If you are looking for a 100% Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits recipe that is light and flaky, this is the recipe for you! 5 simple ingredients are all you need to make these irresistibly fluffy biscuits that come packed with whole wheat health benefits.
Most people have a lot of misconceptions about whole wheat baked goods. Let this recipe dispel them. Just because whole wheat packs nutritional benefits doesn't mean it's not also delicious. These fluffy buttermilk biscuits have a warm, nutty taste that complements a number of dishes. Served warm, they're a dream that you can enjoy any time of day.
If you're still not sold, you can easily substitute whole wheat flour for regular all-purpose flour to make a delicious biscuit with a more traditional taste. For more recipes with whole wheat, check out my vegan dinner roll recipe or whole wheat pretzels! If you're a pasta lover, give my whole wheat pasta recipe a go! It's only five ingredients and so easy that even beginner pasta makers can follow along.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Light and flaky- It’s easy for whole wheat recipes to be dense and hard. This recipe is neither of those things. It comes down to the type of flour and the techniques that make the recipe light, and I promise if you follow my lead, you’ll enjoy light, flaky and nutritious biscuits in no time!
Versatile-Biscuits are always a go-to when I need bread with our meals. These biscuits go well with various dishes and can even be frozen after baking. They have a mild flavor that goes well with stew but can also be enjoyed with sweet fruit jams.
Nutritious- Whole wheat flour has more fiber than all-purpose flour, making it an excellent choice for digestive health. It’s a high-protein flour, and just a quarter cup contains about 50 percent of your daily iron needs!
Ingredients
Whole wheat flour - I love to use white winter wheat for this recipe. I have been able to find it at my local Winco bulk bins. White winter wheat has a milder taste and finer texture than hard red wheat. Be sure to read the packaging if you're unsure which wheat is used.
Baking Powder -Baking powder is a powerful leavening agent that will give the biscuits rise. Baking powder is double acting, which means it rises twice. Once when combined with liquid and a second time when it comes into contact with heat. This makes for extra fluffy biscuits. Be sure to use baking powder and not baking soda for this recipe. Also, be sure that your baking powder is fresh because it will greatly affect the rise if your baking powder has been opened for more than six months.
Salt- Salt is always important in baking, and biscuits are no different! A biscuit without enough salt will often feel like something is missing. Be sure to include the salt to bring out the delicious flavors.
Butter - The key to flaky biscuits is very cold butter. You can even pop your butter in the freezer for 10 minutes before starting to make this recipe. Chilled and cut in ¾-1 inch chunks. Don't stress about the sizes being perfect; it’ll be going into the food processor. The chilled butter creates delicious pockets of moisture that really help the biscuits rise tall in the oven.
Buttermilk - Buttermilk helps gives the biscuits rise, and it makes them tender. You'll also want to make sure your buttermilk stays chilled. Sometimes we can take it out to use and forget it's been sitting out for a bit, so keep it chilled until you're about to pour it in. The colder you can keep the dough, the flakier your biscuits will come out.
How to make whole wheat flour buttermilk biscuits
Make sure all of your ingredients are ready and measured, line your baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside your biscuit cutter, and preheat the oven.
You want these biscuits to go straight into a hot oven once they are formed. If your oven is not preheated by the time you finish making the dough, you can put the tray of biscuits in the fridge until the oven is ready.
Make The Dough
- Place your flour, baking powder, and salt into a food processor or a large mixing bowl. I like to use food processors because it combines the ingredients faster, which helps keep them cold. If you’re using a bowl, you can use a pastry cutter to cut the cutter into the flour mixture.
- Next, add the cubed, chilled butter. Pulse or mix until it is smaller, pea-sized pieces. Then, pour in the buttermilk, pulsing to combine about 4-6 times until a cohesive dough forms.
Forming and cutting the biscuits
I like to use a trifold method. This helps create even more lovely layers in the biscuits.
- Press the dough onto a lightly floured surface into a rectangular shape about ½ inch thick. Fold over the right third of the dough across the middle.
- Then fold over the left third on top of the right third. This will form 3 layers. Press gently.
- Dip your biscuit cutter in flour and start cutting biscuits. Make sure and cut biscuits as close as possible.
Bake
- Place the whole wheat biscuits on a baking sheet and place them straight into the oven.
- Once they are lightly browned and have risen, they are done! Remove from the oven and enjoy!
Wheat Recommendations
If you are unsure what flour to use for this recipe, there are tons of options.
I prefer using higher protein wheat flour for this recipe. Generally, I use whole wheat pastry flour for baked goods.
In this recipe, I used white winter wheat flour. This is a pretty standard flour, especially if you don't grind your own wheat. You can find it almost anywhere. It's different from the regular whole wheat flour you typically see at the store, which is often made with hard red wheat.
Another wheat that is a favorite of mine for this recipe is rye. There is something about that earthy flavor I just love! Spelt is also a really good flour to use here. It is a popular wheat in Europe and is gaining traction in the states as well.
If you are looking for an ancient grain, how about einkorn flour? It is easily in my top 3 flours I love to use.
