Description
These Cinnamon Sugar Biscuits from scratch are fluffy, flaky, and bursting with warm cinnamon flavor. Made with cold butter and buttermilk, these biscuits are perfectly tender and topped with a sweet cinnamon sugar crust. Ideal for breakfast or a comforting snack, they come together easily and bake to golden perfection in just over 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold (plus more to grease pan)
- 1 cup buttermilk, cold (reserve and set aside 1 tablespoon)
Topping
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cinnamon sugar
Optional Glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 teaspoons cream, milk, or water
- Optional: couple dashes of cinnamon
Instructions
- Grate Butter: Using a box cheese grater, grate the cold butter onto a piece of parchment paper to create fine shavings. Place the grated butter in the freezer until you’re ready to combine it with the dry ingredients to keep it cold and ensure flaky biscuits.
- Prep Buttermilk: Measure out one cup of buttermilk and keep it in the refrigerator until needed. Reserve one tablespoon separately for brushing on the biscuits later.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 425°F and adjust the rack to the middle position. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with a tablespoon of butter, then coat the pan with cinnamon sugar, swirling it around to cover the sides as well.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
- Incorporate Butter: Add the chilled grated butter to the dry ingredients and stir to coat each piece thoroughly with flour to distribute them evenly, which helps create the flaky texture.
- Reserve Buttermilk for Brushing: Set aside one tablespoon of buttermilk for brushing the biscuits before baking.
- Add Buttermilk and Form Dough: Pour about two-thirds of the buttermilk over the dry ingredients gradually. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently mix until the dough is moist, coarse, and crumbly. Add more buttermilk as needed but avoid making the dough too wet. Environmental factors like humidity may affect the exact amount required.
- Shape Dough: Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently work it together to form a rough rectangle. If sticky, lightly flour the top. Use your hands to manipulate the dough carefully without overworking it to maintain flakiness.
- Laminating the Dough: Fold the dough in half, gently flatten it with fingertips, rotate 90 degrees, fold in half again, and flatten. Repeat this 2 to 3 more times. This folding process creates layers, resulting in flaky biscuits. Keep the work surface lightly floured to prevent sticking.
- Cut Biscuits: Flatten the dough to about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Dip a biscuit cutter in flour and cut biscuits starting at a corner for maximum yield. Re-flatten and cut remaining dough until you have 7 biscuits that fit snugly in the prepared pan.
- Arrange and Top Biscuits: Place the biscuits close together in the greased, cinnamon sugar-coated pan. Brush the tops with the reserved buttermilk and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar for a crunchy, flavorful crust.
- Bake Biscuits: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits are cooked through. Remove from oven and serve warm.
- Prepare Optional Glaze: To make a simple glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and cream, milk, or water. Adjust liquid to reach desired consistency. Optionally, add cinnamon dashes for extra flavor. Drizzle over warm biscuits if desired.
Notes
- For homemade buttermilk, combine 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until slightly curdled.
- Keep butter cold and grated to achieve the best flaky texture.
- Do not over-mix the dough to avoid dense biscuits.
- Use a sharp biscuit cutter and press straight down without twisting to ensure well-risen biscuits.
- If you do not have cinnamon sugar, mix granulated sugar with ground cinnamon as a substitute.
- Storing leftover biscuits in an airtight container keeps them fresh for up to 2 days; reheat gently before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
