If you love biscuits, you will want to try my newest gluten free biscuits recipe. I tested five different gluten free flour blends, and I am sharing the results so you can make the most delicious biscuits any time! I also include a vegan gluten free biscuit option!

This has been a fun project for my whole Fearless Dining family and me. I made five sets of biscuits with five different gluten free flour blends. Every biscuit tasted delicious except one.

If you love biscuits as much as we do, you will want to try these Gluten Free Cheese Biscuits too! This biscuit recipe is also great as a topper for my Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie recipe!

For fun, I baked a separate batch in my air fryer. I did not count this air-fried biscuits batch in my gluten free flour test. I include air fryer instructions in the recipe card for those interested in using their air fryer.

I have a few incredible gluten free biscuit recipes to try, including sweet and savory ones!

The Test Parameters:

To test what would be the best gluten free flour blend to use for making biscuits, I used the popular New York Times All-Purpose Biscuit recipe.

I tested these gluten free flour blends: Better Batter Artisinal Gum Free Blend, King Arthur Measure for Measure, Cup4Cup, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Blend, and Just About Food Gluten Free Whole Grain Flour.

UPDATE 6/23/01 – I have now tested this recipe with Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour Blend. It was on sale at our local Grocery Outlet for $2.99 a bag, so I picked up a bag to experiment with. This gluten free flour blend was also excellent for my biscuit recipe!

UPDATE ½/23 – I tested this flour with Pamela’s All Purpose GF Flour. The biscuits turned out well! I would definitely recommend using this flour to anyone who has this blend. I found the blend at my local grocery store.

UPDATE ⅕/23 – Pinterest reader Jess W. said, “I use the GF Americas Test Kitchen flour blend that I make up in large quantities and add the teaspoon of xanthan gum. Works awesome; my family loves them!”

UPDATE 1/19/23 – I tested this recipe with my DIY Gluten Free All Purpose Gum Free Flour Blend, and it worked really well!

I used these guidelines to maintain consistency through each flour test:

  • The same recipe for each.
  • I used the same cookie sheet lined with clean parchment paper for each test and the same size biscuit cutter for each biscuit. Each dough was pressed down to 1 ½ inches high for all the biscuits.
A row of four gluten free biscuits on a rectangular shaped plate.

The results:

If you have been wondering what is the best gluten free flour blend for biscuits, I have the answer for you! Of the gluten-free flour blends I tested, Cup4Cup gluten-free flour was the best in this biscuit recipe. Every brand performed well, and they all had nice flaky layers, but none rose as high or tasted as light and fluffy as the Cup4Cup flour blend.

Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour Blend also worked really well and puffed up nicely.

I found Just About Food Gluten Free Whole Grain Flour for about $5 a bag at our local Grocery Outlet store. It was worth trying because the blend was whole grain and healthier than many starchy mixes. This brand of gluten free flour was so bad and left such a bad taste in the biscuits I tossed the bag and biscuits. Don’t buy it if you see this one.

The top view of all of the gluten free biscuits.

Here is a photo of all of the tops of the biscuits. If you love to bake, be sure to check out all of my best Gluten Free Baking Tips!

a stack of three biscuits on a plate
These are the biscuits made with Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour Blend.

Gluten Free Flour Blend Notes:

Most of the gluten free flours behaved similarly when mixed with the other ingredients. I did not measure the flour amount by weight, as each blend needed tweaking. Here are a few things that stood out:

