Copycat Hardee’s Cinnamon ‘N’ Raisin Biscuits Recipe

There is a very specific nostalgia attached to the smell of Hardee’s in the morning. I remember road trips in the back of my parents’ station wagon, waking up groggy, only to be brought back to life by the promise of that yellow star logo. While everyone else was ordering hash rounds, I only had eyes for one thing: the Cinnamon ‘N’ Raisin Biscuit. Unlike a standard cinnamon roll made with yeast dough, this was a biscuit. It was crumbly, buttery, slightly salty, and absolutely drowning in icing. It didn’t pull apart in strands; it flaked.

Recreating this at home turned into a weekend obsession for me. I wanted that specific texture, crispy edges, a soft, fluffy interior, and that distinct burst of sweet raisins against the savory biscuit dough. This recipe is the result. It’s messy, it’s indulgent, and honestly, it’s better than the drive-thru because you get to eat it warm, straight from the oven, while still in your pajamas. It’s a project that transforms a regular Sunday morning into a core memory for your family.

How to Make Hardee’s Cinnamon ‘N’ Raisin Biscuits

The beauty of this recipe is speed. Because we are using a biscuit base rather than a yeast dough, there is no rising time required. You are essentially making a classic Southern biscuit dough, cutting cold butter into flour, but rolling it out and filling it like a cinnamon roll. The secret to success is keeping your ingredients ice-cold; this ensures the butter melts during baking, creating those signature flaky layers. From mixing bowl to first bite, you can be done in about 35 minutes.

Times and Nutritions

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Chill Time: 0 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes Servings: 12 biscuits

Calories per serving: ~390 kcal Fat: 19 g Carbohydrates: 54 g Protein: 5 g

Ingredients

Dough

• 4 cups (480g) All-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp Granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp Baking powder (Essential for that high rise)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks / 225g) Unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
• 1 ½ cups (360ml) Buttermilk, cold

Filling

• ¼ cup (60g) Unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup (200g) Dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 tbsp Ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup (115g) Raisins

Icing

• 2 cups (240g) Powdered sugar
• 3–4 tbsp Whole milk (use more or less for desired consistency)
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract

Tools Needed

• Large mixing bowl
• Pastry blender (or two knives)
• Rolling pin
• Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
• Sharp knife or unflavored dental floss
• Whisk

Instructions

1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Getting the oven hot enough is crucial for the biscuits to “spring” up immediately.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Ensure the baking powder is evenly distributed to avoid lopsided biscuits.
3. Cut in the butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to snap and rub the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized chunks of butter remaining. Do not let the butter melt!
4. Form the dough: Pour in the cold buttermilk. Stir gently with a spoon or spatula just until the dough comes together. It will look shaggy. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it together. Do not over-knead, or the biscuits will be tough.
5. Roll and fill: Roll the dough out into a rectangle, approximately 12×18 inches. Brush the surface generously with the melted butter. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the butter, then scatter the raisins on top. Press the filling down slightly with your hand.
6. Roll up and slice: Starting from the long edge, roll the dough up tightly into a log. Using a sharp knife or dental floss (for a cleaner cut), slice the log into 12 even pieces.
7. Bake to perfection: Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. They can touch slightly if you want soft sides, or space them out for crispy edges. Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
8. Glaze and serve: While they bake, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Remove the biscuits from the oven and let them cool for 2 minutes. Drizzle (or drown) them with the icing while they are still warm. Serve immediately.

Tips

• Freeze the butter: For maximum flakiness, grate frozen butter into the flour mixture instead of cubing it.
• The Floss Trick: Biscuit dough is soft. If your knife squishes the roll, slide a piece of unflavored dental floss under the log, cross it over the top, and pull quickly to slice through without deforming the shape.
• Plump the raisins: If your raisins are old or dry, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes and pat them dry before using. This makes them juicy inside the baked biscuit.
• Don’t skip the salt: The salt in the dough is vital to balance the massive amount of sugar in the filling and icing.

What to Serve With

Drinks

• Black Coffee: The intense sweetness of the icing and brown sugar filling needs a bitter counterpoint. A dark roast coffee cuts through the sugar and cleanses the palate between bites.
• Cold Milk: Just like cookies, these biscuits beg for dairy. The cold milk contrasts beautifully with the warm, spicy raisins and dough.
• Mimosa (with Grapefruit): If serving this for brunch, skip the orange juice and go for grapefruit. The tartness and bubbles help lift the heaviness of the buttery biscuit.

