01
Lentils
6.7best for biscuits1 cup : 1 cup
Good protein substitute, different texture
6.7
quinoa substitute
in biscuits.
Quinoa layered with fat gives Biscuits their signature flaky lift. The stand-in needs comparable starch and protein to keep those layers distinct.
top substitutes
adjustment for this dish
Lentils cooked and mashed to a thick paste carry 25% protein (vs Quinoa's 14%), so cut the buttermilk by 2 tablespoons per cup of mash or the cold dough turns sticky and the flaky layers won't fold cleanly. The earthy flavor leans savory -- pair with cheddar or chives to pull apart into a tender savory biscuit.
02
Couscous
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Similar size and texture, not gluten-free
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Couscous granules are already steam-set, so hydrate 1/2 cup cooked couscous in 3 tablespoons cold buttermilk for 5 minutes before cutting in the butter. The pre-hydrated bulk keeps the stack moist, but won't build flaky layers the same way -- expect shorter, tender biscuits with a fine crumb rather than tall pull-apart sheets.
03
Brown Rice
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Longer cook time, similar nutty flavor
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Brown Rice flour has 3% more fiber than Quinoa, which drags on the rise; to compensate, bump baking powder from 2 teaspoons to 2.5 teaspoons per cup of flour. Cold butter cuts in cleanly, but the nutty flavor bakes darker -- pull at matte gold rather than the deep mahogany you'd wait for with Quinoa.
show 15 more substitutes
04
White Rice
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Neutral starchy grain; fluffier texture, cooks faster but lacks quinoa's nutty taste and protein
6.7
adjustment for this dish
White Rice flour lacks the protein that binds layers in Quinoa biscuits, so add 1 tablespoon psyllium husk per cup of rice flour before cutting in cold butter. Without that binder, the stack collapses and won't pull apart. Fold only twice -- white rice dough is fragile and over-folding makes the baked tops crumbly.
05
Barley
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Chewy texture, works in salads and bowls
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Barley flour has soluble beta-glucan that thickens the buttermilk as you mix, so chill the buttermilk to 35 degrees F and work in 45 seconds or less before the dough turns gummy. The resulting crumb is tender but denser than Quinoa -- expect biscuits that bake flatter with shorter flaky layers but a malty flavor.
06
Oats
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Works as hot breakfast cereal, higher protein
6.7
07
Rolled Oats
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Use flaked or as porridge, higher protein
6.7
08
Pasta
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Gluten-free, works as base for saucy dishes
6.7
09
Long Grain Rice
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Higher protein grain-free swap
6.7
10
Wild Rice
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Lighter but works in pilafs and salads
6.7
11
Buckwheat
6.71 cup : 1 cup
GF with similar earthy flavor
6.7
12
Bulgur
6.71 cup : 1 cup
GF swap, works in tabbouleh
6.7
13
Farro
6.71 cup : 1 cup
GF option, lighter but works
6.7
14
Millet
6.71 cup : 1 cup
GF, similar size and cook time
6.7
15
Sorghum
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Higher protein GF alternative
6.7
16
Spelt
6.71 cup : 1 cup
GF option, lighter texture
6.7
17
Teff
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Tiny Ethiopian grain, earthy and gluten-free
6.7
18
Hemp Seeds
3.31/2 cup : 1 cup
No cooking needed, sprinkle on bowls for protein
3.3
technique for biscuits
technique
Quinoa flour in biscuits refuses to build the gluten sheets that let wheat fold into tall stacks, so you must chill the fat to 35 degrees F and cut in pea-size lumps before the dough warms past 55 degrees F. Unlike scones, where a richer cream dough tolerates a 10-minute rest, biscuit dough must hit a 450 degrees F oven within 4 minutes of the buttermilk hitting the bowl or the flaky lift collapses.
Pat the dough to 3/4 inch thick, fold it in thirds exactly twice to create 9 distinct layers, and stamp with a straight-down punch so the edges can pull apart cleanly. Bake until tops are matte gold and an internal probe reads 205 degrees F, usually 13-15 minutes.
Keep a tray of extra buttermilk nearby to mist tops at minute 8 for a tender crumb. A single warm kitchen can turn biscuits short and sandy rather than tall and tender, so run the AC or chill your sheet pan.
pitfalls to avoid
watch out
Avoid warming the butter past 55 degrees F before you cut in -- soft fat smears into the flour and kills the flaky tall-stack lift that distinguishes biscuits from denser quick breads.
watch out
Don't twist the cutter when stamping rounds; a clean straight-down punch lets the edges pull apart into distinct layers, while a twist seals them shut.
watch out
Skip the rolling pin -- pat the dough by hand to 3/4 inch thick so the buttermilk pockets stay intact and tops rise into tender domes.
watch out
Chill the sheet pan for 10 minutes before baking; a warm pan pre-melts the bottom fat and flattens the stack into a short puck.
watch out
Don't over-knead after folding -- three quick turns only, or gluten develops and the biscuit bakes into a tough roll instead of a tender, pull-apart crumb.