  1. King Arthur Measure for Measure – The gluten free biscuit dough was wetter than the other flour blends. It didn’t affect the amount of rise, but the dough spread a little more than others when baking. I didn’t add more flour but used about two teaspoons of flour sprinkled on the top to press the dough down enough to use the biscuit cutter.
  2. Better Batter Artisinal Gum Free – I had to add two tablespoons of additional milk so the biscuit dough wasn’t too stiff.
  3. Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Blend – I felt the dough was workable without additional flour or milk.
  4. Cup4Cup – The biscuit dough this flour made was fine without adding any extra flour or milk.
  5. Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour Blend – This flour performed really well.
  6. Target Good & Gather Gluten Free Blend – The biscuits tasted great, but they are a little more crumbly than other gluten free blends used.
  7. Just About Food Whole Grain Gluten Free Blend – I had to add almost ½ cup additional flour because the biscuit dough was so wet with just 1 cup of milk. Again, this flour was terrible, and I don’t recommend using it.
  8. Pamela’s GF All Purpose Flour – Another winner! NOTE: you need ¼ additional cup of milk using this brand.
  9. You can also make this recipe easily with Gluten Free Bisquick. Check out this Gluten Free Bisquick Biscuits recipe.
  10. I tested this recipe with my DIY Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend. The biscuits turned out really well. This makes a great gluten free biscuits recipe without xanthan gum for those who are gum-free. You need 1 TBSP of additional milk if you use my flour blend.

Are you ready to make some gluten free biscuits? I also have an incredible Gluten free Pumpkin Biscuits recipe you need to try!!

Ingredient Notes:

Photos of the gluten free biscuit ingredients.
  • Gluten free flour – Use one that I tested listed above, or use another. Just make sure it contains xanthan gum. If not, you will need to add a teaspoon to your mix.
  • Baking powder – This recipe calls for two tablespoons of baking powder. Be sure to use aluminum-free baking powder. Regular aluminum baking powder will leave a metallic aftertaste. I used Thrive Market Aluminum-Free Baking Powder. Other brands of gluten free baking powder without aluminum include Rumford, Argo, and Bakewell Cream.
  • Butter – Use regular butter or vegan butter. Just make sure the vegan butter is very cold if you use it.
  • Milk – I like to use whole milk. You can use non-dairy milk, but be sure to use one that is not sweetened or flavored. You can also use buttermilk if you prefer gluten free buttermilk biscuits. If you want to use buttermilk, add one teaspoon of lemon juice to your milk.

For something different, check out my Gluten Free Cornmeal Biscuits recipe!

Top Pick
HULISEN Stainless Steel Pastry Scraper, Dough Blender & Biscuit Cutter Set (3 Pieces/ Set)

I highly recommend getting the biscuit cutters that I have. You can make several different sized gluten free biscuits or scones. This set also comes with a pastry blender to cut the cold butter into the flour mixture. This will help you get all of those flaky layers!

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Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:

Biscuits steps 1 and 2 photos.

Step 1: Add your dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk the ingredients to blend them. Add the 5 TBSP of cold butter.

Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour. Many wonder if they can use a food processor to cut the butter in. I find a food processor overmixes the butter in, and you lose some of the flaky layers.

Step 2: Your flour mix will look like it has crumbs, like in this photo.

Biscuits photos of steps 3 and 4.

Step 3: Add the milk and mix.

Step 4: Your dough should look similar in consistency to this.

Biscuits photos of steps 5 and 6.

Step 5: Put the dough on wax paper. You may want to dust it with a tiny bit of gluten free flour. It depends on which gluten free flour blend you use. Press to 1 ½ inch thickness. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out biscuit shapes from the dough. You can use a large ice cream scoop or cookie scoop to make drop-style biscuits.

Step 6: (*Note, this photo is from a test batch I made in the air fryer. You will put your biscuits onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet to bake in the oven.) Brush the top of each biscuit with milk. This will help your biscuits get that nice golden color on top.

Biscuits steps 7 and 8 photos.

Step 7: Bake at 425º F for 15 minutes.

Step 8: Here are the test batches. I baked one at a time, so each cooled on the wire rack and then transferred to another tray while the next set cooled.

Variations:

This gluten-free biscuit recipe has many delicious ways to vary the flavor. Here are a few of my favorites:

  • Add minced garlic and add one extra tablespoon of butter.
  • Top the biscuits with honey.
  • Use some herbs like rosemary or thyme. You can grow a lot of herbs in your kitchen window for baking and cooking.
  • Sweeten things up with brown sugar and cinnamon swirled into the batter.
A cut biscuit on a plate with butter.

