Easy Whole Wheat Biscuits
These whole wheat biscuits have the delicious tang of buttermilk and a mild, nutty whole wheat flavor without being heavy or dense. They are so easy to make with just six ingredients. You can have them on your table in no time!
The best homemade biscuits have plenty of flaky layers and slightly crispy bottoms. These whole wheat biscuits are amazing with a spread of butter and honey. Be sure to serve them warm, because that’s when they are most delicious.
When I want to make homemade bread for dinner, I often make my classic biscuit recipe or these whole wheat biscuits because they are quick and easy just like my drop biscuits. These biscuits are 100% whole grain, but since they’re made with white whole wheat flour, they are not heavy or dense as some whole wheat baked goods tend to be. These homemade biscuits are light and tender with the delicious tang of buttermilk and the nutty flavor of whole wheat.
I go through white whole wheat flour like you would not believe. It has a milder flavor than regular whole wheat flour and it’s perfect for baking. I use white whole wheat flour in my whole wheat pancake recipe, banana bread, my favorite homemade bread, and delicious pumpkin muffins.
So what exactly makes white whole-wheat different from regular whole-wheat? White whole-wheat flour is simply made from a different kind of wheat, white wheat. Regular whole-wheat flour is made from red wheat, which has a slightly stronger (think bitter) taste. White wheat is milder in flavor and has a softer texture, making the wheat flavor (and texture) less noticeable in baked goods.
Both white and regular whole-wheat flour are made from the whole grain: the bran, germ, and endosperm. Since they’re made from all three parts of the wheat grain, both have the same increase in fiber and nutritional benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Now that I’ve shared that little nutrition lesson with you, are you ready to start substituting white whole-wheat flour for all-purpose in your baking? The more you do, the less you will even notice a difference. Promise.
How to make whole wheat biscuits
To make this easy biscuit recipe, you’ll start by whisking together your dry ingredients: white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. This recipe uses a full tablespoon of baking powder to help the biscuits rise as they bake.
Next you’ll add cold butter cubes to the dry ingredients. You want to cut the butter up really small, so that you can quickly and easily work it into the flour with your fingers. Press the butter pieces and flour together using your fingertips until the largest pieces of butter are the size of small peas.
Add the buttermilk to the bowl. Mix with a fork until the dough comes together. Then press the dough out into a 1-inch thick circle. Use a biscuit cutter or inverted glass to cut out the biscuits. Cut them straight down, without twisting the cutter, as twisting can seal off the edges and prevent your biscuits from rising.
Bake the biscuits until they are golden brown on top. Serve warm, with butter, honey or jam. Find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts and baking time, below.
Baking Tips for Biscuits
- If you don’t have buttermilk in your refrigerator you can use my easy buttermilk substitute.
- Instead of cutting the butter into cubes, you can freeze the butter for 30 minutes and then grate it on a box grater. This way, you don’t have to use your fingers to work it in. You can simply stir the shredded butter into the flour mixture using a fork.
- Press straight down with your biscuit cutter, don’t twist. Twisting can seal off the edges of the biscuits and prevent your biscuits from rising.
Easy Whole Wheat Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- Add in the cold butter pieces and use your fingertips to quickly work the butter into the flour by pressing the butter into the flour between your fingertips. Much of the flour will not yet be incorporated with the butter, what you want is for the largest butter pieces to be the size of small peas.
- Pour in the buttermilk and use a fork to mix until a dough forms. Transfer the dough and any remaining flour bits to a lightly floured work surface. Use your hands to quickly fold the dough a few times to work in any remaining flour, being careful not to over-work the dough. Press the dough into a 1-inch-thick circle.
- Use a 2 ½-inch biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits; place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Re-form the scraps into a new circle of dough as needed. Bake biscuits for 12 minutes, until golden brown.
I love a good biscuit! It’s very hard for me to resist any kind of carb either, but I have been trying to be better about that!
It is so hard, isn’t it? I find that keeping veggies prepped and ready in the fridge helps me to make good choices. 🙂
I’m definitely a carb person, too. So hard to pass up! These biscuits look fantastic, Kristine! I can’t believe how easy these are to whip up. There’s almost no excuse not to have these in your kitchen! And I love the addition of buttermilk too, delicious!
Thanks, Gayle! I made a double batch this weekend so now my freezer is stocked with these biscuits!
I’m totally a carbs and bread kinda girl too. . can’t live without my carbs .. love that you made whole wheat biscuits!!! they look soooo good!
