Every day is a biscuit kind of day. Who doesn’t love a soft, buttery biscuit as part of a Sunday breakfast or as a side dish with your favorite dinner? Maybe you’re on a milk-free plan, or you just ran out of milk and didn’t feel like waiting to stock up; either way, you’ll love this biscuit recipe no milk version.
There is something so comforting in baking your biscuits from scratch, and I hope you enjoy my biscuit recipe no milk needed version!
What are biscuits without milk?
Instead of the traditional method of making your biscuit dough with buttermilk or milk, this one is made with water and oil.
Basically, the water replaces the milk, and the oil gives the biscuit its soft, buttery texture. The thing I love about this recipe is that it keeps longer than buttermilk-based biscuits, thanks to the oil.
Ingredients you need to make no milk biscuits
Here’s the kicker. You’ll need five ingredients; that’s it. Four if you don’t count water as an ingredient.
Five of your most regular pantry staples so you can roll out of bed without any pre-thought or planning and whip these up in no time.
Another thing about this biscuit recipe, no milk version, is that because it is free from animal products, it’s vegan and vegetarian friendly.
Here is a list of what you’ll need:
- 2 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp of baking powder
- ½ tsp of salt
- ½ cup sunflower or canola oil
- ¾ cup cold water
What could be simpler than this list of ingredients?
The ultimate biscuit recipe (no milk)
This is honestly the most straightforward recipe you can think of whipping together, it requires little effort, and best of all, there will be very little to wash up because it can be mixed in one bowl without any electrical equipment.
Let’s dive right into making these “I’m coming back for another” no milk biscuits.
Step 1:
Set your oven to a fiery 410°F (210°C).
Sieve all the dry ingredients into a bowl: the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix them around a little to ensure the baking powder is dispersed through the other dry ingredients.
Create a well in the center and add the oil and water. Mix all the ingredients with a fork or spoon until they have come together and are no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.
A fork or clean fingers are ideal for this part of the process. Just try to work as lightly as possible.
Step 2:
Sieve a little flour onto a countertop and place your dough onto that. Bring the dough together and then press it down gently.
Using a rolling pin, press the dough down and roll it out into a ½-inch thick disc.
Take a 3-inch cookie cutter and cut out as many biscuits as possible. Any leftovers can be reused for another round.
Step 3:
Lay your biscuits onto a lined or greased baking sheet and bake them for about 15 minutes or until they are a good color.
Cool slightly before diving in. Enjoy with butter and jelly, as a side to breakfast or dinner, or simply with steaming gravy. These are insanely delicious, considering how easy they are to make.
How to store no milk biscuits
It’s highly unlikely that you’ll have any leftovers, but if you do, these buttery beauties will last for two days in an air-tight container or up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
The oil in the recipe gives them that little extra shelf-life, which is another win for this biscuit recipe with no milk.
Tips and tricks
- Use a light method when mixing your dough; do your best not to overwork and stretch it. The key to a light and flaky biscuit is to bring the dough together quickly and not stretch the gluten in the flour so far that the biscuit thinks it’s a bread roll!
- If you want to reheat the biscuits, you totally can. You can pop them into the microwave for around 20 seconds. It’s a good idea to wrap them in a cloth to keep them nice and moist, as heating unwrapped them could dry them out.
- Make a sweet version by adding a tablespoon of powdered icing sugar with the flour and taking out the salt. Or you can keep the salt in; it’s up to you.
FAQ
What makes a biscuit dry and crumbly?
You’ll want flaky biscuits that are melt-in-your-mouth soft.
If they come out dry and crumbly, the dough is probably too dry and needs a splash of oil or water.
Also, you’ll want to take it easy when working the dough.
What causes homemade biscuits not to rise?
Eek! If your biscuits don’t rise, it could be that your baking powder is old and not activating as a well-behaved raising agent should.
An easy test is to sprinkle it into boiling water; if it bubbles, it’s still good.
What can I substitute for milk when making biscuits?
Try out a bunch of different substitutes when you’re trying out biscuits without milk. Besides water, you can use a plant-based milk such as oat or nut milk.
Give sour cream or yogurt a try and enjoy the flavors they all bring to the party.
Can I use an air fryer for this no-milk recipe?
Yes, you can! You can cook a couple in a parchment-lined basket at around 385°F (195°C) for about 10-13 minutes, depending on your machine.
You can also reheat them using your air fryer afterward, so go ahead and give that a try too.
How can I get my biscuits to rise higher?
Apart from using a good rising agent, make sure to preheat the oven! The high heat in the oven produces steam that encourages the biscuits to rise as high as they can. So please don’t forget this step. Or else, you biscuits might look flat and sad : (
Do you put eggs in biscuits?
Yes, you can put eggs in your biscuits if you want. Eggs will make your biscuits look more golden brown and provide a richer flavor. Plus, because of the fat in the egg yolk, your biscuits will be soft and tender. If this is how you like your biscuits, go ahead and add some eggs!
Insanely Easy Biscuit Recipe No Milk Version
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sunflower or canola oil
- 3/4 cup cold water
Instructions
- Set your oven to a fiery 410°F (210°C).
- Sieve all the dry ingredients into a bowl: the cake flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix them around.
- Create a well in the center and add the oil and water. Mix all the ingredients with a fork or spoon until they have come together and are no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.
- Sieve a little flour onto a countertop and place your dough onto that. Bring the dough together and then press it down gently.
- Using a rolling pin, press the dough down and roll it out into a ½-inch thick disc.
- Take a 3-inch cookie cutter and cut out as many biscuits as possible. Any leftovers can be reused for another round.
- Lay your biscuits onto a lined or greased baking sheet and bake them for about 15 minutes or until they are a good color.
- Cool slightly before diving in. Enjoy with butter and jelly, as a side to breakfast or dinner, or simply with steaming gravy.
Notes
That’s a wrap!
I hope you’ll give this fun and easy recipe a try. Personally, I find it super fun to try traditional recipes in new ways, using alternatives and substitutes.
Cooking should be as much an adventure as it is a comfort, so go ahead and try these. Let me know in the comments below what you think about them.