Southern-Style Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits are tall, ultra flaky and buttery! They have so many layers, and are easy to make in just 30 minutes.
These are the best dang biscuits I’ve ever had, vegan or not! They have layers upon layers of tender, flaky, buttery goodness and they bake up nice and tall. Just like my soft Vegan Dinner Rolls, these biscuits are easy to make and even easier to eat.
I love to eat a warm homemade biscuit with a bit of vegan butter and jam, but I’ve also made an awesome breakfast sandwich using a vegan sausage patty and a slice of vegan cheese.
Or serve them with some coleslaw and vegan baked beans for a delicious meal. You can have amazing homemade vegan biscuits in just 30 minutes!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Unsweetened soy milk + apple cider vinegar – This is your vegan buttermilk. I like unsweetened soy milk best here, but almond milk or another non-dairy milk will work fine. Just make sure it’s unsweetened and not vanilla flavored.
- Flour – Use regular all purpose flour for the very best results. You can substitute a quality gluten free flour mix (such as King Arthur Measure for Measure flour), but results will vary.
- Baking powder – Necessary for making them rise nice and tall!
- Sugar – Just a little bit is needed. Leave it out if needed, or replace with coconut sugar.
- Salt
- Vegan butter – This is an essential ingredient for these buttery biscuits. Use vegan butter sticks if possible, as the tub butter can be greasy and not as firm. The vegan butter should be very cold, in fact you will place it in the freezer for a few minutes before using. My favorite brands? I like Earth Balance, Miyoko’s and Country Crock.
How to make vegan biscuits
(This is a visual overview, please see recipe card below for full amounts and instructions)
First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a pan with parchment paper. Place the vegan butter in the freeze for a few minutes. Combine the dry ingredients either in a large bowl OR food processor.
- Add cold vegan butter to dry ingredients, either in the food processor or a large bowl.
- Pulse or cut with a pastry cutter until crumbs form.
- If you used a food processor, dump the mixture into a bowl. Pour the vegan buttermilk into the bowl, saving a few tablespoons for brushing the tops.
- Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Scoop it onto a lightly floured surface and gently form into a rectangle shape.
- Fold one side into the center, then the other.
- Turn it a half turn, and flatten again gently into a rectangle. Repeat two more times. This is what makes all those flaky layers!
- On the last turn, flatten to about 1 inch thick and cut into circles using a biscuit cutter.
Place on the prepared pan, touching each other. This helps them bake up nice and tall.
Brush a little extra vegan buttermilk on the tops, and bake for 15-20 minutes until tall and golden. Enjoy warm!
Tips for perfect vegan biscuits
- Use cold vegan butter sticks, not margarine or tubbed butter. And make sure it’s truly very cold (don’t skip the freezer step). If not, the biscuits won’t be flaky.
- Be careful not to over mix the dough. Over mixing means the biscuits won’t rise much.
- Do not over bake! Trust me, I’ve done this and ended up with hockey pucks. Bake until just slightly golden brown, any more and they will get very hard as they cool.
How to store and freeze biscuits
Keep leftover biscuits covered at room temperature for 3-4 days, or a few days longer in the refrigerator.
They also freeze well. Place them in a freezer safe ziplock bag and freeze. Simply thaw or warm in the microwave for a minute whenever you want a fresh biscuit!
What to serve with buttermilk biscuits?
- Vegan Chicken (as a vegan chicken biscuit sandwich!)
- Easy Vegan Gravy
- Biscuits and Gravy – My absolute FAVORITE way to enjoy these delicious biscuits!
- Vegan Butter and jam or Vegan Nutella
- Tempeh Bacon or Tofu Bacon
- The Best Tofu Scramble
- Alongside a hearty soup or stew, such as Vegan Stew or Lentil Soup.
