Vegan Almond Flour Biscuits (Straightforward Drop Biscuits)

Vegan almond flour biscuits bake up golden and tender without butter, oil, or eggs. Made with almond flour, chickpea flour, and potato starch, my straightforward drop biscuits are gluten-free, grain-free, and ready for the oven in minutes. No rolling or cutting required!

Introduction

Warm biscuits make even a plain meal feel a little more generous. I love them alongside soup, split open with jam, or toasted the next day. Living in Texas gives me plenty of opportunities to sing their praises, and I am happy to oblige.

Getting a vegan, grain-free biscuit right took more than a few experiments—and a few flops. The combination that won me over is almond flour, chickpea flour, and potato starch. Together, they produce a tender biscuit with a mild flavor and lovely golden browning. The almond flour supplies enough fat that I can skip added oil and butter altogether.

My husband, a biscuit-loving Southerner, was impressed with both the taste and texture. I consider that a particularly good endorsement! Better still, you can mix the dough in a few minutes and drop it straight onto the baking sheet. A rolling pin, biscuit cutter, and pastry blender can all stay in the drawer.

For friends outside the United States, I am talking about American biscuits here: small quick breads to serve with meals, rather than sweet cookies.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Vegan:No eggs, dairy milk, or butter.
• Gluten-free and grain-free:A combination of almond flour, chickpea flour, and potato starch replaces wheat flour. Use certified gluten-free ingredients as needed.
• Oil-free:Almond flour provides richness without added oil or vegan butter.
• Straightforward drop-biscuit method:Stir, scoop, and bake; no kneading, rolling, or cutting.
• Golden and tender:A mild flavor makes the biscuits equally welcoming with savory meals or a spoonful of jam.
• Small batch:Make six biscuits, with options for refrigerating or freezing extras.

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.

• Plain nondairy milk:Almond, hemp, or cashew milk are good options. Choose a plain variety so the biscuits work with both sweet and savory toppings.
• Light-colored vinegar:White vinegar or apple cider vinegar combines with the milk before you mix the dough.
• Almond flour:Use finely ground almond flour, rather than almond meal. Its natural fat gives the biscuits richness without added oil.
• Chickpea flour:Also called garbanzo bean flour, it is an essential part of this flour combination. Sift it first if it is lumpy.
• Potato starch:Use the fine, white starch, not potato flour. I recommend keeping this ingredient for the most reliable results.
• Baking powder:Helps the biscuits rise. Choose certified gluten-free baking powder as needed; for strictly grain-free biscuits, check that its starch carrier is grain-free, too.
• Salt:A small amount rounds out the flavor.

How to Make Vegan Almond Flour Biscuits

Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.

1. Prepare the oven and pan.Preheat the oven to 425°F (215°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Combine the milk and vinegar.Stir them together in a cup or small bowl and let stand for 1 minute.

1. Mix the dry ingredients.Whisk the almond flour, chickpea flour, potato starch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

1. Add the wet ingredients.Add the milk mixture and stir just until blended. The dough should be very moist. If it is dry, stir in a little more plain nondairy milk.

1. Scoop the biscuits.Drop the dough into six equal mounds on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between them. If you like, smooth the tops with a water-moistened fingertip.

1. Bake and cool briefly.Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, until risen and golden brown. Remove the biscuits from the baking sheet and let cool for 5 minutes before serving, or cool completely for storage.

Taste and Texture

Expect a tender biscuit with a golden exterior and a mild flavor. The almond flour, chickpea flour, and potato starch work together so that the chickpea flour does not dominate. I love the biscuits warm, but they are excellent at room temperature and satisfying toasted, too.

Storage

Cool the biscuits completely before placing them in an airtight container.

• Room Temperature:Store for up to 2 days.
• Refrigerator:Store for up to 5 days.
• Freezer:Store for up to 6 months.
• Rewarm:Microwave an unfrozen biscuit for about 8 to 10 seconds, or enjoy it toasted.

Serving Suggestions

Serve warm biscuits alongside soup, a hearty salad, or a bowl of chili. Their mild flavor also works well with hummus, nut butter, jam, or marmalade. I especially like having a few left over to toast the next day.

Flavor Variations

Add about 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, curry powder, or dried herbs such as herbes de Provence. For another savory combination, one reader reported enjoying chopped fresh rosemary, garlic powder, and black pepper in mini biscuits.

Stir in a tablespoon or more of nutritional yeast, or some grated plant-based cheddar. If keeping the biscuits oil-free or grain-free matters to you, check the ingredients in any cheese you add.

For a sweeter direction, add a small amount of coconut sugar or maple syrup, chopped dried fruit, vanilla extract, or a sweet spice such as cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger.

Tips for Success

• Choose the right flour and starch.Almond flour and potato starch are essential here; almond meal and potato flour are not interchangeable with them.
• Break up flour lumps.Sift lumpy chickpea flour before mixing the dry ingredients.
• Keep the dough moist.Start with the milk quantity in the recipe card. Add a little more only if the dough is dry; you do not need a firm dough for rolling.
• Give the biscuits space.Leave at least 2 inches between the six mounds.
• Use the baking cues.Look for risen, golden biscuits within the 9-to-12-minute baking window. The oven temperature is for a conventional oven.
• Allow a short cooling time.Remove the biscuits from the baking sheet and give them 5 minutes before serving.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Nondairy milk:Use plain almond, hemp, or cashew milk. Water should also work, although I recommend nondairy milk as the starting point.
• Vinegar:You can use an equal amount of lemon juice instead.
• Potato starch:I have only tested the biscuits with potato starch. An equal amount of tapioca starch should work; cornstarch is another possibility if you do not need the biscuits to be grain-free. I cannot promise the same results with either swap. I recommend avoiding arrowroot here: one reader reported biscuits that did not rise or brown well when using it.
• Chickpea flour:I developed the recipe around this flour combination and do not have a direct replacement for the chickpea flour.
• Almond flour:I do not have a tested alternative for this recipe. If you need nut-free biscuits, choose a recipe developed without almond flour.
• Richer biscuits:Replace 1 or 2 tablespoons of the milk with vegetable oil or melted vegan butter. Biscuits made with this variation are no longer oil-free.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. I use almond flour together with chickpea flour and potato starch to achieve the taste and texture of these biscuits. Replacing the chickpea flour and starch with more almond flour would require a different recipe.

The combination of almond flour, chickpea flour, and potato starch produces a mild, neutral flavor. The chickpea flour does not dominate the baked biscuits.

No. Potato starch works differently from flaxseed or chia seeds in this dough. I do not recommend either as a replacement.

A dark-colored or thin baking sheet, or an oven running hotter than expected, can contribute to dark bottoms. Ingredient swaps can also change the outcome. If the biscuits did not rise, check that your baking powder is still active, too.

Yes! Cool the biscuits completely, then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.