Looking for the perfect vegan biscuit recipe? Your search ends here! We’re talking tall, flaky layers of buttery goodness with some foolproof tips to ensure your biscuits rise to the occasion every single time.
There’s a little magic in a warm, flaky biscuit. They’re buttery (without the butter), soft, and somehow make even the most ordinary mornings feel a little special. But we get it—making homemade vegan biscuits from scratch can feel like a big ask. Will they rise? Will they be fluffy? Will they even be edible? Let’s take a deep breath together: you’ve got this.
If you’ve been searching for the perfect vegan biscuit recipe, this is it. With just a handful of simple ingredients and a few clever tricks, you’ll be on your way to golden, bakery-level biscuits that are 100% plant-based. Plus, we’re including some common mistakes to avoid when making vegan biscuits, so your next batch is guaranteed to be fluffy, flaky, and delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Biscuit Recipe
Biscuits just have a way of making life better. Whether it’s a slow weekend morning or a cozy dinner, this vegan biscuit recipe brings all the buttery, flaky vibes every time. It’s simple, foolproof, and versatile enough to fit into any meal. Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Flaky Layers. Every Single Time: Tall, golden, and packed with tender, buttery layers—these biscuits look like they came from a bakery but are totally doable in your own kitchen without any fancy gadgets.
- The Breakfast Upgrade: Turn these into the ultimate breakfast sandwich with a folded JUST Egg, vegan cheese, and crispy vegan bacon. Or make them extra special with smoky shiitake bacon and a little drizzle of maple syrup.
- Perfect for Dunking and Smothering: These biscuits were made for gravy—creamy, peppery, mushroom-packed, you name it. Or dip them in soups like split pea or vegan clam chowder and let the cozy vibes take over.
- Just 5 Simple Ingredients: No hard-to-find ingredients or complicated steps here. Self-rising flour, vegan butter, and a few basics come together to make biscuits that are so good, they almost feel too easy.
- Sweet, Savory, or Anything in Between: Pair them with smoky bbq jackfruit, serve them with a bowl of roasted parsnip or vegan chicken soup, or make them dessert-ready with strawberries and coconut whipped cream. They fit in anywhere like a champ.
Key Ingredients For These Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits
Simple ingredients, big biscuit energy—that’s the vibe here. This vegan biscuit recipe keeps things easy with just five pantry staples, each playing a key role in creating perfect flaky layers and buttery golden tops. Let’s break down the lineup:
- Soy Milk: The base for our vegan buttermilk. When mixed with apple cider vinegar, it curdles slightly, adding moisture and just enough tang to make the biscuits tender and flavorful. Soy milk works best here because it’s creamy, but almond or oat milk can step in if needed.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: This is what helps give your biscuits a light, fluffy texture. The acidity reacts with the baking powder in self-rising flour, creating the lift biscuits need. It’s subtle but essential for that perfect rise.
- Self-Rising Flour: The secret to biscuits that rise tall and stay tender. Self-rising flour already has baking powder and salt blended in, so you get consistent results every time. If you don’t have any on hand, you can make a quick substitute (check out the tip box below).
- Cold Vegan Butter: Cold butter is the key to those flaky layers. As it melts in the oven, it creates steam, which lifts and separates the dough into tender, golden layers. Grating the butter into the flour helps distribute it evenly without overmixing. Miyoko’s or Earth Balance are great choices, but any solid vegan butter will work.
- Salt: A simple but important ingredient. It enhances the flavor of the biscuits, balancing the tang from the buttermilk and the richness of the butter for that perfect bite.
Can I Sub Self-Rising Flour with All-Purpose Flour?
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Self-rising flour is more than just convenience—it’s designed to create tender, airy baked goods like biscuits and scones. Its precise blend of flour, baking powder, and salt eliminates guesswork, giving you consistent results every time. If you can, stick with self-rising flour for the fluffiest, flakiest vegan biscuits!
How To Make The Best Vegan Biscuits
Ready to make perfect vegan biscuits? Let’s break down how to achieve those tall, golden layers and soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture—all with just a handful of simple ingredients. For full recipe details, scroll to the end of this post!
Step 1: Preheat and Prepare – Set your oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheating is key—it ensures your biscuits bake evenly and rise properly right from the start.
Step 2: Whisk the Buttermilk – In a small bowl, mix soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes to thicken and curdle. This step mimics traditional buttermilk, adding moisture and a slight tang that keeps your biscuits tender.
Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together self-rising flour and salt. This ensures the salt is evenly distributed, so every biscuit has a perfectly balanced flavor.
