I’ve made these Orange Freezer Biscuits on many occasions with a variation of a recipe my Nanny used to make. Nanny always added cinnamon to her biscuits, in fact you can see my take on her recipe here Easy Gluten Free Cinnamon Freezer Biscuits when you want them.
Later in the post I’ll give you some ideas on other flavours you can dabble with, the good news is that this biscuit recipe is very versatile and you’ll always get the same results in texture which is a super light shortbread style buttery crumble in your mouth…perfect to accompany a cup of tea or coffee.
This recipe makes approximately 24 biscuits but the bonus is that you can easily cut the number of biscuits you want and 10-15 minutes later you’ve freshly baked biscuits. I tend to bake these in batches of 12 at a time, that way you have enough for yourself and a guest or two without having a full on pig-out…unless a full on pig-out is what you want then fire away my friend I’m not judging you!
What other flavours can I use for my freezer biscuits?
I could write a list as long as my arm here but I won’t. The point is that you really can’t go wrong. The only thing worth mentioning is that if you plan to add hard lumps i.e. nuts, chunks of chocolate, then be prepared to need a good sharp knife when it comes to slicing the dough into coins.
The actual cookie dough itself is very easy to cut through when frozen so don’t worry about that, its just the obstacles you put in the way that you need to mindful of!
- Glace cherries
- Chocolate chunks (or maybe chips would be easier, obviously choose dairy free if necessary)
- Mini marshmallows (or vegan marshmallows if necessary)
- Dried fruit such as raisins, sultanas, currants
- Lemon zest
- Mixed spice or cinnamon
- Rainbow cake sprinkles
Can I make these Freezer Cookies dairy free?
Yes you certainly can, in fact the ones pictured are made using the vegan Flora block of ‘butter’. You can substitute with a dairy free spread such as Vitalite or Pure but as this is looser and less fat you may find you need a touch more flour to make the dough pliable enough to roll.
Can I make these Biscuits vegan?
You can make these freezer biscuits egg free too. The biscuits featured here are exactly that, dairy free and egg free therefore making them vegan. If you follow the steps above for dairy free biscuits. I find that making a flaxseed egg works well but the extra assurance I add to baking that needs to maintain a strong structure is psyllium husk (I mention more about this is my newsletter freebie eBook).
How to make a flax egg
to make 1 flax egg you need the following ingredients:
– 1tbsp ground flax seed
– 3tbsp water
– 1tsp psyllium husk (optional but does add elasticity to baking)
Simply add all ingredients to a glass and stir before measuring out the other recipe ingredients, by the time you come to use your ‘egg’ mixture it will have thickened to a frog-spawn consistency (thicker if you added psyllium husk)
Then just add to your baking as you would an egg. For 2 eggs double the ingredients but note that recipes that require more than two eggs may fail due to lack of support in the structure.
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Do you thaw freezer biscuits before baking?
There is no need to thaw your freezer cookie dough before baking. As long as you have a lovely hot preheated oven your biscuits will bake just fine from frozen. This makes them an even better time saver so when that craving for fresh baked biscuits takes hold you know you are only 10-15 minutes away from baked deliciousness.
How long can I keep freezer biscuits frozen?
I’ve kept my roll of biscuit dough in the freezer for up to 3mths before (only because it got hidden and I forgot about it, otherwise I’d have eaten them quicker!). As long as your freezer biscuit dough is well wrapped and sealed it really shouldn’t be a problem. One tip is to wrap in foil and keep in a tupperware tub.
TOP TIP: if you make lots of different freezer biscuit flavours, write in a Sharpie Pen what the cookie dough is inside on the foil so you don’t have to guess. Unless you like surprises, in which case, don’t bother!.
Once you’ve moulded your biscuit dough, pop it in the freezer until you next want biscuits (if making straight way you’ll need to leave the dough for at least 30 mins)
Simple Gluten Free Orange Freezer Biscuits Recipe
If you make it and like the recipe I would be eternally grateful if you popped back and commented leaving a star rating as this will tell search engines that this recipe is worth checking out and others will get to find it in searches.
Gluten Free Orange Freezer Biscuits
Ingredients
- 225 g gluten free plain flour
- 100 g butter or dairy free alternative, I use Flora
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 egg(s) or flax seed egg (see notes)
- zest of one orange
- 10 drops orange extract
To make orange icing (for 12 biscuits)
- 2 tsp water
- 9 tsp icing/confectioners sugar
- few drops orange extract
Other topping suggestions
- 40 g melted chocolate (plain, milk, white) or dairy free alternative
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl add the butter and caster sugar and beat well to combine until light a fluffy.
- Add the egg or flax seed egg (see notes) and extract and repeat beating until incorporated.
- Add the flour and orange zest and beat to combine, the mixture will be a very soft dough, if too soft pop into the fridge to stiffen the mixture before handling.
