gluten free flour?
Katie says
Absolutely delicious. Perfectly fluffy.
I used:
• vinegar (white/distilled)
• canned jalapeños
• 3/4 liquid
Thanks Dana for the amazing recipe!
Libby says
I made these last night and they turned out GREAT! The almond milk I had in the fridge was vanilla so I used canned coconut milk instead. I also added one teaspoon of granulated garlic powder and I have Celiac so I used a gluten free flour mix. I’m not a huge baker, but the step by step directions were perfect and I used a measuring cup to cut out my muffins. I baked them for 23 minutes and then served them warm with melted Earth Balance with a sprinkle of garlic powder. Super easy and super YUM! I will definitely make these again. Bonus points that they pair perfectly with red wine. Cheers!
Nika says
I am mildly or should I say wildly obsessed with these! I make them at least 2 times a week. I plan meals around them!!!
Zed says
Made these! Quick, easy and delicious. I used coconut milk, coconut oil and added an extra tbsp of nutritional yeast. They turned out perfectly ! Thanks for the recipe.
Kelley says
Made these last night and they were fantastic. I did make a few small changes- I used garbanzo bean flour and added some chopped spinach. Thanks for the recipe!
Evan says
These turned out great! My extremely-carnivorous family all mentioned that they loved the strong cheese flavor (They have no idea ;) ).
It was my first time making biscuits. Is the dough always this sticky?! Perhaps I did something wrong. Will definitely make again someday!
The dough will be sticky, yes. But if “too” sticky, add a bit more flour!
Paige says
Just made these for Friendsgiving! They are INCREDIBLE. so fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Nayelie says
How many biscuits does this recipe yield? And can I omit the jalapeños without altering any of the other ingredients?
You can leave out the jalapenos. It makes about 6-8 biscuits, depending on the size of your biscuit cutter.
Nikki says
i don’t have any jalapenos on hands…but i have veggies (mushrooms and garlic!) i’m going to make this recipe right now in a double batch for my lunch! i’m hungry.
Nikki says
I’m glad i found this recipe, because those biscuit are amazing! I posted them on instagram <3 Instead of all purpose flour i used whole wheat flour, added some spices (only garlic salt and italian mix) and 1tps of salt. I used coconut oil (challenge myself to do it because i don't use it that much in the kitchen) and my mushrooms and garlic. I forgot to butter them when i put them in the oven but it wasn't a big deal since they smell and taste like heaven. Though, next summer, i'm going to do it again in summer (jalapenos don't usely grow at this time of year :/) and enjoy it like never.
Nikki says
HAHA i forgot to mention i made my biscuit 2 inch wide! i never expected them to be that big! XD i don’t have any cookie cutter so i found a mason jar lid and though it would be fine. wow. I laughed so much, this is ridiculous.
Liz says
Delicious! I used ACV instead of lemon juice and added some Daiya, just to get rid of it. I will be making these again.
Lise says
I’m going to try these with a gluten free flour….always a bit of a challenge but either way, i’m sure the results will be wonderful! Thanks for the recipe, I’m excited!
Sadie says
So I feel a little overly-attached with all my commenting on your recipes, but I know how helpful it is for me when I hear people’s success stories :)
These are SO amazing! I mentioned in another comment that I make your biscuits pretty often (usually on weekends for biscuits and gravy) but this weekend I saw this recipe and couldn’t resist. I am making them again tonight!
No such thing as too many comments! Thanks for sharing, Sadie!
Bex says
Excellent! Goes great with salad.
Marta says
These turned out so well! I got 8 good sized biscuits out of the recipe. I might add a touch more nutritional yeast next time, but other than that, delish!
T.W. says
These sound excellent, can soymilk be used instead of almond, or will the result not be the same ?
Also, for those looking to order nutritional yeast online, we get the top quality Red Star VSF variety, which is guaranteed to contain B12 (some do not, even some red star varieties), from this link-
http://www.bulkfoods.com/wholesale-health-foods/1626-Nutritional-Yeast-5-pounds.html
It’s also the lowest price around when you order the 5 lbs, coming to just over 8 dollars per pound, and that includes the shipping charge !
Arlene says
Can I use another type of milk? I have nut allergies and don’t use cows milk either. Can you recommend another type of milk to use? Thanks in advance.
Paige says
Hey Dana! This recipe looks delicious! I’m looking to make these GF… any suggestions on how to change the flour/liquid ratio?
Judeen says
Just made these to eat with black bean chili. Yum deluxe.
Kaity says
These turned out GREAT. I used regular butter rather than non-dairy butter, everything else, as is. And they were absolutely awesome. I also used a pretty small tool to cut and had about 14 mini biscuits. Yum :) Thanks for the recipe!
Sandy says
Think I can use a habanero pepper, seeds removed? I got one in my veggie basket this week. I know they are hotter, but not sure if it would be too much heat for this recipe.
They’re definitely hotter, but if you’re up for it I think they’d work beautifully! Just scale back a little to avoid too much heat.
Stefanie says
I was wondering what brand of nutritional yeast you use? I have never tried it and it sounds like an amazing thing to have on hand. Your blog is amazing I just came across it because someone on Instagram.
Thanks Stefanie! I actually get it from the bulk bin at my health food store, so I’m not sure what brand it is. But I’ve heard Bragg’s is quite good. Hope that helps!
