Gluten-Free Buttermilk Biscuits

Sometimes comfort food is called for, and warm biscuits with butter fit the bill for me. This gluten-free version is tasty as can be. Don’t over-bake, and you’ll get a classic tender biscuit that won’t disappoint. Thanks to my friend Megan, queen of southern baking, for sending me this recipe. I baked these several times when we were quarantining back east at my mother’s guest house, and we’d deliver her a little bundle of fresh-from-the-oven biscuits wrapped in a tea towel. A nice morning treat, made with love.

Adapted from this good old Southern Buttermilk Biscuits recipe, the version below simply substitutes gluten-free flour for regular, and it works beautifully. I use Cup 4 Cup All-purpose gluten-free flour.

Ingredients:

2 cups gluten-free flour (try Cup 4 Cup), plus more for dusting the board
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder (aluminum-free)
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold
About 1 cup buttermilk

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
2. Cut the butter into small chunks and cut into the flour, using a pastry blender or fork, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. Add the buttermilk and mix until just combined. (Do not over-mix; too much handling will make the biscuits less tender). The mixture should be very wet. If it looks dry, add a little more buttermilk.
4. Place the dough on a floured board. Gently pat the dough out until it’s about half an inch thick. (Do not use a rolling pin). Fold the dough about five times, and gently press it down to about an inch thick.
5. Use a biscuit cutter, knife, or the top of a small drinking glass to cut the dough into rounds. You can very gently form the remaining scraps into a few last biscuits, by hand.
6. Place the biscuits on a greased cookie sheet about an inch apart. Or if you like soft sides, you can place them touching each other. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until they’re lightly golden. Do not overbake.
7. Transfer the biscuits to a cooling rack and enjoy while they’re still warm!

A family stroll in the quarantine days