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Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Biscuits

These glazed Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Biscuits will make an impeccable start to your morning alongside your cuppa jo or hot tea.

Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Biscuits

Easy Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Biscuits Recipe

These were inspired by a popular biscuit sold at at a fast food restaurant, Hardees here in the South. Hardees is also known as Carl Jr.’s on the West coast. They offer an uber popular cinnamon raisin biscuit on their breakfast menu. Many people have taken on the task of a making a copycat version of Hardees biscuit, they can be found online everywhere. When making these, my goal wasn’t to create a copycat version, but, Hardees famous biscuit was indeed my inspiration for these sweet cinnamon-swirl raisin biscuits. How to make Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Biscuits: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

  • Prepare Pan – Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a metal non-stick 9×9 baking pan.
  • Plump Raisins – Cover raisins with boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes to soften, then drain.
  • Dry Ingredients – Use a whisk to sift togethner biscuit mix and sugar.
  • Cut Butter into the Dry Mix – Using a pastry blender or a food processor cut in butter until it resembles peas.
  • Buttermilk – To the mix add buttermilk and raisins. Mix by hand until fully moistened and the raisins are evenly distributed. he dough will be sticky.
  • Roll Dough – Turn dough out onto a lightly floured non stick surface and coating with Bisquick just until not sticky.
  • Pat the dough into a round even height and width then divide the dough in half then into 4 equal pieces.
  • Cinnamon Swirl – Mix together the cinnamon, butter, sugar and bisquick until fully blended.
  • Assemble – Gently, press 1/4 of the dough into the pan spreading with 1/4 of the cinnamon swirl mixture. Repeat with each dough layer, pressing the edges of the dough together. Use floured hands, if needed. End with the cinnamon mixture.
  • Divide – Use a sharp knife and score the biscuits into 16 portions.
  • Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean. Check at 25 minutes and place aluminum foil on top to prevent over browning.
  • Let stand for 5 minutes while you make glaze.
  • Mix together powdered sugar, cream and vanilla, then drizzle on top. Cut apart and serve.
Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Biscuits

How to Make the Best Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Biscuits Recipe

One of the things I enjoy most about Hardees cinnamon raisin biscuits, is that they have layers of cinnamon flavor as opposed to cinnamon mixed into the dry ingredients.  It’s almost like there’s a cinnamon surprise in every bite.  So, in working on that premise, I chose to use a layering technique for these Cinnamon-Swirl Raisin Biscuits. The ingredients for these biscuits aren’t fancy, but they do involve several steps to make. That’s how you show the love in homemade baked goods.

  • Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Biscuits: Biscuit baking mix (i.e. Bisquick or similar private label brand) granulated sugar, cold butter, buttermilk and raisins.
  • For the Cinnamon Swirl you’ll need: Ground cinnamon mixed with light brown sugar, melted butter and one tablespoon of biscuit baking mix. Use the same mix used for the biscuits.
  • For the creamy Vanilla Cream Glaze you’ll need: Powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract.
  • Kitchen gadgets you’ll need: A 9 x 9 inch non stick baking pan, mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, a sharp knife to cut the biscuits and a pastry mat or non stick surface to roll out the dough.
  • It’s a very important step in preparing the raisins to soak them in boiling water before they’re added to the dough. Make a special effort to drain them well.
  • It’s important to check the center of these biscuits with a toothpick before removing from the oven just as you would a cake. If the center isn’t done and the top is browning, lay a piece of foil on top to prevent it from over browning and continue to bake until the toothpick comes back clean.
  • You can store Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Biscuits in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
  • You can also freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and glaze just before serving.
Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Biscuits

More Southern Style Biscuit Recipes to Make

Biscuits are perfectly suitable to be served at any time of day from breakfast, brunch, tea time, lunch or supper. More biscuit recipes you may also like to try:

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Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Biscuits

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Cooling time5 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Bread, Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: cinnamon-raisin-biscuits, cinnamon-swirl-biscuits
Servings: 16 biscuits
Calories: 359kcal
Author: Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

  • 4 cups baking mix [i.e. Bisquick]
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup cold butter cubed plus additional for pan
  • 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup raisins
  • Cinnamon swirl:
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 Tbsp melted butter
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Bisquick
  • Glaze:
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a metal non-stick 9×9 baking pan.
  • Cover raisins with boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes to soften, then drain.
  • Meanwhile, use a whisk to sift together dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl.
  • Using a pastry blender or a food processor cut in butter until it resembles peas.
  • To the mix add buttermilk and raisins. Stir until fully moistened. The dough will be sticky.
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured non stick surface. (Use baking mix to flour)
  • Gently knead the dough coating with Bisquick just until it's not sticky. [Tip: Use just enough dry biscuit mix and avoid incorporating too much or the biscuits will be dry]
  • Pat the dough into a round even height and width, then divide the dough in half. Cut each half into two parts ending with 4 equal pieces.
  • Swirl: In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon, butter, sugar and bisquick until fully blended.
  • Press 1/4 of the dough into the pan, then spread with 1/4 of the cinnamon swirl mixture. Repeat layers with dough layer and cinnamon sugar pressing the edges of the dough together. Use floured hands, if needed. End with the cinnamon mixture.
  • Use a sharp knife and score the biscuits into 16 portions.
  • Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean. Check at 25 minutes and place aluminum foil on top to prevent over browning. Let stand for 5 minutes while you make glaze.
  • In a small bowl mix together powdered sugar, cream and vanilla. Drizzle over the warm biscuits.
  • Cut apart and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1biscuit | Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 586mg | Potassium: 168mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 721IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!

11 Comments

  1. 3 stars
    I made these and the dough was entirely too wet, I hesitated to add more bisquick because I thought they would then be over worked. I added a little more than I probably should have to knead it but it was still sticky.
    I patted it into a 9×13 pan the best could in two layers and baked as directed. they taste good but are super fall apart. any suggestions?

    1. Hmmmm, I’m not sure why it would have done that. If it’s falling apart that actually sounds like the dough was too dry as opposed to too wet.

  2. Just made these last evening. I used a 9×13 pan and baked it for the suggested time. Turned out fine. These do taste good, but this recipe is quite time consuming. I’ve made Hardee’s copycat biscuits before and the recipe was much less complicated and tasted just as good as these. I really don’t know how you can make these in a 9×9 pan. Way too much dough.

  3. My biscuits too took way longer to bake. I ended up turning the oven temp back up to 425. The biscuit and shortbread recipes on the Bisquick box bake at this temp and I have always had great luck with those. I did like the cinnamon glaze addition.

  4. Just a note to those new to baking–this is a recipe requiring sophisticated baking skills as a lot of judgment is involved. Also, in my trials with this recipe, a 9×9 pan is too small and, even with a larger pan (9×13), the indicated baking time is insufficient. I baked these nearly twice as long as directed and the middle was still doughy. I use an oven thermometer so I am confident about the oven temperature; I have been baking for 45 years.

    1. I can’t imagine making these biscuits in a 9 x 13-inch pan that seems way too big but perhaps you enjoy thinner biscuits? That said, how on earth could it have not been cooked through making the dough even thinner? Totally stumped no idea why you had that issue.

    1. Hi Debbie, no I am not a Nutritionist and hesitate to share those values. There are many online converters available though, if you wish to calculate it.

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