Southern-Style Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
Vegan Buttermilk
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
The Rest
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 tbs) cold vegan butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or lightly spray with oil). Measure 1/2 cup (8 tbs) vegan butter, cut into small pieces and place in the freezer for 5 minutes. You want the butter to be very cold for flaky, tall biscuits.
- In a glass measuring cup, combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside to curdle. This is your vegan buttermilk.
- Add the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt to a large mixing bowl or food processor. Whisk or pulse to combine. Now add the vegan butter pieces to the dry and either cut into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter OR pulse several times in the processor until coarse crumbs form. If you used a food processor, dump the mixture into a large bowl.
- Pour the vegan buttermilk into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients, saving a little bit for brushing on the tops (about 2 tablespoons). Gently stir until almost combined, but do not over mix. It will not be a clean ball of dough at this point, and it will be quite moist and sticky. See photos above in post for a visual reference.
- Scoop the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently work it together with your hands, shaping it into a rectangle. Flour your hands to prevent sticking, and sprinkle a little flour on the dough if it's very sticky. Just do not add too much, or the biscuits will be dry.
- Gently flatten the dough into a rectangle, then fold one side into the center, then the other side. Turn the dough a half turn, and flatten again into a rectangle shape. Repeat the process two more times. This is what makes all those wonderful layers!
- On the last folding, gently flatten the dough until it's about 1 inch thick. Cut into circles using a biscuit cutter, and do not twist the cutters. Try to get as many biscuits the first time. Re roll any scraps until you have 10-12 biscuits.
- Arrange them so they are touching on the pan, this helps them bake up tall. Brush the tops with the remaining buttermilk and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown on top and tall. Serve warm with a dab of vegan butter and jam.
- Cover any leftover biscuits and keep at room temperature for 3-4 days, or a bit longer in the refrigerator. They freeze well, too.
Notes
- You can substitute almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk or possibly even oat milk for the soy if desired. Make sure the milk is unsweetened and unflavored.
- I have not tested these with gluten free flour, but it might work okay with a quality gluten free blend. Almond flour will not work.
- I used Earth Balance sticks for the vegan butter, but other brands work just as well (such as Melt or Miyokos).
First batch I made with whole wheat flour and they were awful. They looked good and stayed together nicely but tasted off! Oh could’ve been I added baking soda instead of baking powder!! So in the end I had both baking powder and baking soda!
Then I made them with AP flour and they were light and fluffy and yummy. They did break apart a little more than i thought they should have but still delicious. Easy recipe!
Hi Nancy. I’m glad your 2nd batch of biscuits turned out fluffy and delicious! Thank you for sharing your experience, and your great feedback! Happy cooking!
I’m thinking about making a bunch of these and freezing them before baking – do you think that would work? Â I remember in days long ago that we would buy frozen biscuits like that and bake them and they were like fresh. Â Just curious if you’ve tried that or think it would work?
I haven’t tried freezing the unbaked dough before baking, but I’m sure it would be fine. Just add a few extra minutes to the baking time!
Fantastic!!! Made a double batch in the food processor which made it super easy! I wanted a richer flavor so I used (unsweet) soy creamer. Worked very well for this recipe. I now know I can modify this to make scones too! Thank you!
Hi Shane. Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback and ideas! I’m so happy you loved the biscuits! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
These hit the spot! Flakey, buttery, simple to make, and the acidulated cashew milk (homemade, as well as the plant butter I used) gives them the signature tang of their non-vegan counterpart.
Hi Danny. Thank you for your wonderful feedback and tips! I’m so glad you love the biscuits!
Best vegan biscuit recipe I have ever had. They weren’t too difficult to make and really so so good!!!1
Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback! I’m glad you love the biscuits!
The best, easiest and tastiest biscuit recipe I’ve ever made! 4 month plant-based eating lifestyle and this recipe makes my top 5 list of essential weekend splurges. Love it!
I’m thrilled you love the biscuits! Thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback!
Nora never fails to impress. I’m from the south and these were excellent
Thanks Katie! That is a great compliment! I’m so glad you love the biscuits! Thanks for sharing your fantastic feedback!