Savory Sides

• Crispy Bacon or Sausage Patties: This is the ultimate “sweet and savory” combo. The salt and smoke from the meat highlight the cinnamon flavors. You can even crumble bacon on top of the glaze if you’re feeling adventurous.
• Soft Scrambled Eggs: You need something soft and protein-rich to balance the carb-heavy biscuit. Keep the eggs simple, just butter, salt, and pepper, so they don’t compete with the cinnamon flavor.
• Hash Browns: Salty, fried potatoes (like Hardee’s Hash Rounds) add a crunchy texture that contrasts with the soft, pillow-like interior of the biscuit.

Fruit & Light Options

• Tart Green Apples: Slices of Granny Smith apples provide a crisp, acidic crunch that stops the meal from feeling too heavy.
• Greek Yogurt with Pecans: A side bowl of unsweetened yogurt adds creaminess and probiotics, making the meal feel slightly more balanced and less like a pure dessert.

Ingredient Substitutes

1. Buttermilk
   • Original: Cold cultured buttermilk.
   • Substitutes:
     • Milk + Vinegar: Add 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 ½ cups milk. Let sit for 5 minutes. (Works 95% as well as the real thing).
     • Thinned Sour Cream: Mix ¾ cup sour cream with ¾ cup water.
2. Raisins
   • Original: Standard dark raisins.
   • Substitutes:
     • Dried Cranberries: Adds a tart twist.
     • Chocolate Chips: Turns it into a dessert biscuit (kids love this).
     • Chopped Pecans: If you hate fruit in your pastries, this gives a great crunch.
3. Unsalted Butter
   • Original: Unsalted butter.
   • Substitutes:
     • Salted Butter: Reduce the added salt in the dough to ¼ tsp.
     • Vegetable Shortening: Produces a very flaky, tender biscuit, but lacks the buttery flavor.
     • Frozen Margarine: Works for a dairy-free dough option.
4. Brown Sugar
   • Original: Dark brown sugar.
   • Substitutes:
     • Granulated Sugar + Molasses: Mix 1 cup sugar with 1 tbsp molasses.
     • Light Brown Sugar: Milder molasses flavor, but works perfectly fine.
5. All-Purpose Flour
   • Original: Standard AP flour.
   • Substitutes:
     • Self-Rising Flour: Omit the baking powder and salt from the recipe entirely.
     • Cake Flour: Makes for a very tender, almost cake-like biscuit, but may not rise as high.

Honest Review

I’ll be real with you: these are dangerous. They are not health food, and they are not “light.” They are heavy, caloric bombs of happiness. The texture is distinctly different from a Cinnabon, it’s less chewy/bready and more crumbly/cakey. If you are expecting a yeast roll, you might be confused, but if you love Southern biscuits, this is heaven.

Pros:

• Incredibly fast. No waiting for dough to rise is a game-changer for impatient bakers.
• The edges get this caramelized crunch from the leaking brown sugar that is arguably the best part.

Cons:

• They don’t keep well. Because it’s biscuit dough, they tend to dry out after 24 hours. You really need to eat them fresh or freeze them immediately.
• The filling can be messy and leak out onto the pan (use parchment paper or you will regret it!).

Verdict: 9/10. A perfect weekend treat when you want maximum payoff for minimum effort.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the difference between a biscuit cinnamon roll and a yeast cinnamon roll? A yeast roll (like Cinnabon) uses yeast to rise, resulting in a chewy, stretchy, bread-like texture that takes hours to make. A biscuit roll (like Hardee’s) uses baking powder and baking soda, resulting in a flaky, tender, crumbly texture that is ready in under 40 minutes.

2. Can I make these ahead of time? You can make the dough, roll it, cut it, and place the raw biscuits on a baking sheet. Cover them tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Bake them straight from the fridge in the morning (you may need to add 2-3 minutes to the baking time).

3. Why didn’t my biscuits rise? The most likely culprit is warm ingredients. If your butter melted before the biscuits hit the oven, they won’t rise. Keep the butter and buttermilk cold. Also, make sure your baking powder isn’t expired.

4. Can I freeze them? Yes! You can freeze the unbaked cut rolls. Bake them from frozen, adding about 5-8 minutes to the baking time. You can also freeze baked biscuits (without icing), then reheat in the oven and glaze fresh.

5. I hate raisins. Does the recipe fail without them? Not at all. You can simply leave them out for a Cinnamon Biscuit, or swap them for chocolate chips, pecans, or dried cranberries.

6. Can I use an Air Fryer? Yes. Place the cut biscuits in the air fryer basket (don’t overcrowd). Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 8-10 minutes. The air fryer cooks faster than an oven, so keep an eye on them so the sugar doesn’t burn.

7. How do I store leftovers? Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. However, they are best reheated in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften the butter in the dough again.

8. Can I make this dairy-free? Yes. Use a high-quality plant-based butter block (frozen), almond milk mixed with vinegar for the buttermilk, and almond milk for the glaze. The texture might be slightly less fluffy, but still delicious.