Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits (+Video)
Irresistible Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits simple, homemade fluffy biscuits, studded with plump raisins and are covered in sweet cinnamon glaze!
A DELICIOUSLY SWEET BISCUIT RECIPE
My whole family absolutely adores cinnamon raisin biscuits. We used to be able to get them from a restaurant near us, but for some reason, they stopped making them. So I was determined to make them at home. What I thought was so different about their version was they put cinnamon in the glaze, not just the biscuits. This really takes these biscuits to the next level! The made from scratch biscuits have the perfect texture. Sweet biscuits can be enjoyed for breakfast, brunch or even dessert!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
If you prefer a plain white icing, you can leave the cinnamon out of the icing. I don’t mind the slightly different color and I think it really adds such a great flavor to the biscuits.
Usually this happens if you didn’t cut your biscuit dough correctly. When making good biscuits, don’t twist the biscuit cutter, just push down and pull up. If you twist it seals off the edges of the dough and it won’t rise as high.
Biscuits can be baked in round baking pans closer together with the sides touching if needed. When the sides of the biscuits touch each other it leaves the dough less room to expand out and you’ll have softer edges on your biscuits.
BUTTERMILK! That’s the secret to a good tender biscuit. The acidity from the buttermilk helps break down the gluten and gives your biscuit that fluffy and tender inside that you have been dreaming of. If you have to substitute the buttermilk for one of the other ideas I share below in the ingredient section, just remember that you’ll be sacrificing texture and flavor.
Measuring flour correctly can be the difference between a good biscuit and a bad one. The main mistake people make when making biscuits is measuring too much flour. A lot of people are measuring the flour straight from the flour bag which is guaranteed to give you too much flour in the biscuits. But most of us don’t have kitchen scales so what is the best way to do it when you don’t have one?
I prefer the dip and scoop method. Pour the flour into a bowl, stir it up with a fork then take your measuring cup and dip it in (don’t pack the flour) and then take the flat end of a knife and scoop off the excess.
This will ensure you don’t measure out too much flour which will give you dry biscuits. If you think the batter seems a bit dry, you can add a bit more liquid until it gets to a better consistency.
I think a lot of people are afraid to make biscuits but most regular biscuit makers know that you can play around with the batter. Add a bit more liquid (a little at a time) until it gets to a good consistency that makes it easier to roll out. You can add or remove the amount of sugar or cinnamon to your liking
I found that these were tastiest when served warm. The glaze does harden up to a nice finish when it cools. Just pop these in the microwave for about 5 seconds to warm them up and serve again. They are delicious room temperature too so it really is a matter of preference.
Biscuits should be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze leftovers and store in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 2 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- all-purpose flour – please see the FAQ’s above on how to properly measure flour so you don’t get dry biscuits.
- sugar – you can adjust the amount of sugar to your preference and you can use sugar substitutes as well.
- baking powder and baking powder – make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh. I know a lot of us can keep it in our pantries and forget that it has been in there a while. If it isn’t active then your biscuits will not rise and be soft.
- ground cinnamon – I think with cinnamon raisin biscuits, you should really be able to taste the cinnamon. It shouldn’t be an afterthought. So I am generous with the cinnamon in the dough and the glaze. I think this is what makes these biscuits taste better than any others out there. You can adjust to your liking though.
- vegetable shortening (Crisco)– you could use butter if in a pinch, but Crisco gives the best flavor and texture – trust me on this. If it was good enough for your Grannies then it’s good enough for me. It makes the absolute best biscuits!
- raisins – some folks like to plump up their raisins for biscuits. To do this, just pop the raisins into a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
- buttermilk– you can swap this out for heavy cream if needed. I suppose you could also use powdered buttermilk. But, you’ll have to add the equivalent of liquid to the biscuit batter.
- oil – yes, we do put oil in the glaze. This is totally optional. It just gives that glaze a really nice sheen to it but you can skip it if you prefer. You may need to add a tad bit more milk.
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON RAISIN BISCUITS:
Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in vegetable shortening using a pastry blender or a fork until mixture is crumbly. Stir in raisins and buttermilk, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. If your dough seems a bit too dry, just add a splash of buttermilk until you get a good consistency to be able to roll it out. It should not be super wet though.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to about ¾ inch thickness. Cut dough with a 3-inch biscuit cutter or a mini biscuit cutter, and place on baking sheet. Make sure not to twist the biscuit cutter as you cut them. Just push down and then lift the biscuit cutter up. The biscuits won’t rise if you twist. It basically seals the edges and the biscuit cannot rise properly.
Bake for about 10-15 minutes for 3-inch biscuits and for about 6-8 minutes for mini biscuits. Please note: cinnamon raisin biscuits will naturally look darker than regular biscuits because of the cinnamon in them. They are not burnt.
Now for the glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, vegetable oil and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir until completely mixed. Drizzle over hot biscuits or dip the tops of the biscuits in the glaze. After dipping all tops of the biscuits, I will go around a second time to give them a nice thick coating.
Also, I really loved the addition of the cinnamon in the glaze but if you think that would be too much cinnamon flavoring for you then just leave it out. Serve and enjoy your from scratch Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Originally published: February 2011
Updated photos and republished: March 2024
Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits (+Video)
Ingredients
For the biscuits:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable shortening (like Crisco)
- ⅔ cup raisins
- 1 cup buttermilk (more as needed)
For the glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 Tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (optional – see notes below)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Cut in vegetable shortening using a pastry blender or a fork until mixture is crumbly.
- Stir in raisins and buttermilk, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Note: if mixture seems too dry (it's not sticking together in a ball) add a little bit more buttermilk until the dough starts to hold together and not be so crumbly.
- Roll dough to about ¾ inch thickness on a lightly floured surface and cut with a 3-inch biscuit cutter or a mini biscuit cutter. Make sure not to twist the biscuits as you cut them. Just push down and then lift the biscuit up. This is the key to get those biscuits to rise high.
- Place biscuits a few inches apart on the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Bake for about 10-15 minutes for 3-inch biscuits and for about 6-8 minutes for mini biscuits. NOTE: these biscuits will look darker because there is cinnamon in them. Don't worry, they are not burnt.
- To make the glaze:, combine powdered sugar, milk, vegetable oil and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir until completely mixed.
- Drizzle over hot biscuits or dip the tops of all the biscuits in the glaze. I like to go around and dig them a second time for a nice thick glaze on top!
- Then enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- For softer edged biscuits, bake them in round baking pans with the sides touching.
- The oil in the glaze just gives in a nice sheen. It is optional.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Very good recipe, I subbed whole wheat pastry flour and white whole wheat for 2 of the cups of the flour yummy
Thanks so very much Beth!
My granddaughter & I made these today since Hardee’s no longer has them on their menu. They turned out delicious. Will definitely be making these again!! Thanks for the recipe.
I felt in love this every since high school. Then I found them at Publix then they stop making them.