Paleo Pumpkin Spice Biscuits

Fluffy Southern-style pumpkin spice biscuits go gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free.

For the printable recipe click here.

Today I totally got my pumpkin on.

The first recipe I worked on was honestly an epic fail. I was trying to make vegan pumpkin cookies with chocolate chips, but they were chewy and greasy in all the wrong ways.

The monsters actually loved them, but I did not want seconds. Nor did the camera find them appealing. Basically, the recipe was nowhere near bloggable.

Not to be so easily defeated, I returned to my partially-used can of pumpkin puree and embarked on recipe number two: paleo pumpkin spice biscuits.

I measured and mixed, scooped, brushed, sprinkled, and baked, couching my expectations all the while since my first venture was so sub-par.

When my oven timer went off, I opened the door with mitted hands and bated breath, peering through the steam into . . . pumpkin-spice perfection!

How I wish you could have been there to smell and see and taste these beauties--but never fear! You can make your own!!

Paleo Pumpkin Spice Biscuits

Because these biscuits are paleo, they are gluten, dairy, and grain free.

Instead of traditional wheat flour (or a grain-containing gluten-free blend), I employ a trio mix of almond flour, potato starch, and coconut flour. Sea salt, homemade pumpkin pie spice, a touch of coconut sugar (or maple sugar or organic brown sugar), baking powder, and baking soda round out the dry ingredients. In a pinch you could sub tapioca flour for the potato starch, but potato starch gives the best results--sometimes tapioca results in a more chewy texture.

Instead of butter, palm shortening gets cut into the dry mixture. I prefer palm shortening to coconut oil because of its higher melting point, which creates a fluffier texture in these biscuits. You could use grass-fed butter if you're less concerned about dairy.

In a separate bowl, coconut milk (or Monster Milk), lemon juice, a smidge of honey (or maple syrup), vanilla extract, and half an egg (more on that in a minute) comprise the wet ingredients.

You can do all the mixing in a large mixing bowl, no electric stand mixer needed.

The mixture will look too wet as you are mixing, but by the time it all comes together, that super-absorbent coconut flour will suck most of that moisture right up, yielding an almost masa-like texture. No need to let the dough chill.

I like to use a well-greased 1/3 cup to scoop the biscuits out onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. You could use a large cookie scoop to portion the biscuits if you prefer, but you may want to gently press the tops to achieve a less-domed shape.

Next I brush the leftover egg over the biscuits and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds--told ya we'd cycle back to that half-egg situation! The beaten egg helps the biscuits get beautifully golden brown and also helps the pumpkin seeds stick.

Savory or sweet?

These are fluffy, tender, Southern-style biscuits with a pumpkin-spice flair. Sliced open and spread with a little grass-fed butter or ghee, these biscuits make the perfect fall treat or pumpkin season breakfast.

With just a touch of sweetness in the dough, they can really go either direction when it comes to savory or sweet. Drizzle sliced-open biscuits with a little honey, maple syrup, or chocolate-hazelnut spread, or toast with coconut oil and cinnamon-sugar for a pumpkin-spice take on cinnamon toast!

On the other hand, goat cheese, prosciutto, and spicy honey make an impeccably savory-sweet breakfast sandwich you never saw coming. A quick and simple slather of creamy almond butter keeps things on the (slightly-savory) easy side. Just imagine the new recipes you could come up with!

So many possibilities, so little fall.

Here's what you'll need:

• ¾ cup almond flour

• ¾ cup potato starch

• ⅓ cup coconut flour

• 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

• 1 ½ tsp baking powder

• ¾ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp fine sea salt

• 1 T coconut sugar

• 6 T palm shortening (or grass-fed butter)

• ½ cup nondairy milk (such as Monster Milk)

• ⅓ cup pumpkin puree

• 1 T honey

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 egg, slightly beaten, divided in half

• 2 T pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Here's what you'll do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: almond flour-coconut sugar).

3. Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut the shortening into the dry mixture. Mixture should resemble clumpy sand with the largest pieces no larger than a pea.

4. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients, reserving half the beaten egg for later.

5. Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture, using a rubber spatula to combine until there are no streaks of wet or dry ingredients and the dough resembles masa.

6. Use a well-greased ⅓ cup to scoop and drop 8 mounds of dough onto the baking sheet.

7. Use a pastry brush to paint the tops of the biscuits with the remaining beaten egg. Sprinkle with pepitas, and bake at 400 for 14-15 minutes. Allow to cool about 5 minutes before devouring. Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days and reheated in the oven to serve.

For the printable recipe click here.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy . . .

• Whole30 Granola

• Paleo Carrot Cake Cupcakes

• Paleo Cookie Butter

• Paleo Crepes

• Paleo Irish Soda Bread

• Paleo Griddle Cakes

• Paleo Banana Muffins