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All I need is flour, butter, and cream of tartar to bake these tall and flaky biscuits without baking powder. It takes me less than an hour to put together, and the tops bake up golden while the centers stay soft and layered just like a classic bakery-style biscuit.
Homemade biscuits have always been one of my favorite comfort foods, especially when they are served warm enough for the butter to melt straight into the center. Unlike my healthy low calorie biscuits, I make these biscuits without baking powder, and they still manage to bake up with fluffy layers and a soft texture. Next time you are craving biscuits but find yourself without baking powder, be sure to give this recipe a try.
One weekend, I planned to make my vegan gluten-free drop biscuits, but I was craving something warm with butter. And just as I had committed to a traditional biscuit recipe, I realized I had no baking powder. After some research, I came up with a recipe that used what I had at the time. Honestly, I did not have very high hopes, but I was extremely impressed, not just by how well they rose, but also by their texture and flavor.
Warm biscuits fresh from the oven are already hard to resist. These biscuits without baking powder have become one of my favorite emergency baking recipes for practical reasons, too. The combination of butter and milk creates tender layers, while the cream of tartar helps the biscuits rise surprisingly well without baking powder. As a nutritionist and mom, I appreciate that the ingredient list stays simple and accessible.
After making these biscuits without baking powder so many times, I have learned that the texture depends heavily on how the butter gets incorporated into the dough. These biscuits start with grated cold butter worked into flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar to resemble coarse crumbs. After adding milk, I gently roll and fold the dough several times to build soft layers before cutting and baking it until golden on top. As the butter melts in the oven, the centers stay tender while the edges become crisp and buttery.
One chilly Sunday morning, it was too cold for me to stay in bed; I needed my coffee. I let my husband and kids stay snuggled up while I snuck down to the kitchen. After the caffeine kicked in, I decided that the only way to warm up the house would be to bake something. I made a batch of these biscuits, and before they were done, my family trickled into the kitchen half asleep and wrapped up in their blankets, saying that the smell was making them hungry. Ha! If you have ever opened the kitchen cupboard and realized you were missing baking powder at the worst possible moment, this recipe deserves a spot in your back pocket.
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🥘 Ingredients
The recipe for these biscuits without baking powder uses everyday baking essentials. This is everything I need to get soft layers with golden tops:
All-purpose flour: Flour forms the structure of the biscuits while keeping the texture soft enough for flaky layers.
Salt: I add a small amount of salt to balance the buttery flavor and prevent the biscuits from tasting flat.
Baking soda: This works alongside the cream of tartar to help the biscuits rise properly.
Cream of tartar: I use this in place of baking powder, which helps create fluffy biscuits with a lighter texture.
Cold butter: Very cold butter creates little pockets throughout the dough that turn into flaky layers once baked.
Milk: Milk adds moisture and richness while helping the dough come together smoothly.
Egg: I sometimes brush beaten egg over the tops for an extra golden color.
🔪 How To Make
All I need is one bowl, a rolling pin, and a bit of patience when folding the dough for these biscuits without baking powder. This is how I create the flaky layers:
Preheat and prepare ingredients: First, I preheat my oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. I place the butter in the freezer for 15 minutes, and stir the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a large bowl.
Grate butter: Using a box grater, I shred the cold butter directly into the dry ingredients and gently work it with my fingertips until coarse crumbs form. Then I pour in the milk and stir just until the dough starts coming together.
Shape dough: I turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a rough rectangle.
Create layers: I use a rolling pin to roll out the dough, then I fold it over itself and roll again. I repeat this 3 times to build the flaky layers.
Cut biscuits: Then I use a cookie cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into biscuit shapes.
Place on baking sheet: I place them on the lined baking tray.
Brush tops: Next, I lightly brush the tops of the biscuits with egg wash.
Bake biscuits: I bake the biscuits for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Serve: I serve these biscuits warm, with my favorite toppings or as a side.
