These Cinnamon Raisin Butter Swim Biscuits are a delicious variation of my popular Butter Swim Biscuits, adding the popular flavors of cinnamon and raisins to the mix. Like the original Butter Swim Biscuits, they’re incredibly soft, fluffy, and filled with rich, buttery goodness, but with an extra layer of texture and sweetness. Not a fan of raisins? Try my Cinnamon Sugar Butter Swim Biscuits. They’re soft, fluffy, and perfectly sweet, with a cinnamon sugar coating for extra flavor.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Baking Powder: Yes, 4 teaspoons of baking powder might seem like a lot, but it’s what gives these biscuits their light, fluffy texture. Since there’s no yeast, the baking powder does all the rising—so make sure it’s fresh and not expired for the best results.
- Sugar: This recipe uses three kinds of sugar: granulated sugar to lightly sweeten the dough, brown sugar to add a warm flavor to the cinnamon, and confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar) to make a smooth glaze. Each one helps make the biscuits extra tasty.
- Buttermilk: These butter swim biscuits are buttermilk biscuits, so we can’t forget about that! If you don’t have any on hand, make your own buttermilk! I do not recommend using milk.
- Raisins: I mixed most of the raisins into the dough, reserving a few for the topping. You can just fold all of them into the dough if preferred.
- Butter: The proof is in the…butter, of course! These butter swim biscuits bake right in the melted unsalted butter, creating a crispy, caramelized bottom—that might just be my favorite part. If using salted butter, you may want to omit the salt.
- Glaze: I tested these biscuits with both a cinnamon sugar topping and a glaze—and the glaze was the clear winner! But if you prefer a little crunch, feel free to sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar instead.
Can I Add Nuts or Other Fruits To These Cinnamon Raisin Butter Swim Biscuits?
Yes, you can add nuts or other fruits to your Cinnamon Raisin Butter Swim Biscuits! Chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds will add a nice crunch. You can also try adding dried fruits like apples, cranberries, or dried apricots. Just be sure to chop them small and don’t add too much, or the biscuits might become too wet.
Can I Make Cinnamon Raisin Butter Swim Biscuits in a Different Pan?
Yes, you can! If you use a 9×9-inch or 11×7-inch baking dish for your Cinnamon Raisin Butter Swim Biscuits, the biscuits will be thinner. Keep an eye on them while baking and adjust the baking time as needed to ensure they bake perfectly.
Storing & Reheating Butter Swim Biscuits
While Butter Swim Biscuits are best served fresh, they can last a couple of days if stored properly. Here’s how to store them:
- Allow the biscuits to cool to room temperature.
- Wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. (Avoid plastic wrap to prevent sogginess, especially if the biscuits aren’t fully cooled.)
- Store at room temperature for up to two days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate the biscuits, but this may cause them to dry out faster.
- When ready to serve, warm them in the oven at the lowest temperature for up to 10 minutes.
Can I Freeze Cinnamon Raisin Butter Swim Biscuits?
Yes, I would recommend freezing Cinnamon Raisin Butter Swim Biscuits without the glaze for the best texture. First, allow the biscuits to cool completely. Then, wrap them tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and place them in a freezer-safe storage bag. This will keep the biscuits fresh for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy them, thaw the biscuits at room temperature, and add the glaze just before serving to keep it fresh and smooth.
Cinnamon Raisin Butter Swim Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (312.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups (490 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (145 g) raisins, divided
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted
Glaze
- 1 cup (125 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk, plus more as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the buttermilk, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined—be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in ¾ cup of raisins, reserving ¼ cup for the topping.
- Pour the melted butter into an 8×8-inch baking dish. Carefully spoon or spread the biscuit dough over the butter, smoothing it out gently to reach the edges.
- Sprinkle the reserved raisins on top.
- Score the dough into 9 squares (a 3×3 pattern) using a butter knife. This will help guide your cuts after baking.
- Bake for 28–30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the biscuits are baking, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more milk—½ teaspoon at a time—until it reaches a pourable consistency.
- Once the biscuits are out of the oven, top the warm biscuits with the glaze.
- Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
Did you make this recipe?
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
These were so soft and buttery! The cinnamon and raisins made them feel like a cozy breakfast treat!
Elizabeth
I am not even a huge fan of raisins, but butter swim biscuits never seem to fail! I loved these, especially with the glaze!
Stephanie
I don’t usually like raisins, but they worked so well in these biscuits. So soft and flavorful.
Annabelle
These would be a perfect weekend breakfast!
Bella
The glaze on top was just the right touch of sweetness. I loved these!
I made this using gluten free Bob Mills 1 to 1 flour. I used an 8×8 pan and turned the temp down to 425 because I was concerned that 450 was too high so the butter boiled up over the sides of the pan onto the bottom of the oven causing a bunch of smoke set off the smoke detector upset all the animals in the house upset me the raisins on top even at 425 were burnt , so I scraped them off the mixture was not cooked through even being left in for 30 minutes, I put it back in at 350. I probably won’t try this recipe again it was dense gummy and too bland so doesn’t translate well for those of us with Celiac
Hi there! I appreciate you giving the recipe a try and taking the time to share your experience. I’m so sorry it didn’t turn out how you hoped!
I do want to note that changing the pan size, oven temperature, and flour type will definitely affect the outcome — especially in a recipe like this where butter plays such a central role. Gluten-free flours can behave very differently, and lowering the oven temp by 25 degrees (and using a different pan size) can lead to the butter not baking off properly, which may explain the spillover and texture issues.
That said, many readers have had success using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour in this recipe — but sticking to the original pan size and baking temperature seems to help ensure it works well.
If you ever decide to give it another shot, I’d recommend following the original instructions closely just to see how it performs with only the flour swap.