Einkorn biscuits and my snapper chowder. Yum!
The only flour I keep in the house these days is Einkorn. After having some minor reactions to regular wheat flour (even organic) I started researching the gluten issue. From a few different sources, I’ve learned that wheat grown in the US has been hybrid so much as the gluten is no longer recognizable to our digestive systems. On top of that, I recently heard, again from a few different sources, that Monsanto’s Roundup is being used by farmers on most wheat right before harvest:
“Common wheat harvest protocol in the United States is to drench the wheat fields with Roundup several days before the combine harvesters work through the fields as the practice allows for an earlier, easier and bigger harvest.”
Roundup and wheat.
More details as to why (and to the extent) this is done can be found in this article by Sarah Pope, the Healthy Home Economist.
Don’t believe our wheat is being sprayed with Roundup? Then look at this PDF on the Roundup web site — here’s an excerpt. Right from the horse’s mouth.
Of course there are those that will debate this information. I can only say my personal experience has been:
- Anything made from wheat in the US, even organic wheat, causes my belly to bloat and grumble.
- I ate wheat products three times a day in Italy a couple of summers ago, without one single gut reaction.
- Einkorn flour does not bother me one bit. I also prefer the flavor, texture and fragrance of the foods I make with Einkorn flour.
It’s the truth, the whole truth—and I’m sticking to it.
I buy my flour from Jovial Foods in 10 pound bags. My last order was for two bags since I seem to go through it pretty quickly. You can buy 2 lb bags at WholeFoods if you want to just try it out. Some day I’ll own a grain mill and grind the grains myself.
So, onto the biscuits. This is your standard buttermilk biscuit recipe, but I’ve substituted Einkorn flour and milk kefir for the buttermilk. I can’t even tell you how delicious these are! Crunchy on the outside, buttery, soft and moist on the inside—and to die for when served warm and buttered. These go especially great with Snapper Chowder and you can personalize the recipe by adding garlic, cheese, chives or anything else that tickles your fancy!
Biscuits Einkorn Kefir (Buttermilk)
Ingredients
- 2 cups Einkorn flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt (USE LESS if your butter is salted)
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter Room temp or chilled are OK
- 1 cup milk kefir or buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450° F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and then cut into flour mixture with fork and knife or pastry blender. When the flour looks grainy, mix in the kefir (or buttermilk). The dough will be thick and sticky.
- Spoon dough onto parchment-lined baking sheet into 12 roughly equal portions.
- Bake at 450° for 10-12 minutes, until golden and the rough peaks begin to brown. Serve while still warm.
Very good recipe!! Light, buttery. Bought the flour at my local (healthy food) market, it’s a bit pricey but well worth it for a truly digestible food!
Renee, thank you so much for your feedback! I don’t make these biscuits very often because I could honestly eat the whole batch myself.
Great recipe. Just wanted to add that if you use salted butter to leave out the salt. First time I made them they were too salty. I also used just under a tablespoon of baking powder the second time and liked them better. This recipe is the best I’ve tried for einkorn flour biscuits.Thanks much.
Thank you Patti! Good to know about the salt, I never buy salted butter so I don’t have that perspective and it’s something I’ll need to keep in mind for future recipes. I’ll make a note on the recipe about the salt.
My family LOVES this recipe! It’s better, and easier, then the “official” one from the website. 🙂 Thank you so much!
HI Becky, so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know!
Have you ever made einkorn biscuits with your einkorn sourdough starter? We are just delving back into traditional baked goods, having been paleo for a long time due to allergies. I’m a bit scared to just use the einkorn without it being soured first. But, I do hear good reports about easily einkorn is digested, soured our not. Thanks!
Hi Wendy, no I haven’t, the baking soda/powder gives them the uniquely biscuit flavor that I like plus makes the recipe quick and easy. Einkorn is supposed to be easily digestible for even some people with Crohn’s, because it hasn’t been tampered with. If you decide to try the starter, let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Hello! Thank you for this recipe, these are wonderful drop biscuits and you are right, so easy to make. Just whipped up a batch before my deer hunter leaves in the dark and served them with a sausage gravy. It was made easier yet: threw all the dry ingredients into the food processor and whizzed them together, threw in the diced cold butter and pulsed until it was crumbly, then poured in the milk (I had to use milk with a tablespoon of vinegar instead of buttermilk) and blended for a few seconds. It was a little thin so another maybe half a cup of flour or less got it to look like your picture. Perfect. Thanks again, this is definitely a keeper!
Thank you for the feedback! I do love this recipe. I tend to not use my food processor because I’m too lazy to clean it, but that’s a great idea!
These were totally amazing. Got devoured by company 🙂
Thank you for letting me know! I made these the other day, added grated cheddar cheese this time. Yum!