My #1 Secret Tip for this biscuits without baking powder recipe is to always keep the butter as cold as possible from start to finish. Cold butter creates steam pockets while baking, which is what helps the biscuits become flaky and tall instead of dense and heavy.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Use light hands: I mix the dough gently so the biscuits stay tender instead of tough.
- Cut straight down: I press the biscuit cutter straight down and avoid twisting it so the dough is undisturbed, and the biscuits rise more evenly.
- Do not overcrowd: Leaving space between biscuits helps the edges brown properly in the oven.
- Check freshness: Older or improperly stored baking soda or cream of tartar loses strength, and this affects how well the biscuits rise.
📖 Variations
After testing quite a few biscuits without baking powder variations over the years, these 3 have become firm favorites in my family:
Cheddar herb: I mix 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar and 1 tablespoon chopped chives into the dough for savory biscuits. My husband loves this variation with vegan tomato soup on colder evenings.
Cinnamon honey: I stir 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon into the dough for a lightly sweet breakfast version. My kids love this version with plain butter.
Garlic parmesan: I add a teaspoon of garlic powder and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan for extra savory flavor with pasta dinner. I usually make this version for holiday meals, and they disappear very quickly from the bread basket.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
There are many ways to enjoy these biscuits without baking powder. If you enjoy sweet treats, I recommend treating them like British scones. Cut them in half and serve them with some vegan whipped cream and a good spread of strawberry chia seed jam. Of course, this should be served with a cup of tea, but personally, I prefer it with a lavender latte instead.
Now, if you want to enjoy them in a more savory way, you can do what I did and serve them with your next big holiday feasts, complete with all the sides. Last year, I had these biscuits next to my vegan turkey roast, which I served with vegan onion gravy and a healthy green bean casserole. The biscuits did a great job of soaking up the sauces and tasted fantastic with the homemade vegan cheese curds and cranberry sauce.
🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating
Refrigeration: I store leftover biscuits in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Once fully cooled, I freeze the biscuits in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months.
Reheating: I warm refrigerated biscuits in a 300F oven for several minutes until heated through and lightly flaky on the outside again.
❓Recipe FAQs
The dough should look slightly shaggy and soft without being sticky or wet. If it looks perfectly smooth like bread dough, it has probably been overworked, and the biscuit will bake up tougher and without any flaky layers.
This is what happens when the biscuit cutter is twisted while cutting through the dough. Twisting causes the edges to seal unevenly, which affects the shape as they rise. I always press straight down with my cutter and dip it in a bit of flour to ensure no sticking. There is nothing wrong with misshapen biscuits; they will still taste delicious. They may just be a bit more awkward to cut in half and fill if that is your plan.
Dry dough usually means the flour absorbed more liquid than expected. I add milk slowly, one teaspoon at a time, until the dough just starts coming together without becoming sticky. The dough should still look slightly rough instead of completely smooth.
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Biscuits Without Baking Powder
All I need is flour, butter, and cream of tartar to bake these tall and flaky biscuits without baking powder. It takes me less than an hour to put together, and the tops bake up golden while the centers stay soft and layered just like a classic bakery-style biscuit.
Servings: 18 biscuits
Calories: 177kcal
- My #1 Secret Tip for this biscuits without baking powder recipe is to always keep the butter as cold as possible from start to finish. Cold butter creates steam pockets while baking, which is what helps the biscuits become flaky and tall instead of dense and heavy.
- Use light hands: I mix the dough gently so the biscuits stay tender instead of tough.
- Cut straight down: I press the biscuit cutter straight down and avoid twisting it so the dough is undisturbed, and the biscuits rise more evenly.
- Do not overcrowd: Leaving space between biscuits helps the edges brown properly in the oven.
- Check freshness: Older or improperly stored baking soda or cream of tartar loses strength, and this affects how well the biscuits rise.
Serving: 1biscuit | Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g