Ah, biscuits. I love you enough to have a whole blog category for you and all your many talents. Outside the U.S. where I live, “biscuits” generally refers to cookies. If I didn't know that already, after writing this blog since 2009 (!) and having a Facebook page almost as long, I know that I know that because you tell me as you puzzle over my references to “biscuits” with a photo of what you would swear were “scones”—or at the very least, not cookies. These gluten free ricotta biscuits are extra flaky, as I have come to demand that biscuits be, but with ricotta cheese in place of milk or buttermilk they are also and at the very same time incredibly tender. How do they do that?!
You can serve them any way at all that you like to serve biscuits (okay, scones) (with sausage gravy, perhaps?), but I have two favorite ways with these particular dreamy biscuits. With more ricotta cheese and a dollop of jam on top (oh my oh my), or as a biscuit sandwich. I think biscuits are underused for sandwiches. Don't you?
Unlike traditional biscuit recipes which are little more than the perfect balance of flour, baking powder, salt, butter and some type of milk, these gluten free ricotta biscuits contain eggs (or, more specifically, one egg and one egg white). The eggs help to bind the ricotta to the rest of the biscuit dough, and helps keep the pastry light despite the relative heaviness of the ricotta cheese at least as compared to straight-up milk or even buttermilk. Don't leave them out!
If you've ever had the urge to make an Egg McMuffin-style of biscuit sandwich (and don't want to use an actual gluten free English muffin, of course), these are the biscuits you've been waiting for. Crisp and flaky on the outside, pillow-soft and tender on the inside and just a little bit more hearty than your usual biscuit, these were born to sandwich. Trust me. :)
Tender and Flaky Gluten Free Ricotta Biscuits
Ingredients
2Â cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour (I used Better Batter), plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
1/4 cup (36 g) cornstarch (or try potato starch or arrowroot)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, roughly chopped and chilled
1 egg (50 g, weighed out of shell) + 1 egg white (25 g)
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) ricotta cheese, chilled
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.
In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking powder and salt, and whisk to combine well. Add the chopped butter to the flour mixture, and toss to coat. Place each piece of butter between your floured thumb and index finger to flatten. In a separate, medium-size bowl, place the egg, egg white and ricotta cheese and beat with a handheld mixer until well-combined and smooth. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture, and scrape in the egg and ricotta mixture. Mix with a large spoon or spatula until the dough begins to come together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, dust it lightly with more flour and roll out the dough with a rolling pin into a thick rectangle. Fold the rectangle in half lengthwise, dust again lightly with flour, and roll the dough out again into a thick rectangle. Once more, fold the rectangle in half lengthwise, and then fold again widthwise to create a much smaller, thicker rectangle. The dough should begin to take on a smoother appearance. Roll the dough out into a rectangle that is about 1-inch thick. With a floured 3 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out round of dough and place them about 2-inches apart from one another on the prepared baking sheet. Gather and preroll the scraps of dough and cut out as many more rounds as possible, placing them on the baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer until chilled (at least 5 minutes). Then place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the biscuits are puffed and very pale golden (about 18 minutes). Allow the biscuits to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes or until firm. Serve warm with more ricotta cheese and jam.
Adapted from Apt. 2 Baking Co. and my recipe for Extra Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits on page 227 of GFOAS Bakes Bread.
Renee says
Would I freeze the biscuits after they are cut out? Or should I bake, freeze, reheat?
Cheryl Hennessy says
Oh Nicole!! Thank you so much – I am one who thinks of biscuits as cookies! Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!
I have been craving scones and jam and cream – can’t wait to try this!
We use an upturned drinking glass as the scone cutter. Easy to choose different sizes without buying something extra ;)
Thanks for your great recipes and humour!!
Pamela Wheat says
Made them about an hour ago, they come out wonderful. I am having mine with creme fraiche and strawberry jam. I don’t use the biscuit cutter, I just used a large knife to cut the scare into nine squares. I guarantee it doesn’t affect the flavor.
carole says
God, how I wished I was your next door neighbor.. I’d gladly do the clean up for the leftovers. Or the failures because I bet they are great as well.
