Five ingredient low-carb almond flour biscuits are the simplest recipe to enjoy with your breakfast or alongside a savory meal like chili, soup and stew. Just drop and bake!
I don’t come from a biscuit family. Meaning, I can’t ever think of one time my mom served biscuits in any fashion growing up. Even today, the whole premise of biscuits and gravy for breakfast is weird to me. But, in the 20 something odd years of adulthood since leaving my parents’ house, I’ve come to appreciate the satisfaction of a warm, soft biscuit whether slathered with butter or dipped into a bowl of soup or chili.
I’ve already got a few favorite biscuit recipes on here that range from twists on the classic (these sweet potato biscuits) to slightly sweet variations (these honey biscuits), but they all use all-purpose flour. While you can swap out gluten-free flour for many baking recipes, I wanted something created purely gluten-free option from the start which is where these almond flour biscuits come in.
Why You’ll Love Making These
Most of the almond flour biscuit recipes out there are passable at best. A lot of them are dense, a little gummy, or have a slightly greasy texture that makes you feel like you’re eating something that’s trying too hard to be a real biscuit. The difference with this recipe is the ratio of ingredients and using cream cheese, which gives the dough just enough fat and richness to bake up with a crumb that’s neither too cakey nor too crumbly, just biscuit perfection.
- Come together with just 5 ingredients.
- No rolling, no cutting, no chilling.
- Drop and bake!
- Ready in under 30 minutes.
That’s genuinely it. They’re golden on the outside, soft and tender inside, and they pair with everything from scrambled eggs to a big pot of chili. If you’ve been missing biscuits on a gluten-free or low-carb diet, this is the recipe you’ve been waiting for.
Ingredient Spotlight
Almond flour — Use blanched, superfine almond flour, not almond meal. The subtle difference matters in a recipe like this. Almond meal is made from almonds with their skins still on, which gives it a coarser texture and a slightly bitter flavor. Blanched almond flour is finer, lighter in color, and produces a much better result in baked goods like this.
Cream cheese — This is what sets these apart from a lot of other almond flour biscuit recipes. The cream cheese adds richness, helps bind the dough, and keeps the biscuits tender rather than dry. Use full-fat, softened (but not too soft!) cream cheese so it incorporates smoothly into the egg without lumps.
Egg — One large egg provides structure and helps bind everything together.
Baking powder — This is how the biscuits get lift. Make sure yours is fresh. If it’s been sitting in your pantry for longer than you can remember, it’s probably worth replacing. Considering the low cost of baking powder, I try to do this yearly at minimum.
Salt — Just a pinch to balance everything out and bring the flavor forward.
How to Make Almond Flour Biscuits
The full detailed recipe can be found at the bottom of the blog post in the recipe card. This visual walk-through might help you out as you make your biscuits.
- Combine the egg and cream cheese in a bowl.
- Whisk until well combined.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients.
- Stir the biscuit batter together until just combined. The batter should resemble the consistency in the picture.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (or 3 tablespoons) to drop the batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake the biscuits for 15-20 minutes until golden brown around the edges and tops. Let cool for a couple of minutes before enjoying.
My Pro Tips
Must-Dos For Biscuit Making
- Don’t skip the parchment paper: Almond flour biscuits are stickier than traditional biscuits and will stick to an unlined pan.
- Soften the cream cheese before starting: Cold cream cheese won’t mix smoothly with the egg, and lumps of cream cheese in the dough mean uneven baking. Leave it out at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, or microwave it for about 15 seconds.
- Use a cookie scoop for uniform biscuits: Evenly sized biscuits bake more evenly, so you won’t end up with some overcooked and some underdone. You’ll want a medium-large sized cookie scoop for this recipe.
- Watch the color closely: Almond flour browns faster than regular flour. You want a deep golden color on top, not dark brown. Start checking at the 13-minute mark if your oven runs hot.
- Let them cool before handling: They’re a bit fragile straight out of the oven. Give them five minutes on the pan and they’ll firm up nicely.
Variations and Add-ins
The base recipe is delicious on its own, but easy to customize too if you want something more interesting than a plain biscuit.
Cheddar and garlic: Fold in ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar and ½ teaspoon garlic powder for a biscuit that tastes like it came from a restaurant bread basket.
Everything bagel: Press a generous pinch of everything bagel seasoning onto the top of each biscuit before baking.
Herbed: Add 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary, thyme, or Italian seasoning to the dough. These pair especially well with soups and stews.
Jalapeño cheddar: Fold in shredded cheddar and a tablespoon of finely diced pickled jalapeños for a biscuit with some heat.
Looking for a sweet biscuit recipe? Try these chocolate biscuits.
What to Serve These With
These biscuits are most at home alongside something warm and savory. Any kind of soup or stew is the obvious pairing like white chicken chili, beef stew or a hearty lentil soup. They’re made for dipping.
Beyond that: eggs and bacon for a classic low-carb breakfast, split in half for a quick breakfast sandwich (pair them with our homemade ground chicken sausage patties) with scrambled eggs and avocado, or simply warm with butter and a drizzle of honey if you want to keep it simple.
Storing and Reheating
These keep well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, pop them in the oven or toaster oven at 325°F for about 5 minutes. The microwave works in a pinch but tends to make them a little soft rather than bringing back that golden exterior.
They also freeze well. Freeze in a single layer first, then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat directly from frozen at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
Almond Flour Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/3 cup cream cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the cream cheese and egg. Mix well until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Add the almond flour, baking powder and salt and mix until a soft dough forms. The texture should be slightly sticky, neither too firm nor too loose.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a #20 scoop or 3 tablespoons, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
