You Only Need 2 Ingredients To Make Delicious Biscuits

Biscuits are one of the most wonderfully versatile comfort foods out there. Whether holding the ingredients for a tasty breakfast sandwich, slathered in butter or jam, or accompanying a hearty dinner, they're a vital part of any serious cook's repertoire. However, if you think biscuits are difficult or complicated, think again. You only need two ingredients for delicious, easy-to-make results.

Those two ingredients are self-rising flour and coconut cream. Simply mix them together, knead, and then cut the dough into your desired shape. After just 10 to 15 minutes in a 425-degree oven, these filling, fluffy delights are ready to enjoy.

If you're wondering how these two humble ingredients produce such delicious and reliable results, the secret lies primarily in self-rising flour. Unlike traditional flour, which consists solely of processed and ground grain, self-rising flour is a pre-mixed blend of flour, baking powder, and salt. The salt provides flavor and helps with the typical chemistry of baking, while the baking powder creates the yeast-free leavening that causes the biscuits to rise.

The critical reaction happens whenever baking powder is mixed with a liquid, causing the acid and base components of the powder to turn into a solution and begin to bubble. Unlike with baking soda, this works with any sort of liquid and does not require an acidic one such as buttermilk. It also works immediately, while yeast needs significantly more time to rise.

Another underrated benefit of this simple recipe is that it's dairy-free. This makes it a perfect choice for those who are lactose-intolerant or otherwise sensitive to or avoid dairy products. Be sure to pick up the right coconut product, though. The difference between coconut cream vs. coconut milk comes down to thickness and composition. While both are made from blended coconut meat and water, coconut cream is significantly thicker, thanks to the higher ratio of coconut flesh.

Although part of the appeal of this recipe is the simplicity, more adventurous home cooks can make some minor tweaks to create other tasty options. For example, Mashed's three-ingredient cheese biscuits simply add grated cheese to the basic formula and replace coconut milk with traditional milk. The same is true of our five-ingredient garlic cheddar biscuits, which also rely on the power of self-rising flour.