Vegan Biscuits

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5 from 367 votes
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My vegan biscuits are buttery, flaky, and oh-so-easy to make. There’s NO yeast needed, and they’re made in one bowl!

Ready for more biscuit recipes? Try my 2-ingredient biscuits, air fryer biscuits, cheese biscuits, and coconut flour biscuits next. 

basket of baked vegan biscuits.

If you’re of the opinion that vegan baked goods are dry or lack flavor, my vegan biscuit recipe will convince you otherwise. 

They are, without a doubt, as flaky and tall as their non-vegan counterparts. The only difference? A few vegan swaps that cut the dairy but keep the flavor. 

Table of Contents
  1. Why I love this recipe
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How to make vegan biscuits
  4. Arman’s recipe tips
  5. Storage instructions
  6. Frequently asked questions
  7. Serving suggestions
  8. Vegan Biscuits (Recipe Card)

Why I love this recipe

  • Made with only 7 ingredients. And none of them are niche substitutions, but rather, basic pantry staples. 
  • Golden brown, buttery, and flaky. In terms of texture, these biscuits tick all the boxes. (Yes, I know buttery sounds like an oxymoron). 
  • No yeast needed. It’s a quick bread recipe that’s designed to be ready in minutes. 
  • All in one bowl. So clean-up is done well before the biscuits finish baking. 

★★★★★ REVIEW 

“15/10, these are absolutely delicious!! I made them with Violife butter and oat milk. I think the kind of butter you use really matters!” Karla

vegan biscuits.

Ingredients needed

  • Dairy-free milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but cashew milk and other plant-based milk can also be used. 
  • Apple cider vinegar. Mixed with the milk, this will create a mock ‘buttermilk.’ Confession: I use this as my ‘buttermilk’ for any recipe, vegan or not. 
  • All-purpose flour. Preferably sifted, so you get smooth and pillowy biscuits. Use gluten-free flour if needed. 
  • Baking powder. To help the biscuits rise. Don’t omit or swap this for baking soda.
  • Salt. To add flavor. 
  • Cold vegan butter OR vegan margarine. I prefer the firmer texture of Earth Balance vegan butter, which makes for fluffier, flakier biscuits. 
  • Sugar. Optional, but I like to add a pinch of something sweet to balance out the savory flavors. 

How to make vegan biscuits

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

vegan buttermilk.

Step 1- Make buttermilk. Combine the milk with vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle. 

vegan biscuit dough in bowl.

Step 2- Make the biscuit dough. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Add the chopped butter, and use your hands to mix into the dough until crumbly. Add the mock buttermilk and stir until just combined.

shaped vegan biscuits with buttermilk glaze.

Step 3- Shape. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to an inch in thickness. Use a biscuit cutter and transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet. If desired, brush the tops with melted butter.

freshly baked vegan biscuits.

Step 4- Bake. Bake the biscuits for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Arman’s recipe tips

  • Use a food processor. I don’t mind mixing by hand, but using a food processor is quicker. Simply add the butter to the dry ingredients and pulse until you have the proper texture. 
  • Work quickly. The trick to guaranteeing the perfect biscuit texture is to work quickly. The biscuits won’t be as flaky if the butter has time to soften as you’re working the dough. 
  • Avoid overmixing the dough. The more you mix, the more likely the biscuits will turn out flat. 
  • Press straight down with the pastry cutter. If you wiggle the cutter, you’ll squish the biscuits, and they won’t rise as much. 
  • Remove them from the oven when they’re barely golden. They may look undercooked, but they’ll continue to cook as they cool down. 

Storage instructions

To store: Leftover biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

To freeze: Freeze leftover biscuits in a freezer-safe container for up to six months. Let them thaw in the fridge. 

To reheat: Microwave the biscuits for 20 seconds or in a preheated oven for 5-10 minutes.

flaky vegan biscuit.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pillsbury Biscuits vegan?

Pillsbury brand of biscuit dough is not suitable for vegans as it contains dairy and egg products in them.

Serving suggestions

vegan biscuits recipe.