Victoria Donaldson says
I might just make some ricotta so I can make these to surprise my husband when he gets home from work. They look like an awesome scone… we eat with jam and cream (unless your my dad who puts vegemite on it) it seams wrong to me to put gravy on them, but I guess that’s just what I’m used to. Looking forward to trying, thanks again
Nicole Hunn says
Homemade ricotta sounds wonderful to me, Victoria. Just be sure to drain it a bit, assuming your homemade ricotta has more moisture. Or perhaps just use a bit less! I totally get what you’re saying about gravy not seeming right on biscuits, especially since it seems like you’re in Australia (!), but you should really give it a try. It’s surprisingly delicious!
Victoria Donaldson says
They were the best scones ever!! Had them for supper then brekky, (I cooked them right out of the freezer). My ricotta goes drier than the bought stuff so had to add a little milk, but all good. Yep we’re Aussie! If they were made for me with gravy, I’d definitely try just don’t want to sacrifice biscuits I make ;) although I’m in love with maple syrup and bacon mmmmmm
Mare Masterson says
Heavy sigh! I dream of one day being able to eat these!
Lesia says
Thank you for this recipe! My husband is gluten free now and I feel like I’m having to relearn how to cook/bake everything. It overwhelms me, but this recipe feels like a break! So simple and no lengthy procedures.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad that this recipe gives you a sense of possibility, Lesia. You can do it!
Brenda says
Do these use just baking powder, or both powder and soda? I see soda referenced in the instructions but not in the ingredient list. I have a great sodium free baking powder, but we don’t like the sodium free baking soda. :) The instructions for mixing the dry ingredients are also listed twice, BTW (I know how that stuff bugs you! LOL).
Nicole Hunn says
All fixed! Thank you so much for pointing out those errors, Brenda. That’ll teach me to type out a recipe on the website late at night!
Brenda says
LOL I know what you mean! I can’t wait to try these. We have to bake/cook low sodium, and Hain makes a great sodium free baking powder that works just like the regular. If these had needed baking soda too, it would have been a no-go. Things I tried with the sodium free baking soda didn’t rise properly, so I don’t use it.
Jennifer S. says
God I love me a good biscuit. I’m looking though for more of a fluffy (aka KFC/McDonalds) biscuit rather than fluffy? got any recommendations? or is just not possible with GF flours?
Nicole Hunn says
Bite your tongue, Jennifer! Everything is possible! You said more fluffy rather than fluffy, but I assume you meant fluffy rather than crispy on the outside? I’d go with my recipe for Angel Biscuits. Have you ever made them before? They’re amazing.
Jennifer S. says
Yes – I have actually but by hand. I’m thinking I need to make them in the food processor. I made a “gf box mix” last night in the food processor. They rose to the heavens – never seen anything like it and were fluffy (not flakey/layered) on the inside!!!
Nicole Hunn says
Oh now I get it, Jennifer. You want drop biscuits! There’s a recipe in Quick & Easy (page 52). :)
suzeyg3 says
Could I use the make your own scone mix in place of the gf flour, baking powder etc, and add 36g of cornflour, butter, egg and ricotta?
Nicole Hunn says
Actually, Suzey, I’m not sure but that’s a great question! I’d have to check the proportions of that mix to be sure. I’ll check asap and get back to you. :)
suzeyg3 says
Thanks Nicole, I don’t think there is to much difference, I didn’t add the sugar when I made the mix ad I figured I may be able to add cheese if I wanted instead.
Not tried it yet, but it would be good if I could use it. X
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Suzey, I’m back with some good news. :) I just checked the make-your-own-scone mix from Quick & Easy, and the proportions are very, very similar. I think it would work well!
suzeyg3 says
Thanks for getting back to me. I have been shopping and bought the ricotta this morning. I am going to try them at the weekend. I’ll post a photo on Facebook and let you know how I get on x
Anneke says
I remember way back when I first found you (way, way back!) and I struggled with my baking, you told me to pick one thing and perfect it before moving on to trying something else. I took that fabulous advice to heart and started with, of course, biscuits! I am now a biscuit master, and love them possibly almost as much as you do. Can’t wait to give these a try!
Nicole Hunn says
You’re a biscuit master now, Anneke?!?!? That’s awesome (and totally not surprising).
Next up, cookies? ;)
Anneke says
Cookies??!!?? Oh, the stress! Still working on those…
Pamela Wheat says
Um, there isn’t any dry milk or baking soda on the ingredient list.
Pamela Wheat says
Thanks, fewer ingredients is better for me. I only have to go out and buy the ricotta.
Nicole Hunn says
Yup, thanks for catching that, Pamela. It’s all fixed now!