Vegan Biscuits
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My southern-style vegan biscuits are buttery, flaky, and oh, so easy to make. They need just 7 pantry staples and less than 30 minutes. No yeast or egg substitutes needed!
If you think 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. My family can’t tell these apart from standard buttermilk biscuits!
The trick to making tall and flaky vegan biscuits comes down to two key factors- the vegan butter you use and how cold the butter is. I’ve tested every available vegan butter or margarine brand on the market, and Earth Balance was the clear winner. The colder the vegan butter is, the taller and flakier the biscuits will turn out. Surprisingly, this 7-ingredient recipe is simple to make and doesn’t need any yeast whatsoever. Pair it with chili or a warming veggie curry (I personally love Dahl) for a complete and comforting meal.
Key Ingredients
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Dairy-free milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but cashew milk and other plant-based milks can also be used.
- Apple cider vinegar. Mixing this with the milk 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. I tested these with gluten-free all-purpose flour, and they worked well; however, they didn’t rise as well. I use Bob’s Red Mill brand.
- 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 yields fluffier, flakier biscuits; however, any good-quality vegan butter is fine. Please choose vegan butter from a block rather than a tub, as the latter often has added water in it, which will affect the texture of the biscuits.
- Sugar. Optional, but I like to add a pinch of something sweet to balance out the savory flavors.
How to make vegan biscuits
Step 1- Make buttermilk. Combine the milk with vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle.
Step 2- Make the biscuit dough. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients, then rub in butter until crumbly. Add mock buttermilk and stir until just combined.
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.
Step 4- Bake the biscuits for 15 minutes until lightly golden brown.
★★★★★ 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
Arman’s recipe tips
- 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. Once a crumbly, sand-like texture remains, it’s ready. You can see how I’ve done this in the step-by-step video below.
- 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. Also, brush with extra vegan butter for that gorgeous shine.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can. Once you’ve made the dough, roll it out as instructed and shape it. Once shaped, place them on a lined baking sheet and cover with Saran Wrap. Refrigerate them for up to 48 hours. I don’t recommend freezing them because they don’t bake as well.
I’ve made these biscuits both ways- by hand and in the food processor. If you’re short on time, the processor is quicker, but be careful not to overdo it. Pulse just until the butter and dry ingredients form a crumbly, sand-like texture. Over-processing warms the butter, and cold butter is the secret to tall, flaky layers.
Pillsbury brand of biscuit dough is not suitable for vegans as it contains dairy and egg products.
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.
Recipes to enjoy with vegan biscuits
Vegan Biscuits
Video
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour gluten-free, if needed
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegan butter cold and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (210°C). 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 five minutes to curdle. This will be a mock buttermilk.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the chopped cold butter, and use your hands to mix into the dough until a crumbly, thick texture remains. Add the milk mixture and mix until just combined.
- 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.
- Bake the biscuits for 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack for several minutes.
Notes
- Vegan butter brands: I highly recommend Earth Balance, as it yielded the flakiest biscuits. Other brands that will work are Miyokos and Kite Hill. Different brands will have varying levels of success in terms of how flaky they turn out.
- Gluten-free flour: I tested this with Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour successfully. I can’t vouch for other brands.
- Leftovers: Keep at room temperature, covered, for 5 days or in the fridge for 2 weeks. They freeze well and can keep frozen for up to 6 months.
Just made these for Sunday breakfast and this recipe is going into my regular rotation! They came out so moist and soft. I think next time I’ll be a bit more gentle with the dough and try not to work it so much, as they were just a tad dense. Other than that, this recipe is SOLID!
so easy to make, love it! It just comes out fluffy, but just a bit dense and thick for me.
De-lish! Im not mentioning Any names but I will say there is a certain person who gives Vegan recipes that “everyone” raves online about and I compared your recipe to hers… Yours is WAY better. Also, your recipe is less time consuming from prep to cleaning. Thanks! Again… These are so good and I advise everyone to compare, even if you are partial to any certain recipe.
Best vegan biscuits ever. Made for Thanksgiving!
In what cups should I make this dessert to look like this on the photo? Muffin plate?
They used a scone or biscuit cutter for the shape.
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!!
I will make this for my vegan friend. Just need ti find vegan butter. You have some substitute?
They look so nice. I am not vegan but can use other ingredients.
Goof ingredients. I am not vegan but have them all.
Love these biscuits!
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!
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!
This is my go to biscuit recipe. I love how simple and delicious it is. Not to mention it’s vegan. Thanks!
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!
I make these almost every weekend. They are SO good with vegan breakfast sausage.
These biscuits can be a good option for evening tea snacks.
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?
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!
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!
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!
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?
Hi! Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and sprinkle with powdered sugar and have them as sweet biscuits with some jelly or jam.
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!
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!
Thank you, Frieda!
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!
Can you make the dough ahead of time?
I haven’t tried, I generally don’t recommend doing it
these look yummy!! …has anyone out there tried coconut oil instead of butter??
Not that I know of!
Can a grain-free flour be used?
Not that I’ve tried!
Delicious…even made with just water instead of milk.
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!