This recipe for Biscuits without Buttermilk is the easiest recipe you will find. Because these are drop biscuits - no rolling required! Just drop the dough on a baking sheet for the most fluffy and delicious breakfast. Don't forget to pair with the maple cream!
You'll love this recipe because:
- It's fast. No rolling out dough in different layers trying to make it perfect. You can have these ready in about 30-35 minutes total.
- These biscuits freeze great!
- They make a great breakfast sandwich with eggs, sausage, and cheese.
- No buttermilk is required to make these! Just use milk you have on hand.
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Do You Have to Use Buttermilk in Biscuits?
Often it’s difficult to find really good biscuit recipes without buttermilk. Buttermilk is often used in biscuits for its acidity, which helps the dough rise when combined with a leavener. This is why you often see it combined with baking soda and baking powder in recipes. It also adds a distinct flavor.
But it's definitely not required to go out and buy a special milk for the perfect biscuit. My method of replacement in this recipe is nothing new, but an old substitution used by people for years.
- 1 cup of milk combined with 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar allows you to achieve this acidity and thickness.
- Allow it to sit at least 5 minutes and you will see the milk begin to curdle and thicken into a homemade buttermilk replacement.
Ingredients
Just a few simple ingredients makes this easy recipe!
All Purpose Flour - I have used Bob's Red Mill Organic All Purpose Flour, Gold Medal, and White Wings for this recipe. Just use your favorite brand. I have yet to try this recipe with gluten free 1:1 flour, but I bet it would work fine.
Unsalted Butter - Since we're using such few ingredients, good butter is essential. I recommend keeping a block of Kerrygold in the freezer to make these quickly!
Baking Powder - I like to use an aluminum free brand like Rumford, which I think have better flavor as sometimes you can taste the aluminum in simple recipes.
Whole Milk - A full fat milk works best for this recipe as it has the best flavor and texture.
Distilled White Vinegar - I used Heinz distilled vinegar but lemon juice would also work if you are not following an elimination diet.
Don't skip the maple cream! Heavy cream is mixed with maple syrup and when you brush the top of the biscuits at the end of baking it's delicious.
How to Make Drop Biscuits
A big reason why I loved these is they didn’t require any rolling out or cutting them into perfect rounds, which is a big benefit to drop biscuits. You basically just scoop the dough out and drop it on a baking sheet. They're soft on the inside and slightly crunchy on the outside.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the butter into cubes and toss with flour. Place in a bowl and put in the freezer at least 5 minutes. The butter must be COLD.
- Mix the milk and vinegar together, allowing it to sit at least 5 minutes to thicken.
- In a food processor, combine the flour with baking powder, soda, sugar, and salt. Pulse a few times till mixed together. Add in freezer butter and pulse at least 15 times till butter is broken up into small pieces mixed throughout flour.
- Transfer flour and butter mix to a large bowl and slowly add in milk mixture. Stir with a spatula till everything it just combined and do not overmix.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper overlay. Lay out dough on a floured surface and score dough into 9 even squares. Pull apart and drop onto baking sheet at least 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees F.
- While baking, combine the heavy cream with maple syrup. When biscuits are almost done, remove from oven and brush tops with the maple cream. Return to oven to bake 1 more minute. Biscuits should be golden brown on top and bottoms when done.
- Serve with extra maple cream for dipping!
Tips for Baking
- Cold Butter is Very Important - Cold butter is what makes the biscuits really fluffy and allows those glorious pockets of air within the biscuit. One tip I learned from Cravings was to give my butter an extra chill in the freezer, between chopping into small pieces and cutting it into the flour
- Don’t Overmix - I feel like this is the golden rule of baking. Overmixing can leave breads tough and chewy, which we don’t want! We want little fluffy, buttery pillows from heaven
- Don’t Skip the Maple Cream - I know it seems overly decadent, but the maple mixed with cream was a glorious compliment to the salty, savory biscuit. If you have some leftover (which you will), just use it as a dipping sauce.
- A Food Processor Isn't Necessary - but it makes life a lot easier. You can also use a pastry cutter. You just want the flour to have pea-size pieces of butter flecked throughout.
- Freezing Tips - store in a freezer bag for up to 6 months. To reheat, wrap loosely in foil and place in the oven. Bring oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap them and bake another 5 minutes outside of the foil or until heated through.
Gluten Free or Vegan Options
- I haven’t personally tried this recipe gluten free, but I bet it would work ok with a 1:1 gluten free baking flour sub with 2 teaspoons of sugar added. I compared this recipe to other gluten free recipes and they were pretty similar.
- For vegan, I recommend using a vegan butter alternative like Earth Balance Pressed Oil and using it the same way (chilled).
Breakfast Recipes
For more recipes like these biscuits without buttermilk, check out these posts.
If you make this, tag me #thedizzycook or @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram. And if you love the recipe, please leave a review below! Follow along on my Pinterest for more great recipes.
Biscuits without Buttermilk
Ingredients
- 1 stick (4oz) cold, unsalted butter cut into ½ cubes
- 3 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1.5 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
Maple Cream
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1.5 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the butter in a small bowl and toss it with 2 tablespoons of flour, then transfer to the freezer for at least 5 minutes. In a food processor (or large bowl if you only have a pastry cutter), combine the 3 cups of flour with the baking powder, soda, sugar, and salt and pulse till mixed.
- While waiting for the butter to chill, mix 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar into the milk and allow it to curdle.
- Add in the pieces of very cold freezer butter and pulse at least 15 times till the butter is broken up and evenly incorporated into small pieces throughout the flour.
- Transfer from the food processor to a large bowl and stir in the milk/vinegar mixture. Stir with a spatula until the dough is just combined - don't overmix here.
- Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and either scoop out 9 even biscuits with a large scoop or place on a floured surface and score the dough into 9 even squares. Drop the biscuits on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 425.
- Meanwhile combine the heavy cream with maple syrup and pinch of salt. When the biscuits are done, remove them from the oven, brush them with a little of the maple cream, and return them to bake 1 more minute. Biscuits should be golden brown when done.
- Serve warm with any leftover maple cream for dipping.
Notes
- Make sure butter is very cold! I used Kerrygold unsalted.
- Don't overmix!
- The maple cream isn't necessary, but it is really, really good.
- See the full post for suggestions on gluten free and vegan options
Nutrition
This post was originally published April 27, 2020 and was updated November 11, 2021 to include better step by step pictures, more detailed ingredients, and recipe tips.
Leslie Springer says
These are delicious!!
Mel says
These are absolutely delicious and so much better than those instant mixes.
Alicia says
Thanks so much Mel!
Jenn C says
This is our family’s go-to biscuit recipe!!! As a matter of fact every recipe we’ve tried on this website turns out perfect every time we make them!
Jenn C says
Oops forgot to star the recipe!
Caroline says
This recipe is a favorite in our house!
Pam says
These are amazing and easy. My family requests them every weekend!! I've also frozen them with really good results.
Ashley says
Love this recipe and not having to fuss with the dough too much. Thanks - the cream sauce is delicious!
Tova says
I have made these twice now and they are so yummy.