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I have a super special guest blogger for Scrumptious Sunday this week! My husband, Stephen, is amazing at pretty much everything he tries, and baking is no exception. Particularly this recipe. These Cinnamon Biscuits are something everyone in my family enjoys, which is truly a miracle because I have THE PICKIEST kids on the planet. But these are so incredibly delicious that not a soul complains when he starts making them on a Saturday morning. You’ll love this recipe, too, I’m sure! It’s tried and true.
**The following is a guest post brought to you by Stephen W!**
I LOVE BISCUITS!! I am a simple easy going southerner and love things that are simple and easy; uncomplicated. I have made many biscuits in my lifetime. I have tried many recipes. Some have been good, some not so good. I have always been looking for a biscuit recipe to stand as my go-to recipe.
I have made my own assumptions about ingredient substitutions with adverse results. I have tried making biscuits so many different ways: with shortening, butter flavored shortening, lard, a combination of these, and even with some oils. I have used buttermilk, skim milk, whole creme, whole milk etc. I have added and adjusted sugar and salt content. At times in my biscuit making forays, I would suffer through bitter-biscuit syndrome where no matter what I tried I couldn’t get that bitterness out of my biscuits (*more on the simple step to fix that below).
Many times I think we try to get too complicated in our venture to make recipes our own and try and reinvent the wheel. However, I firmly believe that is not necessary. Just like when when we don’t know how to do certain things or we need help, we lean on the shoulders of those that are in-the-know to help us out. These biscuits are no different.
I found my go-to biscuit in the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book, specifically the 11th edition. That is the one we have had in our cupboard since we were married. The recipe is 5 simple ingredients. That’s it, and the biscuits are great! From this base recipe, I have been able to do a number of things from scones, to cheddar biscuits to blueberry biscuits, to dumplings, to casserole toppers etc. This recipe makes an easy and versatile dough. Better Homes and Gardens has given me a base with this recipe to where I can modify it as I go and you can to. Try it!
One of my favorite concoctions from using this biscuit recipe is Cinnamon Biscuits. It’s a quicker and easier way to get a cinnamon role like pastry without the time and effort of going through the yeast dough process. Baking powder is the leavening that is ready when you are!
Why do these make the “Scrumptious Sunday” list? Well, they are just decadent and I know it’s as cliché as many a recent Chuck-A-Rama commercial, but they really do “melt in your mouth!”
The recipe is in three parts; biscuits, cinnamon topping, and icing.
Better Homes and Gardens Baking Powder Biscuits
- 4 Cups All-purpose Flour
- 2 Tbsp Baking Powder (*Aluminum Free…NO BITTER BISCUITS!)
- 1/2 – 1 Tsp Salt
- 2/3 Cup Vegetable Shortening
- 1-1/2 Cup Milk (I have used 1% to Whole with not much difference)
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Wire wisk them together to eliminate lumps in flour and to even distribute baking powder and salt. Add shortening to the dry mixture and with a fork, cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until it is all 
incorporated without any large chunks remaining. I typically do this until the shortening bits are about the size of a grain of rice. Add the milk and with the same fork turn over the ingredients until a mass is formed where most of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Turn out onto floured surface and knead the dough as few times as possible to incorporate the remaining dry ingredients. Roll the dough with a floured rolling pin to about a half inch thickness. Using a biscuit cutter (I use these), cut and place on a baking sheet. Re-roll out excess and cut and place on cookie sheet. (Makes about 15 biscuits)
**If you are not making cinnamon biscuits at this point, place in oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Baste with butter upon removal from the oven.
The shortening in the dough should be sufficient for the biscuits not to stick, but if you need a little extra piece of mind, using cooking spray or one of these handy silicone baking mats (shown in the above picture) that does the non-stick work for you. They are wonderful!!
Cinnamon Topping
- 1/2 C (1 Stick) Softened Butter
- 2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ~1 Cup Brown Sugar
Combine all ingredients into a medium size bowl. Result should be an almost peanut butter consistency paste. Add more brown sugar if necessary. Dollop and spread onto the tops of each unbaked biscuit evenly. Place in the preheated oven. Bake 10-12 minutes. Butter will melt and bubble during baking and create this wonderfully cinnamon and sugar crust on the top of each biscuit.
Icing
- 1/4 C (1/2 Stick) Softened Butter
- 1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 C Milk
- 3-4 C Powdered Sugar
First of all, I am a firm believer that in order to get the best result from a drizzling icing such as this, the butter ingredient is absolutely not to be missed. Combine vanilla, butter, and 1 cup of powdered sugar in a bowl and mix with fork until you get this thick consistent icing ball. Add milk and stir in more or less of the remaining powdered sugar to get the drizzle consistency that you like. If it’s too runny it will “glaze” the biscuits. This may be what you want. I make it slightly thicker and and put the thicker icing in a gallon size Zip-Lok bag and cut a small hole in one of the corners and pipe the icing out onto the biscuits. This works delightfully well! The thicker icing holds its position and shape on the biscuits much better.
Serve hot. Re-heat leftovers in the microwave for the same fresh baked taste. ENJOY!!
**Thanks so much, Stephen! Feel free to make these for me any time!