Tips for the perfect Biscuits
- Keep it cold- Use cold ingredients. In order to get those light-layered biscuits, you have to start with chilled butter and buttermilk. You want those butter chunks whole when they go in the oven, so you have to work quickly. If you have a few extra minutes, chilling the bowl itself in the fridge for 10-15 minutes can help keep heat out of the dough.
- Preheat the oven-I love to bake these on convection, about 400-425 degrees. Cooking them too low will result in the butter melting before the structure of the biscuit is formed and will make them turn out more flat. The high heat begins cooking them quickly so all the pockets created by the butter rise upwards instead of out.
- Use the tri fold method-The fold method will give you the lofty, high biscuits you desire. I will show what this looks like in the photos below.
FAQ Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits
Yes, you can use all-purpose flour in this recipe. This recipe is really easy to sub flour in and out. You can use 100% whole wheat, as I did. You can also use 100% all-purpose or a blend. 50% whole wheat, 50% all-purpose, is a great way to ease into incorporating whole wheat into your diet.
They are good for about 2 days. They are 100% whole wheat, so they don't hold for a long time. Keep in mind that homemade baked goods also stay fresh for shorter periods of time because they lack the preservatives that store-bought baked goods contain.
I don't like sweet biscuits, so I never add sweeteners to my recipes, but feel free to add a bit of sugar or honey. If you like sweet biscuits, you can add ¼ cup granulated sugar or honey into the dough. Then, brush the tops with an egg wash and sprinkle with sugar as well before baking.
It's a white whole wheat flour that's made from white winter wheat. It's finely ground and has a milder taste than regular whole wheat flour, which makes it perfect for this light wheat biscuit recipe.
The secret to light, fluffy biscuits is using lots of baking powder and ensuring you keep your ingredients as cold as possible until they're in the oven. The butter creates pockets of moisture that steam in the oven and encourage the biscuit to rise.
While the taste of buttermilk can't be beat, sometimes you run out or just need an alternative. If you need a substitute, you can make sour milk. It’s a good substitute and very easy to make. Mix a cup of milk and a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. This will curdle the milk and make the best substitute that can be used in place of buttermilk.
Other Whole Wheat Recipes
100% Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits
Equipment
- food processor or pastry cutter
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour I love to use white winter wheat for this recipe. I have been able to find it at my local Winco bulk bins.
- 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, chilled and cut in ¾-1 inch chunks Don't stress about these sizes being perfect, the food processor makes quick work of this.
- 1 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees on convection if you have it. Line a baking sheet with parchment or spray if you prefer.
Food processor method:
- Add flour, salt, and baking powder to a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add in the chilled butter and pulse again about 3 times. The last up is the buttermilk. Pulse until the buttermilk is distributed. Mine took about 4-6 pulses.
- Sprinkle the surface lightly with flour. Remove the dough to the surface. Lightly flour the top as well. Now, this will be a wet dough but only add as much as you absolutely need. Gently press into a rectangle, about ½ inch thick. Now, fold one-third over the top, then fold the other third over the top. This is a little hard to describe, so check the photos for details.
- Now, dip your biscuit cutter in flour and start cutting biscuits. Make sure and cut biscuits as close as you are able. Place on prepared pan. Gather the remaining dough and gently press it together, and cut again. Just make sure the new dough is the same thickness as the previous one.
- Place in oven and bake until biscuits are fully risen and very lightly golden brown on top. I actually like to turn on broil for just a minute or 2 to get a little darker golden color. If you do this, just keep an eye on them, they can burn quickly.
- Remove from oven and serve right away. I think biscuits are best served hot!
Hand Method:
- This is very similar to the food processor, except by hand.
- Pour flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. Mix with a fork to combine. Add chilled butter and work with the pastry cutter until it is in small chunks, about ¼ inch chunks.
- Last, add the buttermilk. You can mix this with a fork if you want. It will be a little bit of wet dough, so don't worry about it.
- Next, cut biscuits and bake biscuits as described above.
Video
Notes
- Keep it cold- Use cold ingredients. In order to get those light-layered biscuits, you have to start with chilled butter and buttermilk. You want those butter chunks whole when they go in the oven, so you have to work quickly. If you have a few extra minutes, chilling the bowl itself in the fridge for 10-15 minutes can help keep heat out of the dough.
- Preheat the oven-I love to bake these on convection, about 400-425 degrees. Cooking them too low will result in the butter melting before the structure of the biscuit is formed and will make them turn out more flat. The high heat begins cooking them quickly so all the pockets created by the butter rise upwards instead of out.
- Use the tri fold method-The fold method will give you the lofty, high biscuits you desire. I will show what this looks like in the photos below.
Joi says
These turned out beautifully! I was nervous about 100% whole wheat so did sub in 1/2 cup white flour. Otherwise followed as directed. Never thought about the higher heat to activate the baking powder. Could be why previous attempts have been less than thrilling at 400°.
admin says
I am so happy this recipe worked for you! I love these flaky biscuits and spent years working through all the testing! Thank you so much for letting me know of your success!