Upside-Down Orange Biscuits with Variation
Submitted by MARLIN
Cinnamon roll-style biscuits baked upside-down in an orange juice, butter, and orange zest syrup. Flip onto a platter for a sticky, citrusy breakfast treat.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
25 minREADY
40 minThese are cinnamon rolls built on a biscuit dough instead of yeast dough, which means no rising time and they’re ready in about 40 minutes. The dough gets rolled out, spread with butter and cinnamon sugar, then rolled up jelly-roll style and sliced into spirals.
What makes these different from standard cinnamon biscuits is the upside-down baking method. An orange syrup made from orange juice, sugar, melted butter, and fresh orange zest goes into the bottom of the pan before the sliced rolls go on top. As they bake, the biscuits absorb the citrus syrup from below. Flip the whole thing onto a platter after a 5-minute rest and the sticky orange glaze is on top.
The orange zest in the syrup is what makes this work. It brings a bright, fragrant citrus punch that you won’t get from juice alone, and it plays off the warm cinnamon filling beautifully.
Kitchen Tips
- Knead the dough gently, just 10 to 12 times. Overworking biscuit dough develops gluten and makes them tough instead of flaky.
- Cut the shortening into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs. Visible bits of fat create the flaky layers.
- Cool in the pan for exactly 5 minutes before inverting. Too soon and the syrup is too liquid and runs everywhere. Too long and the sugar hardens and the biscuits stick.
- Serve warm. These are at their best straight off the platter when the orange syrup is still gooey.
Variations
- Vanilla iced version: Skip the orange topping and bake in a buttered square pan. Spread warm biscuits with a powdered sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla icing instead.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine flour, baking powder or salt, cut in shortening until mixture resembes coarse crumbs.
Stir in milk just until moistened.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 10 to 12 times.
Roll into a 15×12 inch rectangle.
Spread with butter.
Combine the sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over butter.
Roll up jelly-roll style, starting from the short end.
Cut into 12 equal slices.
Place, cut side down, in a greased 9 inch round baking pan.
Combine topping ingredients; pour over biscuits.
Bake at 450℉ (230℃) for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool in pan 5 minutes; invert onto a platter and serve warm.
VARIATION Use 4 tablespoons butter instead of 3 tablespoons shortening in biscuit dough. Knead 8 to 10 times. Roll into an 11×8 inch rectangle. Brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Combine ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and spread on butter. Prepare as above baking in an 8 inch square pan, brushed with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Combine sugar, butter, milk and vanilla extract; spread over warm biscuits. Serve immediately.
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