Cinnamon swirl biscuits are easy, buttermilk drop biscuits that have a sweet cinnamon sugar swirl throughout. These quick biscuits are topped with a homemade glaze. They taste like biscuit cinnamon rolls but are so much quicker and easier to make!
Cinnamon swirl biscuits are a delicious cross between traditional buttermilk biscuits and cinnamon rolls. These buttermilk drop biscuits that have a sweet cinnamon sugar swirl throughout, and they’re iced with a buttery homemade glaze.
They taste like biscuit cinnamon rolls but are so much quicker and easier to make! So you can enjoy them for breakfast, dessert, or any time in between!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy: The biscuits are so easy to make! There’s no cutting in ingredients, rolling, or cutting out dough required.
- Quick: The biscuits take less than 3o minutes to make.
- Delicious: The cinnamon swirl biscuits are topped with a buttery glaze for maximum flavor!
How to make cinnamon swirl biscuits
Step 1: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 2: Melt the butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl in the microwave until about 90% melted.
Step 3: Whisk until completely melted.
Step 4: Let the butter sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
Step 5: Whisk in the cold buttermilk. The butter should clump up.
Step 6: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Whisk just until combined. Don’t overmix.
Step 7: In a small dish, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar.
Step 8: Pour the cinnamon sugar mixture over the biscuit dough, and give it a couple of folds. The cinnamon sugar should still be visible in swirls and shouldn’t be completely incorporated.
Step 9: Drop ¼-cup scoops of biscuit batter about 2 to 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 10: Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Step 11: To make the icing, melt the remaining butter in a medium microwave safe dish.
Step 12: Whisk in the powdered sugar a little at a time.
Step 13: Add enough milk to form a glaze that can be drizzled but is still thick.
Step 14: Whisk in the vanilla extract.
Step 15: Drizzle the biscuits with the icing and serve warm.
Recipe Tips!
- Ingredient temperature: It’s important that the buttermilk be straight-from-the-fridge cold. The cold buttermilk helps the butter to clump up. Those clumps of butter help to form soft biscuits with flaky outsides.
- Mixing: It’s key to use a light touch when making biscuits. Mix the biscuits by hand and try to avoid overmixing to keep the biscuits light and fluffy.
Storage
Store any leftover biscuits in an airtight container. The biscuits are best eaten when freshly made, but they will keep for about 2 days when properly stored.
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Cinnamon Swirl Biscuits
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon swirl
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
Icing
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl in the microwave until about 90% melted.
- Whisk until completely melted.
- Let the butter sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
- Whisk in the cold buttermilk. The butter should clump up.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Whisk just until combined. Don’t overmix.
- In a small dish, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar.
- Pour the cinnamon sugar mixture over the biscuit dough, and give it a couple of folds. The cinnamon sugar should still be visible in swirls and shouldn’t be completely incorporated.
- Drop ¼-cup scoops of biscuit batter about 2 to 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until light golden brown.
- To make the icing, melt the remaining butter in a medium microwave safe dish.
- Whisk in the powdered sugar a little at a time.
- Add enough milk to form a glaze that can be drizzled but is still thick.
- Whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Drizzle the biscuits with the icing and serve warm.
Notes
- Butter: I use salted butter. Feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
- Buttermilk: I like to use full-fat buttermilk for softer, richer biscuits.
- Cinnamon swirl: I’ve doubled the cinnamon swirl portion. If doubling the cinnamon swirl portion, be careful about the baking time as the additional sugar causes the biscuits to brown faster.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Theresa says
these look and sound delicious! will be making soon. I am disabled so love the simplicity of a
cinnamon swirl drop biscuit recipe. no rolling! Thanks, so much for sharing.
Kate says
Thank you! I hope you enjoy them if you give them a try!