How to make Bisquick cinnamon biscuits with a powdered sugar glaze. This is an easy breakfast recipe you can make in a jiffy, with or without raisins. Make the perfect sweet treats for holiday brunch and family gatherings. No rolling pin needed!
It's been so long since I've actually had Hardees cinnamon raisin biscuits, but I still remember how yummy they were. Thankfully, like Bisquick cinnamon sugar muffins, they're super easy to make.
To make these cinnamon Bisquick biscuits all by themselves, you only need 4 ingredients. If you want icing, which I highly recommend, you'll need just a few more.
We used to be able to purchase the actual Bisquick Cinnamon Biscuit mix, but our store doesn't carry it anymore. So I kinda came up with my own version, using a regular Bisquick biscuit mix.
When we'd rather have from scratch, I enjoy making biscuit cinnamon rolls (easy cinnamon rolls) or this more traditional delicious cinnamon rolls recipe.
Why You'll Love These Cinnamon Biscuits
- Bisquick sweet biscuits are drop biscuits, so there is no rolling or cutting out required. How awesome is that?!
- It really is the easiest cinnamon biscuit recipe ever. You only need a handful of ingredients, most of which you likely already have in your pantry.
- It reminds me so much of that Hardees cinnamon biscuit I used to love getting with my mom when I was a kid. There were 2 to every pack, and we'd always share a pack.
What Are Drop Biscuits?
Drop biscuits are just that. They're biscuits you literally drop onto a baking sheet and bake, no rolling or cutting out required.
You can drop the biscuit dough with a simple table spoon like I do, or you can use a large scoop for this. Whatever makes it easier for you, just go with it.
Ingredients and Substitutions Notes:
To make the biscuits, you need 4 simple ingredients, but you'll need a few more glaze ingredients, as well. I highly recommend making the icing to top the biscuits.
- Bisquick Biscuit Mix – If you can find it, I highly recommend the Buttermilk Biscuit Mix. If not, the regular mix will work just fine. You can also make these gluten-free with Gluten Free Bisquick.
- Water – You can substitute milk instead of water; in fact, if you're subbing, I recommend subbing with buttermilk. Reason why is buttermilk actually helps with the leavening process and may give you a fluffier biscuit. If milk is all you have, milk works too, and will likely give a richer flavor to the biscuits.
- Cane Sugar – You can also use granulated sugar.
- Ground Cinnamon – You'll mix this together with the sugar to make cinnamon sugar.
- Salted Butter – When making the icing, you'll need softened butter.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – This will give a distinct vanilla flavor that pairs so well with cinnamon biscuits.
- Powdered Sugar or Confectioners Sugar
- Whole Milk – You can use 2% milk or skim milk, but I highly recommend whole milk for added richness and flavor.
How to Make Bisquick Cinnamon Biscuits
Making Bisquick biscuits is super easy, especially since the instructions are right there on the box. However, making cinnamon biscuits with Bisquick requires just a couple extra biscuit ingredients. Those extra ingredients are sugar and cinnamon.
While you can buy a big box of Bisquick, you can also use 2 of the smaller packets of biscuit mix. Each package of Bisquick biscuit mix weighs 7.5 ounces, so 15 ounces would be 2 of the smaller bags of biscuit mix, which equal out to just a smidge under 3 1/2 cups of biscuit mix.
If you don't have biscuit mix and would rather make homemade biscuits with all-purpose flour, you can do that too. You'll just need to add the cinnamon and sugar to your mixture.
Before getting started, be sure to heat oven to 425° F, and get out an ungreased cookie sheet or baking sheet.
How to Make Cinnamon Sugar
We make a lot of cinnamon toast in our house, or as my oldest likes to call it, poor man's cinnamon roll. If you've never had cinnamon toast, that's another recipe for another day, but your life will never be the same once you try this old school treat.
Anyway, I usually always keep a small spice container of cinnamon and sugar already mixed up and ready to go. This recipe calls for 8 teaspoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
- Just add both the cinnamon and sugar to a small bowl, mix it up, and you're ready to make the biscuits.
Mix Everything Together to Make Cinnamon Biscuit Dough
- Add the biscuit mix and water to a large bowl.
- Before mixing into a somewhat sticky dough, add the cinnamon sugar mixture, and then mix everything together really well, 'til a soft dough forms.
How to Bake Cinnamon Drop Biscuits
- Drop dough onto a baking sheet, about 1 to 2 inches apart. As you place biscuits, you can make the biscuits as small or as big as you want. If desired, you can place a sheet of parchment paper on the baking pan before dropping biscuits onto the pan.
- Bake them in a preheated oven at 425° F for 8 to 11 minutes (oven times may vary), until the biscuits turn golden brown.
Make a Simple Icing or Glaze for Your Biscuits
Meanwhile in a separate bowl, mix up a simple powdered sugar icing, much like my favorite sugar cookie icing, but slightly thinner like a glaze.
- Combine the softened or melted butter, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and milk in a medium bowl.