Vivi says
Sorry to bother you guys with so many questions! but since my mom and I are pretty amateur with this whole eating vegetarian/gluten-free – or baking per se – we need to make sure we’re doing everything properly and you guys are too kind! Anyway, we tried this yesterday, but they turned out a bit hard?? And we did follow the steps thoroughly. We normally use Red Bob Mill’s GF all-purpose flour but we’ve noticed that everything turns out rather rigid or not as soft as it should, do you guys use another vegan GF brand or is there a trick when handling this particular one? Sorry again! D:
I haven’t tried these biscuits GF in any capacity, so I’m not sure how much advice I can give. But you can scan the notes on my original Best Damn Vegan Biscuit post where I believe some people made them GF with success. Hope that helps!
Vivi says
All your recipes are A+++! A quick Q though, is it ok to sub the vegan butter/coconut oil for another oil, like canola for instance?
Vivi, thanks! I find it needs to be a firm oil, but it’s worth a shot! Let me know if you give it a try :D
Melissa says
I made these and they were delicious. Check out my pictures on Twitter. I plan to try the brownies next.
Kate @Almond Butter Binge says
Love the idea of nutritional yeast to add a cheddar flavor! I might have to play around a little bit with making these gf/paleo — they look like too much fun not to make :)
Sarah @ Seriously Lovely says
I’ve never tried nutritional yeast, even though I hear about it all the time, but these look so good I’m going to have to change that!
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says
These cheddar jalepeno biscuits are something else! They look so savory and delicious! Thanks for another wonderful dairy free recipe (THESE LOOK FREAKING AWESOME!) – haha sorry for the excitement ;)
haha, excitement welcomed! Thanks for sharing, Ceara.
Vivi says
Ugh, I love EVERYTHING you guys make! My fave vegan site, indeed. Is it possible for you to make a vegan pecan pie one day? :D
hippymomelizabeth says
These look delicious and have been meaning to let you know all day good job on this recipe.
Jenny says
Holy cow! You are making my dairy-free self so happy with your cheese-its, nacho dip, and now this!!! I almost can’t even bear it! Thanks for posting!
Sally says
Do u think these would work with a gfree flour?
Sally says
& I love substituting nutritional yeast out for cheese!
Peggy says
I’d like to know the same thing, I am trying to go gluten free and haven’t mastered the flour subbing thing yet.
Ala says
The fact that you’ve managed to make a cheesy biscuit without any cheese is really awesome! I was about to skim through the recipe and point out the lack of cheese subs, but it’s a good thing I read through the post first ;) thank you for sharing!
lesley kim says
yummy!! that looks sooo good!!
la domestique says
I love a spicy biscuit and these look delicious!
Shonalika says
I don’t think I’ve ever tried a savoury biscuit before – but now I seriously want to, these look so melt-in-the-mouth yummy:D
Lena says
I’ve been following you for a while but have yet to cook anything with nutritional yeast! (Where can you even find it, by the way?) I have tried your dessert/baking recipes and ADORE them, so I’m sure I’d be in good hands nevertheless :)
Oh, keep looking! You can find it at most health food stores or the health section of traditional grocery stores. If you can’t find it there, just order it online. Hope that helps! Thanks, Lena!
cheri says
I am going to have to get my hands on some of that nutritional yeast, I can see that it really adds a really nice flavor to foods. Great looking biscuits.
molly yeh says
these are some mighty finnnne biscuits. and i love your vintage pyrex :)
Gee thanks! I’ve been struck by celebrity on Minimalist Baker. Can we be Midwest blogging buds? Please, please please?
Meredith @ Unexpectedly Magnificent says
Every single thing you post looks absolutely delicious! I love your blog! :) Pinning these biscuits to make them later.
Thanks Meredith! So kind.
Diane @ Life of Di. says
These look so good Dana :)
Katie @ Veggie and the Beast says
yumyumYUM. That shot with the butter in the middle of the golden, fluffy biscuit – I neeeeed it. My guy loves jalapeno and cheese and carbs, so I make cheddar jalapeno cornbread biscuits frequently. I’ll need to give this “cheesy” variation a try and see what he thinks ;)
If you guy loves jalapenos, cheese and carbs, these are the biscuits for him!
jenna @ just j.faye says
I just recently bought nutritional yeast and haven’t explored much with it yet, so I’ll definitely have to make these! I’m excited to try them out.
What a great first recipe to try with your nutritional yeast! let me know how it goes, Jenna!
Lily (A Rhubarb Rhapsody) says
Sounds like a flavour packed combo! I swear nutritional yeast is a wonder food!
Indeed! Like fairy dust ;D
Lisa @ Simple Pairings says
Ooh, I love this recipe! I think cheddar and jalapeno pair so wonderfully together. The salty richness + heat just folds into a biscuit so perfectly! I love how you did this with nutritional yeast – can’t wait to try! Pinned.
Easy, Healty and Yummy says
oh oh oh, this si great combo!!!! I have to try them today! Thanks!
Yay! Let me know how it goes!
gloria says
Hi Dana for the biscuts where does the cheese come from and is nutritional yeast the same as the yeast you can buy in the little packs for bread?? Thank-you =^..^=
No, nutritional yeast is a vegan-friendly product that looks like little gold flakes, which also provides the “cheesy” taste in dishes.
Maryea {happy healthy mama} says
I love a good biscuit and it looks like you nailed this. I’m all about the spice, too, so I’d love this recipe.
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
As always, stunning images and great idea and always impressive you can keep cheesey stuff vegan! Nooch is my BFF for stuff like this, too!
Pinned
Thanks Averie! So kind. Thanks for the share!