Gluten Free Cheddar Biscuits

I love a good comfort meal and gluten free cheddar biscuits always hit the spot. Flaky, tender, and buttery with a touch of garlic. Do I have to say more? These gluten-free cheddar bay biscuits are packed with sharp cheddar and are topped with garlic butter while still hot. Believe me, your whole family will quickly fall in love with this flaky goodness.

If you love biscuits, make sure to check out my Gluten Free Sweet Potato Biscuits and Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcakes.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: The best gluten-free flour blend to make Gluten-Free Cheddar Biscuits is Cup4Cup. The addition of cornstarch creates a lighter crumb and therefore allows the biscuits to rise. If you are in Europe, please use Schär Mix Pâtisserie. If you do not have access to Cup4Cup, you can tweak a blend like Bob's Red Mill with this Homemade Biscuit Flour blend. I can not guarantee it will be as nice and flaky as Cup4Cup.

Homemade Biscuit Flour Blend
– 250 g of your gluten-free flour blend containing xanthan gum such as Bob’s Red Mill (I do not recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure for this recip )
– 75 g of cornstarch
– 1 teaspoon of dry non-fat milk powder (whole milk powder works as well)

Combine all ingredients and mix together with a whisk. The non-fat milk powder will provide browning but is also an emulsifier.

Butter: I only use unsalted butter in my baking recipes. For the best results, make sure the butter is cold and comes straight from the fridge. This will help the biscuits to get flaky layers.

Dairy: I have tested this recipe with buttermilk, kefir, and "homemade buttermilk" (which is basically milk with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice). The cheddar biscuits made with buttermilk and kefir did rise a lot taller and had a better flavor than the ones made with "homemade buttermilk".

Cheddar: I use sharp cheddar cheese in this recipe. If you are looking for a milder flavor, you can always use a mild cheddar. Please be aware some pre-shredded cheeses may contain gluten. This is why I always buy blocks and grate the cheese at home.

Parsley: I like adding some dried parsley to my cheddar biscuits. Not only for taste but also for color. You can also use fresh parsley or fresh chives.

How to make Gluten Free Cheddar Biscuits

The key to making light and tender gluten-free biscuits are cold ingredients. You won't need any fancy tools to make this recipe - just a mixing bowl, a flexible rubber spatula, and clean hands.

Before you start make sure butter, grated cheddar, and buttermilk or kefir are as cold as possible. If you like you can cut or grate the butter ahead of time and stick it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.

Step 1: Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and set it aside.

Step 2: In a medium mixing bowl sift together the gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and kosher salt. Sifting together the dry ingredients ensures there are no random “pockets” of baking powder in your gluten-free biscuits.

Step 3: Add the cut/grated cold butter and with your hands or a pastry cutter, work it into the dry ingredients until they resemble the size of peas and coarse crumbs. Fold in the shredded cheddar cheese and parsley.

Step 4: Add the buttermilk/kefir and with a flexible spatula stir everything together until a dough forms. The mixture will look very dry in the beginning but the more you mix it, it will start to look like dough.

Step 5: Transfer your gluten-free cheddar biscuit dough to a parchment-lined sheet tray and with your hands, shape it into a rectangular/square shape, around ¾ – 1″ thick.

Step 6: Fold the dough in half and carefully pat it down into a square. Rotate the dough 90° between each fold. Repeat this two more times – a total of THREE folds. If your dough has become sticky because of a warm kitchen or warm hands, feel free to place it in the fridge between folds for 5-10 minutes. These folds are the key to flaky biscuits with buttery layers.

Step 7: Pat out your dough in a rectangular around ¾” – 1″ thick. Do not go thinner than ¾” or you will end up with flat, sad biscuits. Place the uncut biscuit dough in your fridge for at least 10 minutes. This gives the butter in the dough to chill down again and will ensure light and flaky gluten-free cheddar biscuits. Chilling the dough also makes them easier to cut. In the meantime fully preheat your oven to 425F.

Step 8: Once the oven is fully preheated, use a sharp, clean knife and cut the biscuits into 6 equal pieces. Arrange the cut biscuits on a parchment-lined sheet tray and brush with additional buttermilk/kefir. Bake at 425F for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure not to burn them.

Step 9: While the gluten-free cheddar biscuits are baking, finely chop 1-2 cloves of garlic. You can also use a Microplane and grate the garlic. In a small saute pan melt butter. To the melted butter add the garlic and parsley and sautee for 1 minute over medium-low heat until fragrant. Remove from heat.

Step 9: Remove the biscuits from the oven and brush the garlic butter on top of the biscuits while still hot. Sprinkle with some flaky sea salt if you like. Allow the biscuits to rest on a wire rack for 5 minutes before trying the best gluten-free cheddar biscuits there are.

Clearly, those flaky gluten-free biscuits are the best enjoyed when they are freshly baked. Store any leftovers you may have in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature.

How to freeze biscuits

This is my favorite way to have “gluten-free cheddar biscuits on demand”. Arrange the unbaked, CUT biscuits on a sheet tray and freeze for 2hrs. Transfer them to a ziplock bag and bake from frozen as needed. You may need to increase baking time by a few minutes.

You may also freeze baked cheddar biscuits for future use. I recommend wrapping each individual in plastic wrap and sticking them in a ziplock bag or Tupperware container and freezing that way. When you are ready to enjoy a biscuit allow for it to thaw at room temperature and rebake in the oven or toaster oven at 350F for 5-7 minutes.

How to serve Gluten Free Cheddar Biscuits

These gluten-free cheddar bay biscuits are delicious on their own (especially when still warm from the oven) but they make a fabulous addition to any brunch table. Serve them with scrambled eggs or omelets. You can also turn them into delicious sandwiches by cutting them in half and adding a slice of country ham. Of course, you can also serve these gluten-free biscuits as a side dish for dinner. A personal favorite is serving them along with a big bowl of Homemade Gluten-Free Tomato Soup.

FAQ about Gluten Free Cheddar Biscuits

Why are my biscuits flat?
You most likely overworked the dough. The three folds are important to achieve flaky layers. Room temperature butter won’t work here since it will melt into the dry ingredients and won’t create flaky layers. Is your baking powder fresh? If it’s been sitting in your cupboard forever it’s probably overdue to be replaced.

Are cheddar bay biscuits gluten free?
Cheddar Bay Biscuits served at Red Lobster are not gluten-free. While they do offer a gluten cheddar bay biscuit mix, my recipe for gluten-free cheddar biscuits is more affordable and better than the red lobster biscuits.

Can I also add in jalapeños?
If you like a little extra oomph to your gluten-free cheddar biscuit, feel free to add some finely diced jalapeño to the dough along with the cheese. A little can go a long way here.

Can I make this recipe with regular flour?
If you are not celiac and would like to make this recipe for cheddar biscuits, please replace the gluten free flour with 260 grams of all-purpose flour.