These vegan pumpkin biscuits are lightly sweetened and filled with raisins and spices. It’s hard to believe they’re fat-free!
I used to love biscuits. I was raised on my mom’s Bisquick biscuits and sometime during college graduated to baking and devouring Southern-style biscuits made with White Lily flour and lots of butter or margarine. Living alone in my tiny student apartment, I would bake up batches of huge, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits on the weekend and eat them all by myself, and it didn’t take long before I developed huge, fluffy thighs to match.
Fast forward x-number of years (I don’t want to think about how fast that time went!) Today I firmly believe that all that white flour and fat isn’t good for me, my thighs, or my arteries. So I rarely make biscuits. I could indulge in a biscuit or two for an occasional treat, but the truth is, I don’t want to re-develop a taste for them. And since it’s the fat that gives biscuits their light, flaky texture, fat-free biscuits just don’t have the same texture, no matter what you do.
But if you’re not expecting them to be lighter than air, it is possible to make biscuits that are a new type of comfort food, tasty and filling without fat or white flour.
For these fat-free biscuits, I’ve replaced the fat with pumpkin puree, and though they they’re not going to float off the plate, you definitely won’t break a tooth biting into them. In keeping with my goal of making them as healthy as possible, I didn’t use any sugar at all; raisins provide the only sweetening, so if you want to sweeten them up, you can top them with icing, as in the photos (that’s the orange icing from Chocolate-Orange Cake). But D, who doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, preferred them plain, and E and I liked them spread with apple butter or drizzled with agave nectar for a sweet yet more natural taste.
Fat-Free Pumpkin and Raisin Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup pumpkin (canned or cooked, pureed, and drained)
- 1/2 cup plain soy milk (plus additional, as needed)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F and lightly oil a non-stick baking sheet. Mix the dry ingredients together well (flour through raisins). Add the pumpkin and mix until crumbly (do not overmix). Combine the soymilk and lemon juice and add it, stirring until a soft dough forms. If all flour is not moistened, add additional soymilk a teaspoon at at time until dough forms a ball.
- Turn out the dough onto a well-floured surface and sprinkle the top lightly with flour. Roll out about 3/4 inch thick. Using a 1 1/2-2-inch wide biscuit cutter or glass dipped in flour, press straight down without twisting to cut into 12-15 biscuits.
- Place the biscuits, sides lightly touching, on the oiled sheet. Bake until tops are lightly browned, 9-11 minutes. Serve hot.
Nutritional info is approximate.
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Lauren
These look absolutely divine! Definitely a starred recipe.
Maria
These look great! I love raisins in my baked goods.
The Ordinary Vegetarian
This is a very exciting recipe! I love this alternative to buttery biscuits (my thighs will thank me as well!) Can't wait to try this.
Kiersten
Yum! I love anything that has pumpkin in it. These will be a nice change from the many batches of pumpkin muffins I will make this winter.
Jelli Bean
These sound delicious. I love all things biscuit and pumpkin. Since I recently tried the ropes of fresh pumpkin cooking, I'm pretty confident that these will soon be baked up for dinner. Yummy!
Lori Maffei
These biscuits sound wonderful, and as usual, lovely photographs as well!
Sarita
Just out of curiosity? How did you prepare the icing?
MamaDog
Can't wait to try these. they seem more like scones.
But my son doesn't like raisins. How do you think these would be with dried cranberries?
nora
mmmmm i already know i'll love them!
Janell
Might almond milk be used in place of soy milk?
SusanV
Sarita, the (easy)icing comes from my Chocolate-Orange Cake recipe; there's a link in the post.
MamaDog, if you like dried cranberries, then give them a try.
Janell, sure! Use whatever kind of non-dairy milk you prefer.
diane
these look wonderful! just might have to surprise the family with some biscuits tonight. My favorite part about this recipe — I have all the ingredients handy! 🙂
Trinity (of haiku tofu)
Gorgeous, Susan!
Ricki
They look like the perfect texture to me! And I love that photo of pouring the glaze–stunning.
jahnu
These look YUM & delicious.can't wait to try this.