- On a floured surface roll the dough into a cylinder shape about the thickness of a large rolling pin.
- Wrap in aluminium foil
- Transfer to the freezer for at least 30mins if making biscuits that day.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C |160°C fan | 350°F | Gas 4 Bake the biscuits for 10-15 mins. Remove and cool completely.
- TOP TIP: for a crispier biscuit, leave to cool in the turned off oven with the door ajar.
To make the icing topping
- Mix 2 tsp of water or orange juice with the icing sugar, then drizzle onto each cooled biscuit.
To make chocolate topping
- simply melt the chocolate for a few seconds in the microwave and drizzle over the cooled biscuits.
Notes
– 1tbsp ground flax seed
– 3tbsp water
– 1tsp psyllium husk (optional but does add elasticity to baking)
simply add all ingredients to a glass and stir before measuring out the other recipe ingredients, by the time you come to use your ‘egg’ mixture it will have thickened to a frog-spawn consistency (thicker if you added psyllium husk)
Then just add to your baking as you would an egg. For 2 eggs double the ingredients but note that recipes that require more than two eggs may fail due to lack of support in the structure.
Nutrition
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Tasted lovely .
Found the mixture far to soft to roll , even after putting in fridge first.
Not sure why as followed recipe.
Thank you for commenting Wendy, glad the end result tasted fine. That is a shame about the biscuit dough. I wonder if you are in the UK and experience hot weather like me, one thing I’ve learnt is never make biscuits in the summer, hugely annoying when I’m trying to update my biscuit book and develop new recipes as you can imagine haha. The only other thing I can think of is the butter you used and if it was from the fridge or a butter dish or dairy free (I always go for Flora Pure ‘butter’ blocks). Did you make them all or freeze some for later too? if the latter you’ll certainly have no problems cutting off coins to bake as and when you need them. Thanks again, always good to hear feedback. I always remake a recipe that’s not turned out how a reader has hoped so as soon as the weather behaves itself I’ll have a go at this to make sure there’s no issues with ingredient ratios. Rebecca x
I now know why it’s soft, as didn’t realise you meant flora butter and I used flora dairy free spread.
Also yes it is warm
Not to worry Wendy, I should make this more clear in the recipe maybe. Thank you so much for the conversation, it really has been useful xx
Amazing biscuit recipe!!! Made with glacie cherries and choc chips and they were perfection. Also…it nearly killed me waiting for the extra crispieness by leaving them in the cooling oven with door ajar but woahhh was it worth it YES! Thanks so much for this recipe, it’s a keeper!
This comment has genuinely made me giggle then beam. Thank you so much for popping back and leaving feedback, it means the world to me Hannah.
Love the sound of an orangy biscuit… You’re definitely on a biscuit roll!
Not sure how I missed this one first time round xx
I think I’m just in need of biscuity comfort food so that’s where my interestes lie in terms of photo updating hahaha!
I’m gone to say to my little brother, that he should also visit this web site on regular basis to get updated from most recent news.|
Gorgeous recipe Rebecca. I love nothing more than shortbread style biscuits like this ….. and when they look as yummy as this it’d be so easy to find that you’ve scoffed the lot of them! ;-)
Angela x
I know right Angela, it’s a win:win !!!
Love the idea of freezer biscuits and being able to make homemade biscuits at the drop of a hat…genius! Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare :-) Eb x
Thank you Eb, tis genius isn’t it ;-)
This sounds like a great recipe! I love good freezer ideas! #recipeoftheweek
Thank you, they’re very clever little biscuit!
I love the idea of keeping some dough in the freezer #recipeoftheweek
Perfect isn’t it? Made some yesterday eve for a little treat with my bedtime cuppa!! :-)
Becca these sound delish!! And so easy to make too, will definitely be giving these a go! x
Thank you Nath, hope you enjoy them xxx
I love a biscuit recipe you can make ahead and plop in the freezer for cravings! That’s totally my kind of food! I always have those little midnight cravings and I can see myself baking one or 10 of those babies mid-work :)
That’s my girl, exactly what these were made for xxx
Hi, I love the idea of these simple biscuits the orange twist would mean that they would be great with a nice cup of earl grey tea #freefromfridays
ooh earl grey tea, fancy a cuppa now…is 10pm to late to be baking a few biscuits? hmmmm!
They look amazing x
Thank you Vicki, Nanny would be chuffed to bits xxx
On my ‘to make’ list! #G2BGF
Thank you Chloe xxx
I love your description of rolling the dough into a sausage! Anything sliceable from the freezer is a win for my summer baking, too.
Haha, there seemed no other way to describe it…defo a winner in our family, quick, easy and off convenient!
These look lovely. I’ve just started a gf diet and so want to keep baking for my people in a way they don’t notice its gf so we can all join in. Elinor x
Well fingers crossed this will be a winner then. I’m a bit paranoid when it comes to things tasting like they should :-)