Almost zero-fat, these delicious non-guilt biscuits are tender and fluffy. I have for years called these Zero Fat Biscuits but, due to an insignificant amount of fat in the flour, they are now called Almost Zero Low-Fat Biscuits. Just follow these easy step-by-step photo instructions.
Introduction
Some recipes are for low-fat, but this one is as low as they go—under 0.5 grams per serving due to a minimal amount of fat in flour. Using nonfat yogurt to replace the butter and milk, you still get great rise and texture. Plus, just a few ingredients will get you there.
The Story
For some unknown reason, I bought a large container of nonfat yogurt. I think I was going to make a low-fat carrot cake, but I ended up not using the yogurt.
So, time to experiment. I decided biscuits were a great place to start. With a little looking around, I found some guidance but not exactly what I wanted. So I modified my normal drop biscuit recipe with great results.
That surprised my wife with cut instead of drop biscuits. She wanted to know what was different other than the shape. So really the taste is very good and after being told about the yogurt, so was not sure she could taste it.
My Rating
A high 4 or low 5. I love biscuits, but I don't usually have yogurt.
🐄The Yogurt
While I suggest using nonfat plain yogurt, many people want to use Greek yogurt.
Greek yogurt will add a bit more of a "twang" to the taste. But it is also generally a bit dryer. To use Greek yogurt, you may need to add a bit of milk, 1-2 tablespoons, usually depending on the brand.
👨🍳Nutrition
There is a trace (read that as <0.5 gms) of fat per serving. Flour has about 1 gram of fat per cup (who would have known) and a touch from the zero fat yogurt (depending on the brand.)
Total, with my ingredients, is 3 grams of fat in 8 biscuits. Each biscuit has about 0.37 gm per serving. But FDA rules, there is 0.65 gms of fat per 100 gms, so low fat even though less than 0.5 gm per biscuit.
The exact nutrition values depend entirely on the ingredients you choose. Different brands may have different nutritional values, and they may change their product over time.
About 137 calories per biscuit at eight biscuits. However, if you op tor 6 larger biscuits, so they are 184 calories each.
How Are They Different?
- First, the slight yogurt tang. Not very noticeable, except if you know, it has the yogurt. Not a bad thing.
- Second, they are fluffy but not flaky. If you want flaky, you should cut in some butter. I miss the flaky a little, but for almost zero fat, I will live with it.
- Third, the outside is a little firmer.
📖Variations on Low-Fat Biscuits
Healthier Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
🖼️Step-by-Step Instructions
Note: Pictures are from various times cooking, so may not match.
Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° regular.
Combine 2 cups AP flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt. Mix well.
Add 1 ¼ cup nonfat yogurt. Fold in until all dry is incorporated. If you use Greek yogurt, you may need a tablespoon or so of milk.
The easiest is to do 8 drop biscuits. If you want to cut biscuits, spread the dough on a floured surface about ¾ inches thick. You can cut six 2 ½ inch biscuits or eight 2 inch biscuits.
Place your biscuits on a PAM sprayed baking pan.
Bake until golden brown. About 12-15 minutes.
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📖 Recipe
Almost Zero Low-Fat Biscuits
Tap to leave a Rating
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup non-fat yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° regular.
- Combine 2 cups AP flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt. Mix well.
- Add 1 ¼ cup nonfat yogurt. Fold in until all dry is incorporated. If you use Greek yogurt, you may need a tablespoon or so of milk.
- The easiest is to do 8 drop biscuits. If you want to cut biscuits, spread the dough on a floured surface about ¾ inches thick. You can cut six 2 ½ inch biscuits or eight 2 inch biscuits.
- Place your biscuits on a PAM sprayed baking pan.
- Bake until golden brown. About 12-15 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Nutrition is discussed in the post. So not quite zero fat but almost.
- Greek yogurt works fine. But will have a stronger yogurt flavor and need a touch of milk. It may vary by brand but 1-2 tablespoons is the probable range.
- Store sealed at room temperature for 2-3 days or frozen for 2-3 months.
TO ADJUST THE RECIPE SIZE:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition
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Editor's Note: Originally Published March 16, 2013. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Rebekah
I have been making these with white whole wheat flour and I add a little sugar. They are excellent - though not really “biscuits”....I love them!
kye
Just made these (drop style) this eve to have with my homemade veggie soup. They were very delicious and a keeper recipe! Light and fluffy inside and a great crunch outside. The only thing I had to do different was to use the low fat plain yogurt I had on hand (Kroger brand), so mine aren't zero fat. One of these will be delightful tomorrow morning heated up a bit with a drizzle of honey to go with a hot cup of coffee!
