This is the easiest thing in the world, short of opening a banana of course!
But a little background first: I suck at making biscuits. I can’t emphasize this enough! In fact, my biscuits can be used a weapons. They may even contain shrapnel if you could devise a way to get them to explode.
So with that in mind, I posted a plea via Twitter for a dummy-proof biscuit recipe that even I couldn’t screw up. Amanda came to my rescue with the suggestion to try Bisquick® baking mix because it is actually vegan. Who knew?! Certainly not me.
So, I went to the grocery to read the label and man, this stuff isn’t really the most healthy thing in the store. It contains partially hydrogenated fats but I think so long as you don’t make it a daily staple, not so bad maybe?
Anyway, here’s that I came up with after searching the Internet. Although Chow.com used real cheese, I subbed Daiya:
Beer Biscuits with Daiya® Cheddar Cheese
Preheat oven to 450° F for 6 bigass biscuits
- 2 cups Bisquick® mix
- 1/2 cup shredded Daiya® cheddar shreds
- 2/3 cup beer (I used Negra Modelo)
- Be absolutely certain the oven is preheated before you start mixing because mixing doesn’t take but 60 seconds, AT MOST.
- In medium bowl, use a spoon to stir together the Bisquick and Daiya. THEN add beer and stir VERY gently and not too much. Just so it barely comes together.
- Drop in 6 huge dollops on a cookie sheet. Chow.com said no oiling the sheet was needed but I used parchment paper as a liner anyway.
- Pop in the oven for about 12 to 15 minutes. All ovens vary so watch for the pointy tips of the dough to get tanned like George Hamilton. THEN they’re done.

These smelled so good baking, extra yeasty smell. I think the only thing I would do differently is add some herbs like basil, sage or rosemary. Ok, maybe a half teaspoon of garlic powder too. But really, they came out beyond my expectations. The first biscuit I’ve ever made that practically fell apart in my hands.

I’ve just got to not make a habit of using Bisquick due to the whole partially hydrogenated soy and cottonseed oils. But Bisquick is dummy-proof. In fact, I’m thinking they need to redesign their packaging:
November 9, 2010 at 7:22 pm
OMG, I just spit all over my computer screen! You’re FUNNY!!! Love it.
November 9, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Kylee,
Thanks! But really, it’s dummy proof. I can’t believe I just made my first biscuit and it didn’t kill anyone.
November 10, 2010 at 12:25 am
Oh, man. I’ve never used Bisquick or any baking mix, aside from cake of brownie mixes.
Those are super easy and foolproof. And they sound amazing. I think I need to make Irish stew with dark beer and top it with this, then bake the whole thing. Yup, next cold, wintery weekend, that’s what I’m doing.
November 10, 2010 at 1:49 am
Beer in there too? You’ve outdone yourself. I haven’t had a biscuit in ages. I need one now.
November 10, 2010 at 10:55 am
I am like you, challenged in the vegan biscuit department. Vegan pancakes too, for that matter, until I saw a recipe on panda with cookie last week involving bisquick, soy milk, and soy yogurt. This was my first vegan pancake success! Glad to have something else to do with this big box of bisquick, will be trying soon.
November 10, 2010 at 12:59 pm
NOM. you had me at beer. :)
November 10, 2010 at 1:31 pm
YES!!! Cooking with beer + vegan cheese + biscuits = super happy me! I want these now :)
November 10, 2010 at 2:03 pm
This sounds awesome. I neeeeeed these biscuits. And, I use bisquick all the time for biscuits. It’s sooo easy compared to a lot of other recipes.
November 10, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Don’t feel bad. I can’t make biscuits either. Mine come out rubbery. I hear different things though. Some people mention rolling out the dough while others claim that’s overworking the dough. I never overmix. I give it a few seconds in the stand mixer and then let it sit for a moment. I still end up with rubbery biscuits. :(
I did have some good luck veganizing this recipe: http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2010/01/cheddar-black-pepper-biscuits/ I used Daiya Cheddar and it was awesome!!! Not rubbery at all. it’s about the only biscuit I’ve made that was edible. I had a photo somewhere, but I can’t find it. I’ll upload it when I find it so that you can see. The outer part was nice and crispy and the inside was nice and fluffy. Nice and peppery too!
Yours look great. What’s better than a biscuit? BEER in a biscuit! Haha!
November 16, 2010 at 6:23 pm
I did not realize that bisquick was vegan, how bizarre. I will definitely be trying that out very soon, and yes, probably putting garlic powder and spices in mine…..can we all imagine Red Lobster’s biscuits, cuz that’s what I want.
November 16, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Bekks,
Yes, Bisquick is dairy and egg free but not necessarily healthy. It DOES contain partially-hydrogenated fats. This is the main reason I want to find a home-made recipe for a baking mix. It’s really just flour, leavening, salt and the fats. I suspect, but an not certain, that the fats are what make it easy to use and shelf-stable.