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
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup butter chilled in the fridge or the freezer
- 1¼ cup milk full cream
- 1 egg optional, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Set aside.
- Using a box grater, grate the chilled butter. Add to the flour mixture.
- Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse bread crumbs.
- Add the milk and stir to form a dough, being careful not to over mix the dough.
- Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and gently knead to combine.
- Using your hands or a rolling pin, roll the dough to approximately 2 inches thick.
- Fold the dough over and roll it out again. Repeat this process 3 more times.
- Using a 2½ inch round biscuit cutter, cut 18 biscuits from the dough, place them onto the prepared tray.
- Optional: Whisk the egg and brush over the tops of each biscuit, this will give a lovely golden top to the biscuits.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are a lightly golden brown.
- Remove and allow to cool completely.
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
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