Step 4: Grate the Cold Butter – Using a box grater, grate your cold vegan butter directly into the flour mixture. This creates tiny pieces of butter that stay cold and melt during baking, forming pockets of steam that give you those flaky layers.
Step 5: Add the Vegan Buttermilk – Pour the vegan buttermilk into the bowl with the flour and butter.
Step 6: Mix Gently – Using a spatula, gently fold the ingredients together just until combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can activate the gluten and make the biscuits dense—we’re aiming for light, tender perfection!
Step 7: Lightly flour your work surface.
Turn your dough onto the floured surface. Add a little flour over the top if it’s initially too sticky to work with.
Step 8: Fold for Layers – Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press it into a rectangle, then fold the bottom third up and the top third down (like folding a letter).
Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat the fold two more times. This step is key for creating those gorgeous layers.
Step 9: Cut Your Biscuits – Press the dough into a ¾-inch thick rectangle. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut out rounds, pressing straight down without twisting. Twisting seals the edges and prevents the biscuits from rising properly.
Step 10: Bake Until Golden – Arrange the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet so their edges just touch (this helps them rise evenly). Bake for 14 minutes, brush the tops with melted vegan butter, and bake for an additional 4 minutes, or until golden brown.
Serve and Enjoy – Serve these warm with your favorite toppings—vegan butter, jam, or gravy—or alongside your favorite soups and stews. They’re best enjoyed fresh out of the oven for maximum flakiness.
How To Avoid Common Biscuit Pitfalls
Even the best vegan biscuit recipe can falter without a little attention to detail. Biscuits are delicate by design—small adjustments, like keeping your ingredients cold or handling the dough gently, can make the difference between buttery, flaky layers and biscuits that fall flat. These tips will help you troubleshoot and avoid common pitfalls, so every batch turns out just right.
- Forgetting to Keep Things Cold: Cold is king when it comes to biscuits. Chilled vegan butter creates steam pockets as it melts in the oven, which is what makes those flaky layers happen. If your butter softens too much before baking, you’ll end up with flat, dense biscuits. Pro tip: chill everything—your butter, flour, even your mixing bowl—to keep things cool and under control.
- Skipping Self-Rising Flour: Self-rising flour is a biscuit’s best friend. It’s already perfectly balanced with baking powder and salt, which takes the guesswork out of measuring. Sure, you can mix your own with all-purpose flour, but it’s tricky to get it just right. If you want tall, fluffy biscuits without the risk of over- or under-leavening, self-rising flour is the way to go.
- Overworking the Dough: Here’s the deal: biscuits love a light touch. Mixing or kneading too much activates the gluten in the flour, which makes your biscuits tough instead of tender. Stir just until everything comes together, and let the dough look a little shaggy—it’s part of the charm.
- Twisting the Biscuit Cutter: It’s tempting, but don’t twist when you’re cutting out biscuits. Twisting seals the edges, which keeps the dough from rising properly. Instead, press straight down with the cutter and lift it straight up to keep those edges nice and clean.
- Skipping the Folded Layers: Those gorgeous flaky layers don’t just happen—they’re made. Folding the dough (also called laminating) creates thin layers of fat and flour that puff up beautifully in the oven. Even a couple of folds will take your biscuits from good to bakery-worthy.
- Forgetting to Let Them Touch: It might seem counterintuitive, but letting the biscuits touch on the baking sheet helps them rise taller and stay soft on the sides. Think of them as a team—they bake better when they support each other.
- Not Chilling the Dough Before Baking: If your kitchen is warm or you’ve handled the dough a lot, give your biscuits a quick chill in the fridge before baking. This firms up the butter again, so it melts at the right time in the oven. Bonus: they’ll hold their shape better, too.
How To Serve
Once you’ve baked a batch of these golden, flaky biscuits, the real fun begins. Although they’re incredible straight out of the oven, here are some other fresh ideas to take them from basic to beyond:
- Savory Casserole Topper: Skip the pie crust and layer these biscuits on top of a vegan pot pie or veggie-packed casserole. They bake up golden and turn a one-dish dinner into pure comfort.
- Dessert Shortcakes: Go beyond strawberries and whipped cream—think spiced apples, caramel drizzle, or even a rich chocolate ganache for an unexpected twist.
- Biscuit Sliders: Serve with hearty comfort food options like smoky tempeh bacon, faux-meaty seitan, or umami-rich mushrooms for a mini sandwich masterpiece.
