These Buckwheat Biscuits without butter are easy to put together, and go great with most any meal - from simple weeknights to holiday feasts. No pastry cutter needed! And since they're made with buckwheat, they're gluten free, too, so all your guests can partake.
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We make our biscuits without butter, using a combo of olive oil and applesauce to keep them fluffy and moist without all the saturated fat. You will love how easy they are to make, too, and they're sure to become a mainstay of your dinner table with the endless variations you can make to them.
The biscuits are divine with homemade jam. Try my sugar free strawberry jam, or blueberry thyme jam. You might also want to learn more about how to choose a healthy jelly brand from the store.
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Heart Health Benefits of Buckwheat Biscuits
Biscuits are generally not known for their healthful qualities, are they? That's because they are usually made with refined white flour, and tons of butter or shortening. Not that they aren't delicious little pillows of bliss, but those aren't something that should be a mainstay on our tables.
These olive oil biscuits on the other hand, can frequent your plate as often as you like! We're using buckwheat flour in these biscuits - which is not only a whole grain with loads of fiber and extra protein, but gluten free too (if that's something you need). The buckwheat imparts a slightly earthy note, which feels really seasonal to me! We add just enough salt for leavening, while still keeping the overall biscuits low sodium.
Buckwheat is also high in antioxidants, perhaps most notably is the flavonoid Rutin (1). In addition to buckwheat's overall potential to help reduce free radical damage of low density lipoprotein (LDL), rutin seems to have a unique ability to help reduce cardiac stress due to environmental pollutants - specifically BPA (Bisphenol-A) and DBP (Dibutyl phthalate) (2). It is worth noting that the majority of studies on rutin thus far have been in rodents, but these results are promising.
We've also replaced the butter with olive oil for a low saturated fat, but high monounsaturated fat content. Excellent for your heart! We make our own "buttermilk" by mixing unsweetened soymilk with vinegar - because let's be honest, buttermilk isn't an ingredient I usually have hanging out in my fridge. Don't worry though - the biscuits won't taste vinegary. That gets neutralized by the baking soda, causing the biscuits to be nice and fluffy!
Ingredients
We go simple here, for gluten free drop biscuits you can make using common ingredients you can find almost anywhere.
- Buckwheat flour
- Unsweetened soy milk
- Apple cider vinegar
- Applesauce
- Olive oil
- Baking powder
- Salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
You will love how easy it is to make our low sodium biscuits! Here are some step-by-step pictures!
- Step 1: First, combine the soy milk and the vinegar, stir, and set aside for about 5 minutes.
- Step 2: The milk will get thicker and start to curdle. This is normal! Now you have homemade "buttermilk"!
- Step 3: Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Step 5: Stir until combined.
- Step 6: Use a small scoop (or spoon) to scoop the batter onto a lined baking sheet.
- Step 7: Continue until all the batter is gone. I usually get 12-15 biscuits.
- Step 8: Bake for about 12 minutes. Cool to touch before eating!
Hint: using a cookie scoop is optional, but incredibly helpful in getting biscuits that are all the same size and shape. I use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop (affiliate link), and it's the perfect size.
Substitutions
If you don't have an ingredient, try one of these subs!
- Vinegar - use white vinegar, rice vinegar, or even balsamic vinegar for a different taste
- Milk - you can use dairy milk or any dairy substitute that has about 6 grams of protein or more - you need the protein to react with the vinegar. You can also use regular buttermilk and omit the vinegar all together.
- Sweetener - if you prefer some sweetness, add a few teaspoons of maple syrup, honey, or sugar
Equipment
You'll need some basic equipment for these low sodium biscuits, and you probably have most or all of it right now. Besides your typical things like a mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, and mixing spoons, you will also need a baking sheet with either a piece of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (affiliate links).
The cookie scoop is technically optional, because you can easily use a kitchen spoon for the drop biscuits. But using this 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop (affiliate link) ensures your biscuits will all be the same shape and size, and will all cook in exactly the same amount of time. BUT - if you're not in the market for something new, use your kitchen spoons!
Storage
Cool the buckwheat biscuits completely, and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Pro tip
Bake the biscuits just until the top rebounds when you press gently on it, and no more. Overbaking these will make them dry and sandy in texture.
FAQ
Yes, of course your biscuits won't be gluten free any longer. Your liquid requirement may be more or less, but otherwise, the recipe should work the same.
The reason biscuits hold together so well is because of the gluten in wheat. Without that, baked goods tend to not hold together as well. While these biscuits are far from crumbly, you'll definitely notice a different texture. That's normal for gluten free biscuits. Enjoy them with a little jam if you like.
If you don't like the texture, and don't need to eat gluten free, you can use ½ buckwheat flour and ½ whole wheat flour for a biscuit that holds together more like what you're used to.
Yes. If you have buttermilk, you can absolutely use that instead of mixing soymilk with vinegar. Important: you won't add the vinegar at all if you use buttermilk. Your biscuits won't be vegan if you do that; an FYI in case you're cooking for anyone who is vegan.