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe Dr Dan!
Cathy
Made these with Greek yogurt and added 2T of milk- turned out great! I patted the dough out to 3/4 inch and cut the rectangle into 8 biscuits. I’ll make these again and again- thank you!
Yasir
I wasn’t expecting much, but pleasantly surprised that the biscuits tasted good! I used whole wheat flour and it worked out just fine.
Rita
Love, love, love these biscuits!!!! I prepared exactly your recipe and found the drop method worked best and got the best end result! Thank you so much!
Coach
Hi, what is the flour “adjustment” for using Greek yogurt? If less or more flour, how much?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Coach,
Welcome to the blog.
The main difference between Greek and regular yogurt will be the thickness due to the extra filtering of the Greek version which will concentrate more protein and will have a bit less fluid. So Greek is thicker and less moist. But there is some variability by brand.
So when using Greek yogurt, a bit less flour would be the general rule. If it gets too dry, you will have little rocks. You can add a bit more yogurt or a touch of milk if needed.
Dan
Denise Gooch
All due respect, all people have different tastes. The biscuits tasted like baked flour with no taste and we're hard to swallow.
I followed the recipe. Is there anything that can be added to give them some flavor?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Denise,
Welcome to the blog.
A touch more salt will enhanse flavor usually. Garlic is a favorite at our house (about 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder). Other things that will add fat along with taste are cheese and butter.
Dan
Quinn
Hello, could we substitute oat flour instead of white flour? or will they not come out with the flaky biscuit texture?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Quinn,
Welcome to the blog.
I have never used oat flour for anything so no idea. But this is not "flaky" biscuit anyway.
Dan
Claudia
Mine were extremely bland. Will make again but this time will add a bit of garlic salt ( instead of salt ) or a few tablespoons of monk fruit to make them sweet
JJ
Hi there I did two batches side by side as I am not a big yogurt or Greek yogurt fan and I can taste it in just about any recipe... one was to a T recipe batch 2 I used one cup of cottage cheese(blended)and a quarter cup of applesauce. both were good but I much prefer batch to as it didn't have the Tang of yogurt I'm just throwing it out there for an option still fat free cuz used fat free cottage cheese it just has a mellower taste 🤣🤣🤣
Mary
How can this Zero Fat Biscuit recipe have 1 gram of fat (saturated no less) as shown on the nutrition label when none of the ingredients have any fat?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Mary,
Good eye. There was a software update a few months ago and the database also changed. It is Europen so rounding rules are not set like the USA. By manual calculations, there is 0.44 grams of fat with 0.35 being saturated per biscuit (that is zero by USFDA rules since less than 0.5grams are rounded down). Most of that is from flour which can vary some by brand but a bit by the yogurt and a touch in the baking powder. I have no idea why it would kick one down and the other up. I'm contacting the developer for his attention. I have manually fixed it to USA rules.
When I originally did calculations manually years ago, this was about 0.2gms. Different database I guess.
Dan
linda ehikhamen
Hi, I just tried this recipe tonight, I was craving shortbread with my strawberries. I only had 6% Balkan yogurt, but they turned out AMAZING!!
Craig
Good Recipe!
I tried this and just cooked them a little longer. I like the outside crispy anyway. The biscuits are great! I dreaded soup without my regular kick-ass baking powder biscuits. Because she is watching her fat, I went looking for a low-fat recipe. I tried one and they were excellent.
Sue
I tried this and thought the flavor was good. However, the insides was still a little raw. It was kinda wet and sticky while it was golden brown outside. Is there a way to fix this?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Sue,
Welcome to the blog.
The internal texture is softer but should not be raw.
Why is it happening?
1. Oven runs a bit hot.
2. Variability in ingredients
3. Too thick
First, what will not work. Do not just increase temperature or cook longer if the outside is done. By the time you get the center done, the outside is overcooked.
Solutions (probably both will help a lot)
1) Lower oven temperature by 25 degrees and cook longer.
2) Make a thinner biscuit.
Final note. I suspect your oven is running too hot. Get an oven thermometer (about $10) and check it. It will save a lot of ruined food down the road.
Dan
Moriah Hatfield
I tried these biscuits and for some reason they tasted really good but were a little dense. What could I have done wrong?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Moriah,
Welcome to the blog and sorry for the delay getting back to you.
They are not flaky but are a bit fluffy. If you want, a tablespoon of milk or water will make a lighter dough.
Dan