- When the biscuits are done and while they're still hot, brush the sweet glaze on the top of each warm biscuit with a pastry brush, and let it melt into each biscuit.
Then serve the cinnamon biscuits warm and enjoy every bite. Cinnamon sugar biscuits are best served with a hot cup of coffee or tea, or an ice cold glass of milk.
Alternative Recipe Ingredients to Try
There are a few things you can do to add even more oomph to this cinnamon biscuits recipe…
- Sub brown sugar for half the cane sugar. Brown sugar will give a rich, still sweet, but slightly nutty flavor to the biscuits. It's especially good if you're adding any nuts to the mixture.
- Add raisins. The true Hardees biscuits had raisins in them.
- Mix in chopped walnuts or pecans. Or just top them off with a sprinkling of nuts.
- Add a hint of caramel extract to the frosting.
- Instead of caramel extract, try maple extract.
- Add a little bit of orange zest to either the biscuits or the icing.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ's
I've found that Bisquick can make a pretty dry biscuit. 2 things that will help counteract this natural tendency… 1. Don't over-mix the dough. Mix the ingredients just 'til they're mixed and everything is moistened; then drop and bake. 2. You may have added too much biscuit mix; you may need to add a little bit more liquid to counteract the dry dough and get some moisture back into it.
We talked about this above in the ingredient notes. But I thought it necessary to add here too. And yes, you totally can. In fact, if you're subbing, I recommend subbing with buttermilk. Reason why is buttermilk actually helps with the leavening process and may give you a fluffier biscuit. If milk is all you have, milk works too, and will likely give a richer flavor to the biscuits. It may also help add more moisture to the biscuits.
Yes, you can make the dough the night before, then bake the biscuits the next morning. In fact, refrigerating the dough overnight may actually help to make a fluffier biscuit.
Yes, you can freeze cinnamon biscuits baked or unbaked. If freezing unbaked, drop the biscuits onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet of your choice, and freeze them for about an hour so the dough is no longer sticky. Then remove them from the freezer, and place the biscuits in an airtight container or freezer bag, and place them back in the freezer. If freezing baked, allow the biscuits to cool before placing in an airtight container or freezer bag. I would recommend waiting to glaze them right before serving, just so you don't have the added frustration of trying to keep the frosting intact while storing and freezing.
If you decide not to add icing to the biscuits, you can keep them in an airtight container out on the counter. If you decide to glaze them, since that glaze is a milk-based recipe, you may want to keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. They should keep for 2-3 days.
More Bisquick Recipes You May Enjoy for Breakfast:
If you love this Bisquick cinnamon biscuit recipe as much as I do and you're wondering what can you make with Bisquick, you may enjoy these delicious recipes too…
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Bisquick Cinnamon Biscuits
Ingredients
Cinnamon Biscuits:
- 8 teaspoons cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 1/2 cups biscuit mix
- 1 cup water
Glaze:
- 2 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 425° F.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add the cinnamon sugar, biscuit mix, and water. Mix everything together well, 'til a soft dough forms.
- Drop the biscuits onto an un-greased baking sheet, about 1 to 2 inches apart.
- Bake at 425° F for 8 to 11 minutes (oven times may vary), until the biscuits turn golden brown.
- Meanwhile, mix up the icing in a large mixing bowl, combining the softened butter, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and milk.
- When the biscuits are done and while they're still hot, brush the sweet glaze on the top of each warm biscuit with a pastry brush, and let it melt into each biscuit.
- Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
If you decide not to add icing to the biscuits, you can keep them in an airtight container out on the counter. If you decide to glaze them, since that glaze is a milk-based recipe, you may want to keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. They should keep for 2-3 days.
These were terrible tasting my grandchildren would not touch them. I made a second batch added some butter some vanilla some chocolate chips doctors it up it was OK. The first batch tasted like cardboard.
I’m so sorry, Ann! I’m not sure why they turned out so badly for you. Based on recent reviews, I am wondering if something in the Bisquick mix has changed since I made this recipe. I may have to make it again and investigate.
I made these this morning and added orange peel & vanilla and butter flavoring. OH! And I used plain Greek Yogurt to help make the biscuits moist. They came out absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe. I copied it to a recipe card where it is safe from being lost. God bless you 🥰
Made for my wife she loves them. Believe it or not I substituted Coconut frosting on top the bisquits.
Would the Heart Smart Bisquick follow the same recipe?
Do you think adding blueberries and lemon zest would work in this recipe?
Lorrie, that would be delicious!!
Quick and awesome 👍. I made these for me and my son. They were gone before the next evening. I’m really glad I found this recipe as it’s very quick and easy yet the end result is delicious. Thanks 👍
That’s so awesome, Barbara! I’m glad it turned out well for you.
These cinnamon biscuits are delicious, especially with a cup of coffee! I did add raisins in the batter.
That sounds awesome, Debbie! I’m so glad you liked it.
What about peeling, coring, and dicing an apple to add? Would that make the biscuits like apple fritters?
Judy, I can’t see why that wouldn’t work. I think it would be delicious!