
So here’s the deal, I’d tried making paleo biscuits before…they were just so-so and not real memorable! I’d basically stuck that recipe development on the back burner for another time. Which, when you’re testing one recipe over and over again is actually healthy I think…put it aside for a time, let things percolate in your mind! For me, stepping back for a bit helps the creative process.
Fast forward a year or so. A couple weeks ago my cute Aunt from Arizona posted a picture of some traditional biscuits she’d made and I immediately felt motivated to give it another try. They didn’t come out too bad with the new variation I tried and they showed some real potential! I felt confidant enough that I even posted a picture of a slightly over baked biscuit on our IG feed and it blew up in terms of likes and excitement! I clearly was onto something!
I thought back to a time when I was probably 10, I was making buttermilk biscuits with my grandma. I remembered cutting those biscuits out of the thick fluffy dough…and it was as if the heavens opened and I had a new approach to making these paleo biscuits, tall with a golden bake and a fluffy inside. Most traditional biscuits are rolled to about a 1/2” or so and then rise while baking because of all the gluten in the flour. The thought struck me…why not just roll out my paleo biscuit dough very minimally…then it’s already tall to start with, the buttermilk/baking powder action will have less work to do and we could have a perfect biscuit! Guess what…it WORKED!
Yes, this recipe intro is getting long…but I have to express how important these tips below are for paleo biscuit success…trust me, I’ve tried this recipe so many times!
NEW BISCUIT SUCCESS TIPS (OCTOBER 2019)
1️⃣ instead of rolling the dough out, we’ve been pressing it down with our hands to about 1¼” – there have been a few folks not getting a good rise, so starting at this height allows that buttermilk & baking powder to do it’s job…please note, you’ll get fewer biscuits this way.
2️⃣ you can also use a larger biscuit cutter…again, getting fewer biscuits but with tip #1, you may like the results.
3️⃣ try reducing your oven temp to 425° so biscuits can bake a bit longer, allowing the insides to get fully baked w/out the outsides betting too brown.
4️⃣ we’ve found that other fats just will not give you the same rise as palm shortening – it has worked the best for us time & time again. If you do prefer a different fat, you may have a flatter biscuit.
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READ THESE TIPS!
#1 – (☝️☝️☝️please refer to tips from October 2019 here, go with what works best for you.) The most important tip here is to roll the dough out no thinner than 3/4” – optimally 1” if you’re using a 2” cutter like I did. Trust me, the inside will get done before the outside is too brown. Use a ruler and measure so you know for sure and if you’ve rolled the dough thinner than you should, push it in on all sides toward the center until it’s thicker…you want a thick dough to cut through.
#2 – Second important tip, use a stainless steel cutter if you can, makes the cuts nice and accurate. Before each biscuit is cut, dip the cutter into some flour. The floured, thin edge of the cutter is just dreamy for getting a nice quick cut. You can use a drinking glass, but those edges are typically “chunkier” and so your edges might not be as accurate. Also, DON’T twist the cutter…simply push straight down into the dough in one complete action. Twisting basically drags the cutter around the dough essentially sealing the edge, which we don’t want!
#3 – Give the tops of the cute little biscuits a little wash of room temp water just to smooth them out. Dip your finger into a little bowl of water and slowly wipe over the top of each biscuit, until surface is smooth…one little drop is all you’ll need. More is not better in this case…take your time and do this for each biscuit.
Alright, who’s ready to make some Paleo biscuits!! This recipe yields 10 – 2″ biscuits and depending on what size cutter you use, you’re results may vary. First thing we tried enjoying them with, warm right out of the oven, was some ghee and honey. We’ve since enjoyed them in so many different ways, we’d love to hear how you’re enjoying them! Please give us a tag over on Instagram when you make them!!
paleo cassava flour biscuits
paleo biscuits are in fact a reality once again, fluffy & golden brown
Credit: backporchpaleo.com
Ingredients
- 1½ cups Otto’s Cassava Flour, stirred with a whisk first, then spooned into measuring cup or (235g)
- 4 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp Redmond Real Salt
- ½ cup non hydrogenated organic vegetable or palm shortening* room temp.
- 1 cup raw milk room temp. (or coconut milk for non dairy, I used Native Forest “Simple” brand)
- 1 tbls fresh lemon juice (or ACV)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450° – line baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper.
- Add lemon juice to 1 Cup measuring cup and then fill up the rest of the way with raw milk (or coconut milk, use full fat). Stir and set aside while you prep dry ingredients.
- Add cassava flour, baking powder and salt to a medium bowl, whisk to combine.
- Add shortening to the flour mixture and cut in with a pastry cutter until shortening is incorporated, even and resembles coarse crumbs.
- Give the buttermilk a stir and then pour into dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, stir in buttermilk until dough comes together…use the back of the spoon to press dough together until you have a nice dough . Then, using your hands, gently roll dough ball around the bowl to shape and gather all the dough/flour on the side of the bowl. Dough will initially seem sticky, but will not stay that way.
- Lightly dust a piece of parchment paper, and flatten dough slightly with the palm of your hands. Dust with a little bit more flour and cover with another piece of parchment paper.
- IMPORTANT TIP#1: Roll out dough to a thickness of ¾-1″ – no less! This is where you’re going to get the height of the biscuit. If you roll dough out thinner than that, you’ll have flatter biscuits.
- IMPORTANT TIP#2: Dip your biscuit cutter (I used my mother-in-laws cutters that she gave to me, they are very old, but this set is very similar) into flour and then PRESS STRAIGHT DOWN into the dough..DO NOT TWIST the cutter! If you twist it, you’re in a sense, “sealing” the edge and this will allow for less rising! Tap the cutter in your hand to remove biscuit and place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, placing each biscuit close together but not quite touching. Gather, re-roll and cut biscuits until all dough is used.
- IMPORTANT TIP#3: Before placing in the oven, dip your finger into a little bowl of water and slowly wipe over the top of each biscuit, until surface is smooth…one little drop is all you’ll need. More is not better in this case…take your time and do this for each biscuit.
- Place in oven – depending on the size biscuits you cut (2″, 2 ½” etc…) bake times will vary just a bit. For my 2″ biscuits, (which rose better during the bake than the 2 ½”. ) I started checking at 14 minutes and ended up baking for 18 minutes. Your looking for a nice golden color on top and some golden color on the ridges on the sides…be patient and let that hot oven works it’s magic!
- Optional step, but super tasty…once you remove from the oven, and biscuits are warm, brush tops with ghee or butter and watch the color get even better!
- Let cool a bit before pulling apart to enjoy…but most certainly ENJOY!! Biscuits can be stored at room temperature for a couple days, or freeze to enjoy later.