There’s nothing quite as comforting as biscuits and gravy. But making gluten-free baking powder biscuits can be frustrating when they turn out crumbly. Good gluten-free recipes are rare, and it took a bit of trial and error to get a biscuit that held together and tasted great.
A few months ago I went back to the drawing board and experimented with flour blends and guar gum amounts until I found a reliable combination that produces tender, cohesive gluten-free biscuits. After several batches (research, of course), I’m happy to share a version that consistently works well.
Two key findings: use a 1:1 ratio of starch to flour in your blend, and add about 1/2 teaspoon of guar gum per cup of flour. That combination helps the biscuits hold together while staying tender.
My inexpensive, all-purpose gluten-free flour mix didn’t perform as well in this recipe because it contains too much flour and not enough starch. These days I tailor my flour blend for each recipe, and this biscuit mix benefits from a more specific balance.
You can make these biscuits with a simple half-cornstarch, half-rice flour mix and get good results. Replacing up to 1/4 cup of rice flour with sweet rice flour can improve texture and chew.
My favorite blend for these biscuits is:
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup corn flour (not cornmeal)
- 2/3 cup rice flour
I find the flavor and texture balance to be excellent with this combination. Corn flour adds body and a subtle corn flavor without the grittiness of cornmeal. If corn flour is hard to find locally, bulk or co-op sources can help.
And yes—fresh homemade gluten-free biscuits with homemade concord grape jam are seriously delicious.
Give the recipe a try
Gluten-Free Baking Powder Biscuits
Look no further if you’ve been searching for a reliable gluten-free biscuit recipe that turns out tender, golden, and flavorful.
- Author: Elise
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour (use a 1:1 ratio of starch to flour per notes above)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon guar or xanthan gum (about 1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour is a good guideline)
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3/4 cup milk (or dairy-free alternative)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour blend, baking powder, salt, and guar or xanthan gum.
- Cut the cold butter into the dry mix until the texture is finer than peas but coarser than crumbs.
- Stir in the beaten egg and milk until a soft dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently roll or pat to about 1/2–3/4 inch thickness, and cut with a biscuit cutter.
- Place biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake about 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.
- Remove from oven and enjoy warm, ideally with butter, gravy, or jam.