My mom calls these graham biscuits. They are a bit heartier than the white flour version and taste wonderful with honey. The ugly one in the picture is on purpose. Jim really likes the “mutt” – pieces of dough left over that I press gently together.
Biscuits are simple to make. The whole wheat version is made just like regular biscuits.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 heaping Tbs. baking powder
- about 5 Tbs. butter, softened
- nearly 1 cup of milk
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. I use a baking stone to bake the biscuits and I put the stone in the oven to warm while I mix the dough. If you use a cookie sheet, you won’t need to do that.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork. Stir in the milk.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Fold it over several times and then pat it out with your hands, about 1/2 inch thick.
Use a biscuit cutter or small glass dipped in flour to cut the biscuits. Place on a cookie sheet or baking stone and bake for 10 minutes.
How often do you eat biscuits? Do you make them from scratch or buy them?
These look good – what ratio white to whole wheat flour did you use?
Liesl, I just realized I typed “flour” instead of “whole wheat flour”. For these biscuits I used all whole wheat. You could use any ratio of white/wheat that you like though. I usually make them with all white flour.
perfect, thanks! I think we will make these this weekend.
thanks for the post. can you use the whole wheat flour instead of regular flour in other receipes? I have not used it before and was curious.
Tracy, depending on the recipe, whole wheat flour might make it a bit heavier. If it’s a baked good, you can try whole wheat pastry flour. Or mix it with white flour. Experiment and see what you like.
I’ve been wanting to try whole wheat biscuits. This time of year, when I’m making lots of soup and chili, I like to have a hearty bread to go with it. I was wondering how whole wheat flour would work in a biscuit recipe. You just gave me a great reason to bake this weekend! Thanks!
Wow, those are some good looking biscuits.
Your comment on how often do you eat biscuits made me laugh – they aren’t eaten here in the UK at all. The first time I fed my inlaws and cooked biscuits they all watched as my brave BIL took one, cut in and buttered gingerly… he took a bite and looked astonished “these are nice!” I make them occasionally but we tend to go for sliced bread rather than biscuits here.
I had to laugh when you said you use all white for your “whole wheat” recipe. 🙂
I think I’m going to try these as drop biscuits.
Bethany, I had to go back and read what I wrote. Yep, I make whole wheat biscuits with white flour 🙂 Actually, the recipe is meant to be with white flour, but sometimes I use whole wheat instead. Let me know if you make them as drop biscuits. I’ve never done that with this recipe.
I used whole wheat flour and made 15 drop biscuits. Success! 🙂
Yeah!
I’m a new follower. I’m glad I found this blog. I was just getting ready to make biscuit dough for a recipe tonight and realized we were out of white flour. Guests are coming so I hope it turns out!! For this recipe I roll the dough flat and roll 4 or so inch pieces of it around chopped chicken mixed with cream cheese and then roll them in butter and italian flavored bread crumbs…also all from scratch! 🙂 I’m guessing the dough will be a bit more dense…we’ll see. I have no choice since I can’t make it to the grocery store and back as my baby is just now going down for nap and lots of food to prepare and some clean up to do! Ack! At any rate…thanks for the post!
Amy, your recipe sounds wonderful! Let me know how it works out.
Tiffany, I make biscuits nearly each week for the kids before they go to school, but haven’t made whole wheat in quite awhile, so will give these a go. I like the baking stone idea — have never baked biscuits on one.
One question: Most recipies I’ve seen called for keeping the butter very chilled before chopping it into the flour, which is supposed to give the biscuits a more tender, flaky texture.
But this one says softened butter. Just curious why and what difference it makes, either way.
DaddyD, I just think it’s easier to cut the butter and flour together when the butter is soft. It seems to work just fine and it’s easier so… What a good dad you are to make biscuits for the kids before school!
how many tablespoons of baking powder? your recipe doesnt say.
It’s 1 heaping tablespoon.
I love to make biscuits and I am amazed at the people who thinks they are complicated. My grand daughter uses the canned biscuits even though I keep telling he the home made ones are easy and much better than the canned ones. I started a few years ago to try to make biscuits and now my biscuits are great. I think anyone can make a decent biscuit, there is a recipe on back of every can of baking powder. Just follow the recipe and you will get decent biscuits. But I kept working to get better biscuits and I found the secret to great biscuits is to know what the mixed dough should look and feel like and this comes from experience; i.e. making biscuits over and over until you get them just right. Now I know what the biscuit dough should look and feel like then I bake them at 425 for 14 min. Ah, perfection.