Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits

Name: Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits
Yield: 8 biscuits
Ingredients: undefined undefined Butter, bacon grease, or the fat of your choice, for the pan, if you like; 4 tablespoons (½ stick/ 57 grams to be exact) cold salted butter, homemade if you want (see page 34); 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling; 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling; 3/4 cup (170 grams) cold whole milk; undefined undefined Vanilla extract, homemade if you want (see page 33); undefined undefined Distilled white vinegar (or use apple cider vinegar, homemade if you want; see page 41); 1/2 cup (75 grams) raisins; 2 tablespoons salted butter; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; undefined undefined Vanilla extract; undefined undefined Fine sea salt; undefined undefined Don't forget: A 1-pint regular mason jar, or a 3-inch cookie or biscuit cutter

Hannah Taylor

Test Kitchen-Approved

cinnamon raisin biscuits in skillet in Food52 test kitchen

Photo by Food52

Serves: 8 biscuits

Prep Time: 45 minutes, plus time to cool

"I worked at Hardee's for exactly one day. They just threw me on the register with no training and no supervision, and I was so mad about it I just started giving away free food. I can't forget how poorly they treated me, but I also can't forget their cinnamon raisin biscuits.

I couldn't stop craving those biscuits even if I never stepped foot in a Hardee's again. So, I tried to recall the taste from memory and I swear to god, when I took my first bite-you know that moment in Ratatouille when the critic takes a bite of food and he couldn't help himself and started crying? That's what this biscuit is for me."

—Hannah Taylor

Ingredients

Prep

Butter, bacon grease, or the fat of your choice, for the pan, if you like

Biscuits

4 tablespoons (½ stick/ 57 grams to be exact) cold salted butter, homemade if you want (see page 34)
2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
3/4 cup (170 grams) cold whole milk
Vanilla extract, homemade if you want (see page 33)
Distilled white vinegar (or use apple cider vinegar, homemade if you want; see page 41)
1/2 cup (75 grams) raisins

Vanilla Drizzle

2 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Vanilla extract
Fine sea salt
Don't forget: A 1-pint regular mason jar, or a 3-inch cookie or biscuit cutter

Directions

To make the Biscuits

Step 1
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Go ahead and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly butter your 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
Step 2
Make the biscuit dough: Cube 4 tablespoons (½ stick/57 grams) salted butter and make sure it's cold. Stick it in the fridge or freezer if you need to.
Step 3
Into a large bowl, sift together 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1½ teaspoons cream of tartar, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Whisk until all the dry ingredients are good and mixed.
Step 4
Add your cubed butter to the dry ingredients and using your hands, work the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. You want the butter to be as evenly spread out as best you can throughout the flour mixture. Pour in ¾ cup (170 grams) cold whole milk, a small splash of vanilla extract (2 if you're sexy), and a few drops of distilled white vinegar. Stir, with a spatula or wooden spoon, until everything comes together and the dough is soft and beautiful and easy to work with. Then add ½ cup (75 grams) raisins and mix until they're evenly distributed.
Step 5
Lightly flour your counter, turn out the dough, and gently knead it a few times so there's no stray bits of flour. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to 1 finger-width thickness; the shape doesn't matter, just the thickness. Use your mason jar to cut out biscuits from the dough, dipping the rim in flour to prevent sticking. Place the biscuits on the baking sheet or in the skillet, leaving a little space between them. Reroll the scraps and repeat the rolling and cutting one more time; you should get 8 biscuits. If you like, sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of granulated sugar on top of each biscuit for extra flavor.

To make the Vanilla Drizzle

Step 1
Bake until the biscuits are golden brown on top and cooked through, 12 minutes or so. Move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 2
Meanwhile, make the drizzle: In a small pot over low heat, or in a small bowl in the microwave, melt 2 tablespoons salted butter.
Step 3
Grab a small bowl and add the melted butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon water, a small splash of vanilla extract, and a pinch of fine sea salt. Whisk together with a fork until it gets smooth and creamy.
Step 4
Drizzle over the cooled biscuits and maybe you'll have your Ratatouille moment, too!