- With Vegan Butter and Jam: The classic combination—slather warm biscuits with vegan butter and your favorite jam or fruit preserves for a simple, timeless treat.
- Biscuits and Gravy: Smothered in creamy vegan gravy is the way to go. Whether it’s peppery white gravy, mushroom-packed, or even sausage-style, biscuits + gravy = umami-rich, comfort food perfection.
- Alongside Soup, Stew, and Chili: Serve biscuits with hearty soups like vegan split pea, vegan chowder, creamy cauliflower, or bright tomato soup. They’re perfect for dunking and sopping up any flavor.
FAQs
The best non-dairy milk for biscuits is soy milk because it has a higher protein content, which helps create structure and tenderness. Almond milk and oat milk are also great options, but soy milk most closely mimics traditional buttermilk when combined with apple cider vinegar. For a rich and flaky vegan biscuit, stick with unsweetened varieties.
Some popular biscuit brands are accidentally vegan or offer vegan-friendly options. Grands!™ Southern Homestyle Southern Recipe Biscuits, Grands!™ Southern Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits, Annie’s Organic Flaky Biscuits, Immaculate Organic Flaky Biscuits, and Bisquick Mix are great choices. Always check the label for animal-based ingredients.
The key to flaky vegan biscuits is keeping the butter and dough cold. Use a box grater to evenly distribute the vegan butter into the flour and fold the dough a few times to create layers. Press straight down with your biscuit cutter and avoid twisting to ensure those biscuits rise tall and flaky every time.
More Ways To Love Vegan Bread
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Easy Vegan Biscuit Recipe
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 6 biscuits
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Tall, golden, and perfectly flaky, this vegan biscuit recipe proves you don’t need eggs or dairy to make bakery-level biscuits at home. Just five simple ingredients, a few easy steps, and you’re on your way to buttery layers that feel like a warm hug in every bite. Ideal for breakfast sandwiches, smothering in gravy, or pairing with your favorite cozy soup.
Ingredients
- 1 cup soymilk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups self-rising flour, chilled (plus more for dusting)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cold vegan butter (I use Miyoko’s cultured butter with salt)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix together the soymilk and apple cider vinegar to create vegan buttermilk. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- Grate the vegan butter directly into the flour mixture, moving it around to prevent clumping. Give it a gentle stir to distribute.
- Pour the prepared vegan buttermilk into the flour mixture.
- Using a spatula, fold the ingredients together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can activate the gluten and heat the dough, making the biscuits less fluffy.
- Lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out onto it.
- If the dough is too sticky to work with, toss a little flour over the top.
- Using your hands, form the dough into a rectangle, aiming for a uniform thickness of about 3/4 inch.
- Fold the bottom third of the dough upwards towards the middle, then fold the top third downwards over the layer you just created, as if folding a letter.
- Rotate the dough 90 degrees so the seams are now on the top and bottom.
- Repeat this process 2 times.
- Make your final roll with the dough, making a rectangle shape that’s about 6X10 and uniformly thick.
- Use a 3-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out 6 biscuits. Press the cutter straight down without twisting, to ensure the biscuits can rise properly.
- Place the biscuits onto the baking sheet, arranging them so their edges touch. This will help them rise higher.
- Place into the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to chill.
- Bake for 14 minutes, and then lightly brush the tops with some melted butter.
- Return them to the stove and bake for about 4 minutes longer or until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown.
Notes
- Storage: Keep any leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, pop them in a 350°F oven for a few minutes to bring back their warm, flaky magic.
- Freezing and Baking: Got extra dough? Freeze those biscuits for later! Cut and freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from the freezer, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time—no need to thaw. Perfect for biscuit emergencies (yes, that’s a thing).
- Refrigerating and Baking (Optional): Want to plan ahead? Shape your biscuits, cover them with plastic wrap on a baking sheet, and refrigerate overnight. Bake them straight from the fridge, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time. It’s like having bakery-fresh biscuits waiting for you.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
This post was last updated on January 7, 2025.
Allison says
I just made this and it blew my mind!!! He best vegan breakfast sandwich I’ve ever had (restaurants included). Thank you for posting! I added avocado mixed with 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe’s. 😀
erinwyso says
Allison,
Thanks for your kind feedback and I’m so happy you enjoyed! Love your idea of adding avocado … I will have to try that!
Hercules says
This recipe seems delicious, i will definitely try it.
I really like your website Erin, it’s full of awesome quality content and gorgeous photography.
Lisa Viger says
Wow, that is a beautiful thing … 🙂
Adi says
Looks so delicious; thanks for sharing the recipe!