A Southern Staple : Buttermilk Biscuits (2 Ways)

There are some mornings you wake up determined to get healthier, and then there are some mornings you just want your biscuits and gravy to taste as much like Hardee's as possible. That's why I believe there must be two versions of Southern buttermilk biscuits in your repertoire. As for gluten free country gravy, I have found that Pioneer Brand Gluten Free Country Gravy Mix is the easiest and hits the spot.

If you're new to baking or cooking gluten free, I will cover the basics I've learned shortly, so hang tight.

Buttermilk Biscuits

1 1/2 cups GF All-Purpose Flour Blend* or Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Mix

1/2 cup Arrowroot Powder (Bob's Red Mill or your brand of choice)

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)

2 1/4 baking powder

1 teaspoon salt (or a little less if you prefer)

1/4 cup canola oil (Spectrum or SmartBalance)

1/4 cup sour cream, full fat

1/2 cut whole buttermilk

Healthier Biscuits

1/2 cup Whole Grain Flour Blend*

1/2 cup Arrowroot Powder

1 cup GF All-Purpose Flour Blend* or Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Mix

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)

2 1/4 baking powder

1 teaspoon salt (or a little less if you prefer)

1/4 cup canola oil (Spectrum or SmartBalance)

1/4 cup whole plain yogurt

1/2 cup fat free buttermilk

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large metal or glass bowl.

In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, measure out the oil, add the yogurt, then make sure the buttermilk hits the 1 cup mark on the glass. Using a fork, whisk those 3 wet ingredients together until combined. Pour it into the dry ingredients and stir together with the fork. It should form a dough that's slightly sticky and no dry ingredients left at the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too dry, add another tablespoon of buttermilk until all the dough comes together into a slightly sticky mound. At this point, if I have the time, I won't turn the oven on to 450 degrees F until I have my dough ready. The reason I do this is so I can cover the bowl of dough with cling wrap and place it in the fridge until my oven is ready. This helps the biscuits to hold their form better during baking. For time's sake, I do the drop method onto my baking sheet (all that is is taking the dough and dropping large spoonfuls on the baking sheet instead of cutting the biscuits out). If you prefer prettier biscuits you can either flour a workspace with Arrowroot powder and pat out the dough to about 1 inch thick and cut out the biscuits using a floured drinking glass or biscuit cutter. Bake them for between 15 - 18 minutes, or until lightly browned on the top and bottom.

Arrowroot powder is crucial in this recipe because this starch really gives the biscuits that fluffy bounce that is characteristic in the gluten protein. This doesn't mean you can't substitute it, it just won't be the same :).

*Check out previous post, Gluten Free Baking Basics, for these flour blend recipes

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