Cinnamon Nut/Raisin Biscuits
Submitted by dmuirhome
Cinnamon nut or raisin biscuits with a brown sugar cinnamon filling tucked inside layered biscuit dough. The pocket of sweet spice goes molten as the biscuit bakes, giving you breakfast pastry without the yeast wait.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
15 minREADY
35 minThink of these as the love child of a biscuit and a cinnamon roll, minus the yeast and the rising time. The dough is straight biscuit territory: flour, baking powder, salt, shortening cut in to coarse crumbs, then just enough milk to make a wet but workable dough.
Where this recipe gets clever is the filling. Brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, and chopped pecans or raisins get pressed firmly onto half the rolled dough, then the other half folds over and seals the filling inside. Cut your rounds, bake hot until deep golden, and the brown sugar inside turns molten while the dough puffs around it. Serve warm with apple butter or a smear of soft butter. If you bake them ahead, five minutes in a low oven brings them right back to fresh.
Kitchen Tips
- Keep the shortening cold and work quickly with the pastry blender. Warm shortening rubs into the flour instead of leaving the pea-sized lumps that make biscuits flaky.
- Knead only 8 to 10 times. Overworking the dough develops gluten and makes the biscuits tough.
- Press the filling firmly into the dough before folding, otherwise it spills out as you cut the rounds.
- Dip the cutter in flour between each biscuit. Sticky cuts mean uneven biscuits that do not rise straight.
- Place biscuits close together on the sheet for soft sides, or further apart for crisp ones.
Variations
- Swap the pecans for walnuts or chopped almonds for a different nut flavor.
- Use maple syrup thickened with a little extra brown sugar for a deeper caramel note.
- Grate fresh orange zest into the filling for brightness against the warm spice.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 450F.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Cut in the vegetable shortening using a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture has the consistency of coarse crumbs.
Add the milk, adding more milk if necessary so the dough is pliable but is still wet.
Turn the dough onto a heavily floured surface, and knead it lightly (8 to 10 times).
Do not overwork the dough.
Roll the dough into a rectangle ⅓ inch thick.
Mix the melted butter with the brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts or raisins.
Press the mixture into one half of the dough, then fold the dough over to encase the filling, pressing it lightly to adhere.
Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch round cutter (the diameter of a juice can), dipping the cutter in flour between cutting each biscuit so they do not stick.
Place the biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in the center of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Serve immediately, or bake up to 2 hours in advance and reheat for 5 minutes in a 300F oven.
These biscuits are delicious served warm with sweet butter or apple butter.
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