In the mood for cinnamon roll but don’t have the time? These Cinnamon Biscuits will become your new go-to – especially since they only take 35 minutes from start to finish!
Break out the cinnamon for breakfast – if you’re loving these Cinnamon Biscuits, you’ll also love these Cinnamon Muffins or these Cinnamon Roll Muffins.
You know it’s a special occasion around our house when I make cinnamon rolls. They are a family favorite.
And honestly, we’d have them a lot more often if they didn’t take so long to make.
But it’s a good thing that you can have these Cinnamon Biscuits on the table in just over 30 minutes – and guess what? They are almost as good as cinnamon rolls.
In fact, the first time I made these, my husband asked what the special occasion was and honestly thought that they were cinnamon rolls.
And because there is no yeast – there is no raising. No waiting.
So next time you are craving cinnamon rolls but don’t have the time – these Cinnamon Biscuits will be your best friend!
Ingredients
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: You’ll need both baking powder and baking soda to give these biscuits their lift and make them fluffy.
- Salt: This is to balance the flavors.
- Oil: I have always made these with vegetable oil. The oil will keep the biscuits nice and moist.
- Buttermilk: You get a bit of tanginess from the buttermilk, but not a lot. It also activates the baking soda so you get a nice rise.
- Butter: You will want to make sure the butter is nice and soft so that it spreads easily on the dough. You’ll also need some melted butter for the icing.
- Brown Sugar: The brown sugar makes up the filling – I like to use light brown sugar.
- Cinnamon and Cardamom: Of course you have to have cinnamon! The cardamom is optional, but I really love the flavor that it adds.
- Milk: This is the secret ingredient. You pour it over the hot biscuits and they soak up the milk, creating a wonderful, cinnamon roll-like texture.
- Powdered Sugar: You’ll need the powdered sugar for the icing. No need to sift.
- Cream: I like to start with 1 tablespoon of cream in the icing, and then add more as needed.
How to Make Cinnamon Biscuits
STEP 1: Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. You can make this with a stand mixer, but I just do it all by hand.
STEP 2: Add the vegetable oil and the buttermilk. Mix this together – it will be dry and hard to mix, but you’ll just need to mix until the liquid has been absorbed.
STEP 3: Flour your counter and pour the dough onto the surface. Knead it a few times to bring it together and make a smooth ball.
STEP 4: Roll the dough out into a rectangle that is about 15 inches by 8 inches.
STEP 5: Spread the softened butter on top of the dough. I like to take it all of the way to the edges.
STEP 6: Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom (if using) and spread this out over the butter layer.
STEP 7: Now you’ll roll! Roll the dough up like a jelly roll. I like to use a bench scraper to make it easier to get the dough moving from the counter top, especially in spots that it may have been stickier. You can see how I use it in the video posted below.
STEP 8: Cut the dough into thirds, then cut each section into thirds, making 9 pieces. (I do like to cut the edges off first, since they are not usually as even.)
STEP 9: Place the dough in a greased 9-inch pan, cut side up. I do 8 around the edges and one in the middle. Place the in the oven to bake until golden brown.
STEP 10: While the biscuits are baking, make the icing by mixing together the powdered sugar, melted butter, cream, and a pinch of salt.
STEP 11: Once the biscuits are baked, remove them from the oven and immediately pour the milk over the top. Do this as evenly as possible.
STEP 12: Spread the icing over the rolls. You can wait until they are cooled down a bit, but I like to add it when they are still fairly hot so that the icing melts into the biscuits.
Cinnamon Biscuits Video
If you want to see how I make them, you can watch the video above.
Tips and Tricks
For years, we made these cinnamon biscuits without any icing on top, and they are amazing that way. But then we started adding the icing, and it really did elevate the biscuits. But you can definitely have them without!
When making the dough, you want to knead it until it comes together, but don’t overwork the dough. The less you work it, the more tender your biscuits will be.
If you have leftovers, pop them into the microwave for about 15 seconds before eating. While they are good at room temperature, they really shine when they are warm!
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
These cinnamon biscuits really are so easy and fast to make when you are craving them, but you can do the work ahead of time.
Make Ahead:
You can make them the night before, just up to the baking step. Cover and refrigerate the biscuits. Bring them to room temperature before baking the next day.
Freezing:
You can freeze the biscuits before or after baking them. If you freeze them before they are baked, cover the biscuits well and freeze. Let them thaw completely before baking, adding the milk, and then the icing.
You can also freeze the baked rolls. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, and then for best results, warm them up before serving.
More Biscuit Recipes
Chocolate Chip Biscuits with Raspberry Cream
Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Biscuits
Raspberry Lemon Breakfast Biscuits
Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
Buttemilk Biscuits
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Cinnamon Biscuits
Ingredients
Biscuits:
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup butter ,softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom ,optional
- 1/3 cup milk
Icing:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter ,melted
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Grease a 9-inch round baking pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir in the vegetable oil. Add in the buttermilk and stir just until combined.
- Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead the dough until it is smooth. Roll it into a 15×8-inch rectangle. Spread the butter over the dough.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. Sprinkle the mixture over the butter. Roll up the dough like a jelly roll and pinch the seams to seal. Cut into 9 equal slices and arrange in the prepared pan, cut side up.
- Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
- While the biscuits are baking, whisk together the powdered sugar, whipping cream, butter, and salt.
- Remove from biscuits from the oven and pour the milk evenly over the top.
- Spread the icing on the biscuits and serve warm.
Donna says
I had my doubts. I usually find cinnamon rolls too dry. I made these with the addition of a handful of dried cranberries. I was also pretty generous with the brown sugar/cinnamon. They came out delicious! These are the best cinnamon rolls I have ever eaten! Don’t skip the last step, the milk pour-over! Now I am going to work on my construction technique, which I admit is pretty messy. When I get that mastered, I am going to double the recipe and freeze some. Then on to a gluten free version for my granddaughter!
Chris Logan says
These are really good!