Easy Grain-Free Drop Biscuits {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

You will find it hard to believe that these tender, delicious, easy-to-make biscuits are both grain-free and vegan, but it’s true! The key ingredient is chickpea flour, which delivers a powerful punch of nutrition, too.

Not every biscuit can be light, fluffy and delicious while also being grain-free, vegan, and easy-to-make. Oh, and protein-rich (4.5 grams per biscuit), too.

In fact, few biscuits come anywhere close.

This one can. Once again, it’s chickpea flour that makes the impossible possible, this time in convenient quick-bread form. And whether you embrace or eschew grains, this is a biscuit recipe you will want to try, for the buttery-nutty flavor, tender texture, and great nutrition.

They are a cinch to make, too! Drop biscuits are the real wonder bread: the ingredient proportions are the same as for rolled and cut biscuits except for the liquid. Adding a higher proportion of liquid allows the dough to be “dropped” off a spoon onto a baking sheet. Express bread! These chickpea flour biscuits, for example, are ready (start to finish) in just about 15 minutes.

A key to creating the light texture and mellow flavor of these biscuits is making some sour milk. I know, “sour milk” may not inspire delectable imagery, but is an essential element for countless varieties of tender quick bread (think buttermilk pancakes, biscuits and breads). Making the sour milk (mock buttermilk) is as simple as stirring some vinegar into the milk of your choice and letting the mixture stand for a few minutes before using. It’s remarkable how the small amount of acidity elevates the biscuits from good to great (trust me; I made the biscuits with water and with plain milk, first. Souring the milk is the way to go here!).

You won’t have to cut in/work in chilled butter or fat, either. Instead, stir in the oil of your choice (my choice is olive oil) along with the sour milk. After that, just drop, bake and eat!

It should go without saying that these biscuits are perfect alongside a mug of hot soup for supper, but do not forget about lunch (um, yes, I would like a biscuit sandwich) and breakfast (bring on the jam!).

A plain biscuit is always grand, but depending on your mood and inclination, you may want to play dress-up by adding some stir-ins or sprinkles. The sky’s the limit, but here are some of my favorite options:

*Fresh or dried herbs (e.g., rosemary, parsley, thyme, herbes de Provence)
*Cheese (nondairy or dairy, or some nutritional yeast for cheezy flavor)
*Seeds (e.g., sesame, poppy, hemp, or an assortment + dried minced onion & garlic for an “everything” biscuit)
*Flaked coconut (stir some in & sprinkle some on top for toasted coconut bliss)
*Spices + sweetness (e.g., cinnamon sugar, cardamom, ginger, pumpkin pie spice)

It’s hard to choose a favorite, but my coconut biscuit variation is topping my list these days. I added a restrained slather of ginger preserves on this beauty late this morning for my second breakfast (#eatlikeahobbit). Happy baking, everyone!

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