Thank you, Alice! I try to use whole grains whenever possible – that, along with watching my serving size, let’s me not feel as guilty about indulging in my carbs!
I just love a good biscuit. I love that these are made with whole wheat flour! I make mine with white flour, probably not the wisest choice. I’ve just never had good luck with wheat flour, but I’ve never tried white wheat flour! I’m going to pick up a bag the next time I’m at Trader Joe’s!
I think you will notice a big difference using white whole-wheat. Plus, the more you use it, the less you even notice the whole grains. I can bake cookies with white whole-wheat flour now and barely notice a difference!
These look absolutely perfect! I’m with you, I love carbs and I also go through a LOT of whole wheat flour. I can’t wait to try these! Pinned!
Thanks, my carb-loving friend! 🙂
I adore buttermilk biscuits. Going to have to try your whole-wheat version. They look fabulous!
Thank you, Christin!
These buttermilk biscuits look very southern and very delicious. I have to try the recipe out!
If you try them, I hope you like them!
These look awesome Kristine! I love light and flaky biscuits, and I’m a huge fan of buttermilk. Which means, me and these biscuits are great friends! Pinned!
Glad I could introduce you to these biscuits! 🙂 Thanks for the pin, Kristi!
What yummy looking biscuits, and that’s awesome that they’re so easy to make! Pinned 🙂
Thanks for pinning, Christina!
I go through white whole wheat flour like you would not BELIEVE. It’s pretty much the only flour I use because it’s so darn amazing! Love the stuff. 🙂 These biscuits? They pretty much look like pure perfection. Love how flakey and tender they look and holy gorgeous, Kristine your photos are stunning!
Thank you so much, Sarah! Your comment made me smile. I wonder which of us goes through white whole-wheat faster? 🙂
I have GOT to get me some of that white whole wheat flour! These biscuits look amazing, who would guess they are 100% whole wheat?! Crazy.
You do! If you’ve never tried white whole-wheat, you will be amazed at how well it works in baking!
I love biscuits especially with a little gravy and eggs 🙂 Yummy. Making for Kurt and Briana on Sunday.
I hope you enjoy these, Kathy!
I’ve always loved biscuits, but now that I live in the south they’re eeeverywhere. Not complaining. Love that these use white whole wheat…one of my favorite healthy switches in baking!
White whole-wheat is the greatest! Enjoy taste-testing all of those biscuits!
These sound awesome!! I love baking with whole wheat flour– and homemade bread definitely makes a meal!
I am so with you – dinner is a thousand times better when there’s homemade bread!
These biscuits look fantastic..I need to try.. love that these are whole wheat! 🙂
Thanks, Manali! I think you would like these!
I am a true carb addict. I need to get white whole wheat – these look AMAZING! Pinned!
Hey there fellow carb addict! White whole-wheat flour is amazing! Thanks for pinning. 🙂
Coming from Google+ Lovely blog and these biscuits will be on my list to do. I will definitely pin it and follow you on bloglovin!
Thank you so much for following, Ilona!
Can I use milk instead of buttermilk? Would the amount change or consistency of biscuit chnage?
Buttermilk makes the biscuits more tender and flaky, but milk will work in a pinch. You can make a buttermilk substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to the milk (and using 1 tablespoon less milk) and letting it stand for 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Kristine, do your delicious looking biscuits have that “bitter” taste to it that wheat floud leaves? And does using white whole wheat flour make it not pure whole wheat? Thanks!
Hi Carmen, I don’t think these have a bitter taste, but everyones tastes may be different. White whole wheat flour is still pure whole wheat, it’s just made from a different type of wheat berry. The nutrition is the same. 🙂
I used whole wheat all purpose flour and dough was a bit dry so had to add tbls more buttermilk and had to also bake for 15 min but still didn’t come out nice and golden brown, but for sure edible. Did I do something wrong ?
Since these are made with whole wheat flour and less butter, the dough is a bit dryer. As well as adding more buttermilk, you could increase the butter by a tablespoon or two next time. Brushing the tops of the biscuits with buttermilk before baking can help them brown on top.
Made these for the third time tonight.First two times went by recipe they were dense and like they weren’t done.Tonight halved the recipe for 2 of us in addition to the butter used a little bit of Cisco shortening and used my own judgement on the buttermilk to make a slightly sticky dough I also flipped them half way through the cooking time.They came out light and fluffy the best batch yet this is the way I will make them now.
Do you use white wheat flour purchased from a store? Or do you grind your own grains?
I use store bought.