If you are looking for a fun twist on this recipe, check out my flaky Gluten Free Cinnamon Sugar Biscuits! My gluten-free biscuits rise so well that I used the recipe as a foundation for my popular Gluten Free Bread Without Yeast.

Tips and Recipe FAQ:

Can you make these biscuits vegan?

You can easily make this vegan by using vegan butter and dairy-free milk.

How do you know when the biscuits are done baking?

You will know the biscuits are done baking when they have a light golden color on top.

Can you make these biscuits drop-style?

You can definitely make these as gluten free drop-style biscuits. Use a large cookie scoop to drop the dough onto a cookie sheet.

What is the best fat to use for biscuits?

I like to use butter for baking biscuits. You can use shortening, but I find the best fat is a European butter like Plugra.

How long will these biscuits keep fresh?

These biscuits will keep fresh for up to 3 days. I advise freezing the extras and then reheating in a microwave oven,

More Gluten Free Bread Recipes:

Tools:

A biscuit cut in half on a plate with butter.

The Best Gluten Free Biscuits

Sandi Gaertner
I tested six different gluten free flour blends so you can make the best gluten free biscuits. These are egg-free and I include a dairy-free option.
4.91 from 189 votes
an egg free allergen icon
gluten free allergy icon
nut free allergen icon
soy free allergy icon
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Gluten Free Bread Recipe
Cuisine American
Servings 6 biscuits
Calories 244 kcal

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups gluten free flour blend * see note
  • 2 tablespoons aluminum free baking powder * see note
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons butter COLD
  • 1 cup milk * see note

Instructions
 

  • Add your dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk the ingredients to blend them. Add the 5 TBSP of cold butter.
  • Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter into the flour. Many wonder if they can use a food processor to cut the butter in. I find a food processor overmixes the butter in and you lose some of the flaky layers. Cutting in the cold butter is what helps make the flaky layers!
  • Add the milk and mix into a nice dough ball. It should be wet, but workable.
  • Preheat your oven to 425º F.
  • Put the dough on wax paper. Depending on the gluten free flour blend you used, you may want to dust the wax paper with a tiny bit of gluten free flour. It depends on which gluten free flour blend you use. Press to 1 ½ inch thickness. (Dust the top of the biscuit dough with a small amount of gluten fre flour as needed.
  • Use a biscuit cutter to cut out biscuit shapes from the dough. If you prefer, you can use a large ice cream scoop or cookie scoop to make drop style biscuits.
  • Brush the top of each biscuit with milk. This will help your biscuits get that nice golden color on top.
  • Bake at 425º F for 15 minutes.

Air Fryer Baking Instructions

  • Follow the above steps up to brushing the tops of the biscuits with milk.
  • Preheat the air fryer to 400º F.
  • Cook the biscuits for 8-12 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your biscuits.

Notes

  1. In my test, I tested the following gluten free flour blends: Cup4Cup, Better Batter Artisinal Gum Free Blend, King Arthur Measure for Measure, Pamela’s GF All Purpose Flour, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Blend, Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour Blend, and Just About Food Gluten Free Whole Grain Flour (DON’T use this one whole grain blend, it was horrible!)
  2. NOTE: With Pamela’s blend, you need an additional ¼ cup of milk
  3. If your blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or psyllium husk as a binder, you need to add 1 tsp of xanthan gum.
  4. You need to use VERY cold butter. 
  5. This recipe calls for 2 TBSP of baking powder. Be sure to use aluminum-free baking powder. Regular aluminum baking powder will leave a metallic aftertaste. I used Thrive Market Aluminum-Free Baking Powder. Other brands of gluten free baking powder without aluminum include Rumford, Argo, and Bakewell Cream. You can also make your own DIY gluten free baking powder by mixing 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch.
  6. If you want to make this dairy-free, use non-flavored/sweetened dairy-free milk and vegan butter.
  7. Each brand is a little different. Better Batter I needed to add 2 TBSP of milk to the biscuit batter.
  8. If you prefer to use buttermilk, you can, or add 1 TBSP of lemon juice to your milk.
  9. These biscuits will keep up to 3 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 244kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 804mgPotassium: 57mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 357IUCalcium: 370mgIron: 2mg
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Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