Alison
AH YES!!! These look amazing!! I shall try these tomorrow!! Sorry if this is a stupid question I'm new to baking, what did you use for the icing? Like what recipe or did you buy it??
Alison
Ooh oops you already mentioned the icing haha I skimmed through the blog in excitement and didn't take the time to actually read it lol!!
Rachel
One word comes to mind- YUM! Thank you for this recipe. I may make it and feature it in my blog next week… it depends on how mine turn out. 🙂 I need to adjust for elevation issues, but I am excited to try these, especially because my husband grew up in the south and has been missing biscuits since we made the lifestyle switch.
moonwatcher
Hi Susan,
These look delicious–and thanks so much, too, for the gluten-free link, too, for those of us who need it. Cindalou's recipe looks good, too!! I'll put these on my "to try" list. . 🙂
moonwatcher
Michelle
In the recipe file. I think I just ate my comptuer screen.
Mark
These sound great. Would whole wheat pastry flour work as well as the white whole wheat flour?
SusanV
Mark, I don't like whole wheat pastry flour quite as much as the white whole wheat, but it's the next best thing.
Laura
I feel like I've just stumbled upon a goldmine with this recipe!! I MUST have it! I'm thinking about subbing dried cranberries for the raisins, since I have some, but they sounds so good either way! I could even do some sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin…the possiblities are endless! Great job with this one, Susan V!!
Gina
Those sound really nice!! Some agave with them sounds perfect 🙂
The Voracious Vegan
Wow, that looks delicious! And I love the orange icing you are pouring over it, that would take this treat to the next level I am sure!
*Naomi*
these look incredidble, and the addition of raisins is such a sweet, surprise!!
easy recipes
It look amazing. Thanks for the recipe.
Fayinagirl (means Free One)
Oh my! Those look yummy! I never thought of putting pumpkin in a biscuit recipe. Brilliant! (Pumpkin is one of my all-time fav foods)
Heather
Just made these… Very nice! I used regular whole wheat flour + rice milk and it turned out fine 🙂
dubaidossier
Yum! Awesomely seasonal with the Pumpkin
Healthy and Homemade
Oh Susan these look wonderful! Now I know what I want to bake for the family Christmas morning =)
Honestly, I'm not sure if I can wait that long! I might just have to take advantage of a lazy morning and give these a shot!
Anonymous
I can't seem to find white whole wheat flour. Can I blend wheat and white? Perhaps a 50/50 mix? If not what other substitute can I use?
CookTeen
I am totally making these!! Pumpkin is my favorite and so nice that these are low fat!!! They look absolutely amazing (except the raisins…I've never been a fan of raisins)
check out my blog!! I am giving a way an autographed Paula Deen Cookbook!!!
Cookteen.blogspot.com
with love and cupcakes,
CookTeen
Anonymous
Hi Susan
Thank you for this simple recipe which won't have shortening. But did it have a pumpkin flavor? I might not add raisins since I would like to eat it with a spicy curry.
Thank you
SusanV
They have only a very light pumpkin flavor, and I think they would be terrific with a spicy curry.
Dentists Orange
I love your posts! GOOD food indeed. i'm now making a list of healthy meals to prepare for my kids. thanks for sharing your recipes.
Nancy
My biscuits were never "lighter than air" anyway so I'm sure a heavier biscuit will not be a probelm for me! Thanks so much for this recipe. I have all the ingredients and will give them a try.
Anonymous
These are perfect! Made them yesterday, and I'm already jonesing for more. Thank you!
jessica
Hi Susan,
I have a question for you. Kinda not related to the biscuits…but also kinda related.
Lately when I make a vegan/gluten free loaf, muffin or other baked good…it tastes great for 2 days and then gets funky tasting. Almost rancid. Doesn't matter what type…pumpkin, apple, ginger etc.
I use gluten free flour, xantham gum and paneriso egg replacer in each of these. Could it be onoe of these things that makes it go bad?
I'm getting REALLY frustrated.
Help!
Azahara
The pumpkin flavor is very light, as you said. Is it possible to add more pumpkin without increasing the amount of flour?
Also, can I use black chocolate chips in lieu of the raisins?
Thanks a lot!