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I love biscuits, but I don’t love the shortening old-fashioned biscuits call for. I have tried different recipes over the years, but they just don’t resemble the type of biscuit I longed for. I wanted a tall biscuit that would generously split open and hold up to vegan sausage gravy, plant-based honey, maple syrup, or the like. Flat biscuits just weren’t going to work, and they were too dense.
I hit upon an idea to substitute for the shortening: homemade tofu sour cream. It worked! The biscuits are tall, and even have “layers” like their less healthier counterparts. No, they are not quite as “flaky” as traditional biscuits, but they are darn near close in appearance, taste and texture.
Update 4/18: I tried using silken tofu last night, and it worked too! Details below.
I highly recommend using Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, as it provides similar nutrition to whole wheat flour with a lighter taste. I use this flour in all of my quick breads.
Shortening & Oil-Free Baking Powder Biscuits
Recipe adapted from the one found on vintage Tupperware pastry mats
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat pastry flour)
1 TB baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup homemade vegan sour cream (use your fave recipe). (OR for a shortcut use 1/4 cup pureed silken tofu!) You can also use purchased sour cream, but that will add some oil.
3/4 c. milk (I use unsweetened almond)
Directions
Mix dry ingredients together, then cut in sour cream or tofu with a pastry cutter. (Or two knives if you don’t have one). Stir in milk, form into ball with hands. Roll out on lightly floured surface – I use a silicone pastry mat. Then, cut out 12 biscuits with a circle biscuit cutter. You can also use the mouth of a jar or glass. Tip to not get lopsided biscuits is to push down evenly and firmly, without twisting the cutter you’re using. You can get a pastry set that includes a silicone mat, dough scraper , biscuit cutter for a great price. Bake at 450 degrees 10 to 15 mts. I check after 10 minutes, baking until lightly brown. I cook the biscuits on a silpat non stick liner. Cool on wire rack. Makes 12 tall biscuits. Serve warm. Enjoy!
Total Cost for each biscuit – Just 4 Cents each!
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