So if I wanted to use a nut milk, then all I need to add is a Tbsp. Of vinegar to create the buttermilk texture?
I am dairy free as well as gluten free, so I was wanting to try the einkorn flour. Not celiac or Crohn s just gluten intolerant.
Well I have to admit I know nothing about nut milks, so I looked it up. Supposedly you can mix 1 cup of soy or almond milk with 2 (?) TB Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and let it sit for 10 mins to thicken. If you are lactose intolerant, milk kefir is lactose free because the lactose is converted into lactic acid during the culturing process. If you’re dairy free, you’ll not be using butter either?
Can i use these drop biscuits in my chicken and dumplings? Will they cook in the gravy? Thank you!
While I’ve made chicken and dumplings, I’ve not made it using these biscuits, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work. The ingredient proportions are similar. Just make sure the dough is at a consistency similar to what you’re used to as far as moisture content, as the Einkorn flour tends to be a little dry. Please let me know how it turns out! I bet it will be awesome!
These were delicious!!!!! I did as someone suggested and reduced the baking powder to about 1/2 TBSP. I also used a cup of coconut milk with 2 Tbsp coconut vinegar as the buttermilk, set out for 20 min. Next time I’m going to reduce the butter to 4 Tbsp. These will be my once a month treat. I was craving sandwich bread and these hit the spot!!!!!
Thanks for letting us know! As I’ve not used coconut or nut milks in this recipe, it’s nice to know that works. I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipe, it’s one of my favorites.
Hi, its me again. These are my go to biscuits. I used whole wheat einkorn this time
I made yet another change. I dont normally use liquid buttermilk, but i keep powdered buttermilk (sacco) on standby because i make buttermilk waffles on the weekends. I use 5 tbsps of this
I also used 6 tbsp of aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) to help stabilize the biscuits, it also lightens the heaviness of the flour.
Since i used aquafaba, i reduced the water by 6 tbsps.
I put the dough in the fridge to absorb the water for 30 mins and to prevent the butter from melting.
I cooked them for 12 min and ate it with a fried egg with a smidgen of the truffleist, truffle butter.
Next time ill cook them for 15 because the flour is heavier.
Thanks for the extra information, I’ll direct people to your posts. I always have kefir on hand, so don’t keep anything else around. I almost made them for Thanksgiving but decided my stuffing was enough bread (using my homemade sourdough). Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Can I make dough ahead (morning) & keep in fridge till ready to bake for dinner?
Hi Barbara, I have no idea, I’ve never tried that! I’m not sure how the extra hours and cold would affect the rising. I’m also not sure if you could put the cold biscuit dough in the oven, or let it sit at room temp for an hour. I’m thinking it might be better to spoon out the dough onto a cookie sheet, cover with was paper and then put that in the fridge, rather than a bowl full dough. That way they could go right into the oven later. It’s a great question, thanks, let me know if you try it. Even if they don’t turn out “perfect” I’m sure the biscuits will still taste delicious. I’ll also try that the next time I make them and will update the recipe with my results.
These are my “go to” for biscuits! They turn out great every time! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Wendy! We’ve gone keto but I still cheat once in a while and make these!
So if I use fresh ground einkorn, as compared to all purpose, how would that change the recipe. Less flour and more or less liquid? Thanks for the help!
Hi Kelli, I’ve not ground my own einkorn. The pre-ground flour has had the bran and germ removed, which I’m guessing would not be the case with wheatberries, so your fresh ground is probably coarser and maybe a little more dry. That would mean adding a little more liquid and possibly proofing time, but I can’t say how much since I’ve not experimented with it. Maybe take a look at this article, it seems to have a LOT of information about working with Einkorn, lots of helpful photos too. You may have to try a couple of times to perfect your recipe, but while your “failures” may not have the texture or look you want, they will still be delicious! https://www.einkorn.com/tips-for-baking-with-einkorn-flour/
Hi Farmer Deb, did you use all purpose einkorn or whole wheat in this recipe?
I’ve been using the all purpose einkorn. When I first started making this bread, that’s all there was, Jovial wasn’t offering the whole wheat. I suppose the whole wheat would work too. I’ll try it one of these days. :=)
Thanks for responding so quickly, Deb.
Could the batter be soaked overnight?
I’ve never tried that, so I can’t say for sure. It may be possible to let it sit in the refrigerator over night. I recently did that with sourdough chocolate chip cookies that also contained baking soda and they turned out great. Just know that the butter in the batter will get hard in the fridge, making it a bit of a struggle to spoon out.
I’ve seen recipes for overnight biscuits and the baking agents (soda/powder) and salt are added in right before baking.
Also, I would use kefir instead of buttermilk and leave them out on the counter overnight.
Well let me now how it turns out if you leave it out over night. It makes sense to add the baking agents in the end.