Vegan Biscuits

5 from 367 votes
My vegan biscuits are buttery, flaky, and oh-so-easy to make. There’s NO yeast needed, and they’re made in one bowl!
Servings: 12 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 22 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 220C/425F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, add the almond milk with apple cider vinegar and let it sit for several minutes to curdle. This will be a mock buttermilk.
    vegan buttermilk.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add your flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add your chopped butter, and use your hands to mix into the dough until a crumbly, thick texture remains. Add your milk mixture and mix until just combined.
    vegan biscuit dough in bowl.
  • Lightly flour a kitchen surface. Transfer your dough onto it. Roll out the dough until it is an inch in thickness. Then, use a biscuit or scone cutter to cut the biscuits out and place them on the baking tray. If desired, brush some extra milk on top.
    shaped vegan biscuits with buttermilk glaze.
  • Bake the biscuits for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack for several minutes.
    freshly baked vegan biscuits.

Notes

* You can substitute for margarine. Butter/margarine must be firm. 
TO STORE: Leftover biscuits can be stored at room temperature in a sealable container, for up to 5 days. They can also be stored in the refrigerator, for up to 14 days (2 weeks). 
TO FREEZE: Freeze leftover biscuits in a ziplock bag, and keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. 
TO THAW: Biscuits must be thawed to room temperature, before reheating. It is best to thaw overnight in the fridge.
TO REHEAT: Heat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, or in a preheated oven for 10 minutes (at 180C/350F).

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 133kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSodium: 326mgPotassium: 22mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 360IUCalcium: 74mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 15g
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Originally published August 2022, updated and republished July 2024

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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5 from 367 votes (349 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These biscuits are delicious! So easy to make, so flaky! Mine didn’t brown on top but I’m not confident I did them perfectly right, despite adding milk on top and baking for 15 min. Excited to add this recipe to my regular rotation!!

  2. 5 stars
    Easy with great results! I followed the recipe as is using my homemade cashew milk and vegan butter substitute from Costco and it was a hit all around. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

  3. 5 stars
    15/10 these are absolutely delicious!! I made them with Violife butter and oat milk. I think the kind of butter you use really matters!

  4. 5 stars
    SO GOOD and so easy! I made them as written using Smart Balance and brushed the tops with more melted Smart Balance before baking. Omg they’re delicious. Will definitely be making these again!

  5. 5 stars
    Sooo tasty! I hand formed the biscuits and baked for around 20 minutes based on what I read in another review and they were so good, I almost ate the whole batch to myself. Any suggestions on making these with a different flour like whole wheat or almond flour?

  6. 5 stars
    Made using GF all purpose flour, brushed on melted butter and sprinkled with everything bagel seasoning before baking. DELICIOUS! Thanks for a great recipe, I will be making these often!

  7. 5 stars
    I tried your recipe using olive oil instead of butter as I didn’t have any vegan butter (I make it myself) and they came out great! I’d say just a little less fluffy. Just wanted to say thank you for the recipe as I make these now instead of bread of chickpea pancakes and they really are delicious!

  8. 5 stars
    This was my first time making homemade biscuits. Mine came out a bit dry, but I’m sure it was probably user error. I’ll definitely use this recipe in the future when I try again!

  9. I messed up and used unsweetened vanilla almond milk. I’m redoing it because I am really craving biscuits, but any advice on what I can do to save the dough I made with the vanilla almond milk?

    1. Hi! Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and sprinkle with powdered sugar and have them as sweet biscuits with some jelly or jam.

  10. 5 stars
    I just watched magnolia table’s episode on biscuits. I then found your recipe in Pinterest. These turned out fabulous! I can’t believe it. This is the best biscuits I’ve made vegan. Thank you!

  11. 5 stars
    Thanks for the recipe. It checked all the boxes for gluten, dairy, and yeast free. I also don’t have a lot of space and time to bake, but this was so easy and the biscuits turned out really flaky. I had to up the cooking time to 20 min, but that’s probably my oven. I also saved time and a mess by hand forming the biscuits. Looking forward to experimenting with sweet and savory add ins. In the meantime, vegan butter and apricot jam for me! Cheers!

  12. 5 stars
    I’m allergic to eggs so I was looking for a vegan scone recipe! I did use butter and 2% milk as I am not vegan. I was looking for one for making cheddar scones so I added squares of cheese to the dough, then added some coarse salt to the top after bushing on some butter. They were SO good. Repeat for sure!

    1. 5 stars
      I made them using mostly a mix of Almond flour and cassava plus a vegan egg (I used psyllium but I’m sure flax egg would work). I also used some brown rice flour but I bet that could be subbed out with more Almond. You don’t need as much liquid to get the right texture to the batter. Mine were delicious if a bit crumbly. Next time I might use 2 vegan eggs. Hope that helps!