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Recipe Rating




262 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    So….I’m glad I stumbled upon this recipe in my search for a GF biscuit! I used it as a base and made modifications. If you hate it when people share what they substituted and changed, stop reading now! LOL 😂 If you’re like me and want to know what people did differently based on what they had on hand, and how it turned out, keep reading! I used King Arthur Measure for Measure GF Flour – 148 g; 1.5 TBS baking powder bc I didn’t have aluminum free; 1/2 tsp baking soda. For the liquid, I measured the following to = approx one cup: 1 egg (read in another GF biscuit recipe this helped with texture/binding), 60g plain Greek yogurt, 60g sour cream, and the rest almond milk, for a total of 250g/ml. I also ended up adding about 2 TBS more almond milk so it wasn’t so dry. I let the dough/batter sit for about 5 minutes, then used an ice cream scoop to drop onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. I sprinkled my fingers lightly with the flour and LIGHTLY pressed down to flatten a bit. Baked for 13 minutes in an oven that had been preheated for a good 30 minutes. These were SO good. My husband, who is “meh” on a lot of GF stuff said if he didn’t know the biscuits were GF, he would never have guessed it.

    1. I am so glad you found my recipe, and I hope you try some others!! I also love when folks share how they modify my recipes. It helps other readers a lot knowing which blends folks have success with, if they make it dairy-free, or egg-free, etc. Thank you so much!

  2. 5 stars
    I have made this recipe many times and it is wonderful with Cup 4 Cup. The only thing I do different is use buttermilk instead of just milk. Thank you for a great recipe.

  3. 3 stars
    I am sorry to have to say this but the amt of baking powder (2Tbl) is way too much it ruined the flavor of the biscuits. I questioned it at first. But then decided you knew best. After studying other recipes I came to the conclusion the quantity you ask for is wrong. Thank you for trying so hard.

    1. Hi Ellen, You are the first who did use the correct aluminum-free baking powder to comment it messed with the flavor. You didn’t mention which flour blend you used. Did you use one with bean flour, or one I haven’t tested? I assure you the quantity is correct. I am sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, perhaps you can try again if you use less.

  4. 5 stars
    The biscuits were light, tender and delicious! I substituted non fat buttermilk for the milk and I cut the butter into small cubes and froze it. I put the dry ingredients in my mixer bowl with the paddle attachment. I carefully cut the butter in using my mixer on low speed. I mixed the buttermilk in by hand. The biscuits were awesome!

  5. Hi Sandi. No I didn’t twist the cutter while cutting. I also put the biscuits back into the fridge while my oven preheated. I was wondering if I baked them at a lower temperature to maybe 400° and cook them a little longer, the outside wouldn’t brown so quickly which would allow the middle to cook more evenly with the outside? Not sure if that made sense, LOL. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Even though they were a bit gummy in the middle, my guest enjoyed them and that’s whst counts.

    1. Hi Pat, you could definitely try a lower temperature. Is the rack in your oven in the middle position? The tops can cook too fast if your rack is too high and close to the top heat panel.

  6. my biscuit s did rise and where a little grainy. any suggestions to improve them. I used king Arthur cup for cup

    1. Hi Natalie, the graininess comes from the rice flour. Let the dough sit for 30 min (I do this by chilling it in the fridge to get it cold.) That way the rice flour can soften up.

  7. 4 stars
    Easy recipe, nice flavour. Mine didn’t rise as much as I had hoped for and they ended up spreading out a lot too. I used Robs Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour. Any idea what I did wrong?

      1. I figured out my butter wasn’t cold enough and the baking soda is good. This last batch I chilled before placing in the oven. They are much better but a bit doughy in the middle. Not sure why

      2. Hi Pat, I like to freeze the butter so it is nice and cold. Did you twist the biscuit cutter when cutting the biscuits? That seals the edges and prevents a high riser and it could affect the middles. I would bake a little longer to see what happens.