Just made these for breakfast.  Used Coconut milk and followed the recipe to a T, turned out buttery, flaky perfect biscuits that were oh so delicious and delicate.  I’ll definitely be making these again. ?
Hi Shannon. I’m so glad the you loved the biscuits! They are so good for a Saturday breakfast! Thank you for sharing your great feedback and review! Wishing you happy biscuit baking!
Really like this recipe! Thank you so much for creating it!
You are welcome! Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Hi Nora! I’ve made these awesome biscuits three times and they are sooooo delicious! Ate 3 as soon as they came out of the oven today. Just curious if there’s a way to brown the tops? I brushed the tops with the vegan buttermilk.
Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!!
Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! Try leaving the biscuits under the broiler for a few minutes, but watch them carefully. This should help brown the tops slightly.
I used country crock plant butter with olive oil and used a box grater to add it. They turned out great. Perfect biscuit texture. Soo good.
Amazing recipe! Thank you for this. I used the biscuits as a topping for a vegan potpie. Smothered leftovers in jam! ?
I was wondering – is it possible to cut out the biscuits and store them raw (and covered) in the fridge overnight to bake the next day?Â
Thanks!Â
K
I’m so glad you loved the biscuits! Yes, you can store the unbaked biscuits overnight in the fridge if you’d like to save time 🙂
DE-licious!!! Perfect texture and taste!!!
Thank you for your great feedback! I’m glad you are enjoying the biscuits!
Can’t wait to make these! Do you think I could make the dough a few hours early & keep them in the fridge until I’m ready to bake them or would that affect the texture / rising of them?
Yes, I’m sure that will be fine. Enjoy!
I wish I could post a picture!!Â
These biscuits are amazing! Â Once again your recipe knocked our socks off!!Â
Thank you so much!!
I wish I could see your biscuits as well! Thank you of sharing your great review and feedback! I’m thrilled you loved the biscuits recipe!
These look great! Do you think I could add raisins?
Absolutely! Try adding 1/4 – 1/3 cup of raisins.
How much cider vinegar
do you add to the milk????
1 tablespoon if you make the normal recipe amount.
I love the biscuits so soft and fluffy sorry if my spelling is not that good i am just a 9 year old but i do love baking!!
Hello Dane! I am so honored to hear from you, and to know that you love my biscuits! Thank you so much for sharing. I’m so glad you love to cook, and that you use my recipes! Thank you!
Best vegan buttermilk biscuits …. Nora I love all of your recipe’s
Hands down the best biscuits ever! I have been searching and making vegan biscuits for the longest and my searching days are over! Thank you, Nora!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins Jackie!
Perfect flakey biscuits. I don’t think I’ve ever had biscuits puff so high!
Thanks for another awesome recipe!
I did this exactly as instructed and I seemed to only have dough for 6 small biscuits. How did you end up with 12? I had the dough around 1″ thick before cutting.
I actually just made these again the other day, and I got 10 biscuits. I wonder if your biscuit cutter was larger than mine. It will largely depend on how big you cut them, but I always get enough to cover a 9×13 inch pot pie, or about 10-12 biscuits.
These are delicious! I used Miyokos butter, 1/2 tsp. salt, and they are perfect. Thank you! : )
The salt was too much regular but I found vegan stuff is normally a little saltier than I like.Â
I made this and everything was good except for the next day, the biscuits had a very bitter aftertaste…you know what causes it??
Buy new baking powder! If baking powder biscuits or other baked goods taste bitter or sour, it’s likely the baking powder you used. I’ve gotten a bad batch before and it’s very noticeable.
Amazing. I will make this many times now I am sure !!!Â
I tweak the recipe a little bit to get them perfect. Use elmhurst almond milk instead and add 1/4 cup extra so they’re extra soft cause I bake them an extra 5 minutes. Turned out grea!!!