You can try. But some of the popular "milks" out there like almond milk, coconut milk, and rice milk probably won't work quite the same because they are low in protein. Try to find one with close to 6-8 grams of protein per serving or more so the acid you add can coagulate the protein properly.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite toppings for these buckwheat biscuits:
Featured Reader Review
After so many gluten free fails I found this recipe. Oh my goodness they are delicious!!!!! Thank you!! I used almond milk instead and they came out amazing!!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📖 Recipe
Buckwheat Biscuits
Ingredients
- ½ cup Unsweetened Soymilk
- ½ tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 cup Buckwheat Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 3 tablespoon Unsweetened Applesauce
- 3 tablespoon Olive Oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Combine the soymilk and vinegar in a cup or bowl and set aside for about 5 minutes (it will become thicker as the acid curdles the protein in the milk).
- In another bowl, combine the buckwheat flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Pour in the soymilk/vinegar mixture, the olive oil, and applesauce, and mix until well combined.
- Portion out the batter onto a lined or greased baking sheet using a small cookie scoop (about 1.5-2 tablespoon per biscuit).
- Bake for 10-14 minutes, until slightly browned and the biscuit quickly rebounds when gently pressed.
- Best served warm. Can be stored in an airtight for a day or two. Reheat gently in a warm oven.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.
Food safety
Safety is our top priority in the kitchen! Always keep these tips in mind.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands before touching food, and after touching raw meat, your hair, face, pets, etc.
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Margret says
This recipe looks great. Recently started using buckwheat flour. Can you make these as muffins in a muffin tin? Looking forward to seeing how they turn out!
Laura Yautz says
Hi Margret! I don't see why you couldn't use a muffin tin. I'd probably use a mini muffin tin though, so the amount of batter in each one is about the same as in the recipe (1 1/2 tablespoons of batter). This will also keep the baking time the same. If you wanted to go for regular sized muffins, you could try that too, but the baking time will be longer, and I can't speak to how crumbly they may turn out, as I've never tried it. If you do, let me know how they work!
Jjj says
Is there a substitution for the applesauce? We have an apple allergy.
Laura Yautz says
Hi! In place of the applesauce you can use mashed avocado, pumpkin, or sweet potato puree. You could also just sub more olive oil, but you may end up needing a tad more flour. Hope this helps!
Pam says
These sound delicious, but I’m wondering if I should add an egg to boost the protein content as I will be using almond milk? If so, would I reduce the milk, or maybe leave out the applesauce?
Thank you.
Laura Yautz says
Hi Pam, others have said they used almond milk and have had great results, so you might be ok to simply sub almond milk with anything additional. You could certainly add an egg, and that would also help the biscuit stay together even more! If you do that, I'd recommend reducing the milk by about 3 tablespoons. The applesauce lends some sweetness that the biscuit really needs, so I wouldn't leave that out. Hope this helps! Let me know what you end up doing, and how your biscuits turn out!
Jami Flynn says
Delicious as written! Warmed up with butter… so good. My first try with buckwheat flour!
Laura Yautz says
Thanks for your review, Jami! So glad you loved the biscuits!
KK says
After so many gluten free fails I found this recipe. Oh my goodness they are delicious!!!!! Thank you!! I used almond milk instead and they came out amazing!!!
Laura Yautz says
Aww you're welcome! I am so happy you found your winner! Thanks for trying the biscuits and for your review! 🙂
Rebecca says
I made these with buttermilk that I needed to use up (omitted the vinegar), and substituted the olive oil for avocado oil. Clean up was a breeze, and the children loved these biscuits. Thank you for sharing this healthy, easy, and FAST recipe! It's a keeper!!
Laura Yautz says
Thank you for sharing your modifications Rebecca! They sound yummy! I'm glad you and your family loved the recipe! And I love how fast and easy they are, too! 🙂
Diana Purvis says
Very nice, easy recipe! I made it today as one large biscuit! Thank you for the recipe!
Laura Yautz says
One large biscuit sounds amazing! Glad you liked the recipe, Diana!
Marshall says
I'm looking to incorporate more buckwheat into my diet and am looking forward to making these biscuits.
A couple of questions ...
Have you tried using a plant-based milk other than soy?
I make my own plant-based milk and do not filter out the pulp/fiber. Do you think I would still need to use the vinegar if I use this "whole" milk?
Laura Yautz says
Hi Marshall, happy to hear you're looking forward to making these! I have not tried using another milk myself, however, you can certain use any that fits your liking. You could even use plain water in a pinch, but the biscuits wouldn't be a creamy. You will still want to use the vinegar (or another acid like lemon juice) no matter what liquid you use, because that is what will activate the baking soda and help the biscuits rise. You don't taste it at all in the finished product. Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love the biscuits! 🙂
Marshall says
Thanks, Laura. And I'm sure you're right ... I'll love the biscuits. 🙂
Ruth Bircham says
Can I use bulgar wheat & grapeseed oil for these biscuits
Will be trying all these recipes.
Thank you
Kind regards
Ruth
Laura Yautz says
Hi Ruth! You could definitely make those substitutions. Make sure your bulgur is ground to a flour, if it's not already, before you use it. You can use a high speed blender or food processor for that. Grapeseed oil would be delicious in these biscuits! Thanks for your question. Let me know how they turn out!