Sweet, moist, packed with raisins, and hot out of the oven, these are quite possibly the best biscuits in the history of biscuits. I don’t say that lightly–biscuits have a long history. I guess you’ll just have to try them for yourself to be the judge. Then let me know what you think!
This recipe was the result of a baking experiment inspired by a reader request for cinnamon raisin biscuits. Only I forgot about the cinnamon part completely, so it’s back to the drawing board on that one. But! In the meantime, I created this recipe, so call it a happy accident of memory loss. You can make these biscuits using my homemade baking mix, Quick Mix or your own favorite baking mix–or if you don’t like to keep baking mix onhand, you can make it by the batch, so I’ve included the recipe from scratch.
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How to make Sour Cream Raisin Biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
Note: To use a baking mix, replace first 5 ingredients with 2 cups baking mix, adding a tablespoon of sugar.
Place first 5 ingredients (or 2 cups of baking mix) in a large bowl and work in the butter with a pastry cutter.
Add the raisins next, before adding the milk, to be sure to get them well blended into the mixture.
Pour in the sour cream and milk.
Knead the dough lightly, adding a little extra flour if needed to keep from sticking.
Roll dough out onto a floured surface and cut out your biscuits.
Aren’t they beautiful already? Take a moment to be impressed with yourself now. And to imagine how delicious they will be hot out of the oven with a nice big pat of butter.
Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes. These biscuits are so moist with the sour cream, they take a little longer to bake.
There are so many possibilities with these biscuits, of course. Use blueberries or cut-up apples or sliced strawberries instead of raisins! Add nuts! You could also use yogurt instead of sour cream, or use buttermilk. Some yogurt strawberry biscuits sound awfully good to me!
*Recipe makes one dozen biscuits.
See this recipe at Farm Bell Recipes and save it to your recipe box.
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Wendy says:
Yeah, non-baker convert here too! :wave:
My family is thrilled with Grandmother Bread, your sugar cookies and your pepperoni rolls. And they’re equally surprised that I’m baking.
I made sugar cookies for the kids one day while they were at school, and upon my son’s arrival said to him, “There’s warm cookies in the kitchen for you. I made you a treat.” His answer: “Why?” and then “Wait – you baked cookies??”
Thanks for all the wonderful recipes, Suzanne!
On April 24, 2009 at 4:19 am
Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife says:
Thanks for the Quick Mix recipe, I’m adding it to my larder. Biscuits are a mystery to me. I’ve never been able to bake those really wonderful morsels I remember from my childhood. I’m going to be baking these soon. Thanks.
– Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife (the OTHER Suzanne)
On April 24, 2009 at 4:58 am
CindyP says:
Your cooking posts are the only ones I wish didn’t post so early!! These are in the oven now — I had to have them NOW!!! :hungry: And my stomach is growling!!! :hungry: Cannot wait until you perfect the cinnamon……..
On April 24, 2009 at 5:02 am
Lynda Dunham-Watkins says:
That picture makes me want to forget that I don’t eat bread and haven’t in a couple of years….carbs..blah…blah. So tempting!!! Great blog.
On April 24, 2009 at 5:42 am
Lisa L. says:
Wow these look so awesome and yummy! Thank for sharing.
On April 24, 2009 at 5:44 am
Heidi says:
Do you HAVE to make me drool most mornings?!?! LOL
On April 24, 2009 at 6:02 am
Linda says:
Great recipe. I’ll have to try it with blueberries. They are my favorite.
On April 24, 2009 at 6:37 am
Pete says:
Ahhh. Now I know what to do with the extra sour cream sittng in the ‘fridge! Plus, ran into an extra package of raisins yesterday…
In case it helps anyone, I discovered what I was doing wrong in biscuit making (well, there were several, but this was the worst thing!) and since changing my ways, the biscuits are MUCH better. Perhpas even GOOD! (Utterly unbelievable!)
While attempting to get 6 biscuits out of the first experimental batch of Suzanne’s recipe, I had to pat the dough MUCH thinner prior to cutting than I had thought necessary, but otherwise there would have only been three biscuits! So, I made it as thin as needed to make 6 biscuits. They were wonderful!
Who knew that rolling out the dough too thick was a problem!
On April 24, 2009 at 7:04 am
Sheila Bergeron says:
:eating: Lord have mercy what a site!
On April 24, 2009 at 7:49 am
Julie says:
YUMMY!! I have been wanting a good recipe for cinnamon raisin biscuits! I love anything baked with sour cream or buttermilk if wither are in the recipe it will be good! i am going to make those today. Had surgery yesterday and have to lay low for a few day, I can’t sit still and do nothing it drives me crazy, so I’ll make biscuits!Not too strenuous I believe?? Thanks for the great recipes! Going to see if my husband will take me on a ride to visit my farm aniimals I miss them! :sheepjump:
On April 24, 2009 at 7:50 am
Mary Lund says:
HEY – That was me that requested the cinnamon raisin biscuit recipe and WOW did we ever get something special created for us to
re-create in our own kitchens.
Merci bien Madame Suzanne!
On April 24, 2009 at 8:30 am
coffeefrappe says:
OH. YUM. I’m currently working a second job that takes me away from home and family very early (coincidentally rolling biscuits 😉 ), so weekend breakfasts won’t be the same. But there’s always breakfast for supper. :eating: Since there is already sugar in the recipe, I’m thinking about a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon should do the trick. Thanks for the recipe Suzanne!
On April 24, 2009 at 8:55 am
Nancy in Atlanta says:
Oh, groan…they look delicious. And I’m back to cleaning drool off my keyboard. :sun:
On April 24, 2009 at 9:19 am
Treasia/TruckersWife says:
These look wonderful. I think I’ll make them and just add cinnamon to this recipe.
On April 24, 2009 at 9:29 am
Pete says:
When these come out of the oven, think I’ll put apple butter on them. That should solve the cinnamon issue…
On April 24, 2009 at 10:18 am
Melinda says:
Made them this morning for breakfast and served them with lots of butter, Yum,Yum. Since my husband is a cranberry growers, retiring in 2002, I always have craisens (sweet and dried cranberries) on hand. No raisins in my cupboards (sorry grape growers. Wonderful biscuits. Thanks, Suzanne. Enjoying your blog.
On April 24, 2009 at 10:51 am
ML says:
Oooo, these look great! I just made Strawberry Shortcakes last night after dinner. Strawberries were on sale and they were so beautifully ripe. Now I know what to do with the raisins in my pantry.
On April 24, 2009 at 11:29 am
Katharina says:
Mmmmm-mmmm. I never thought of raisin biscuits. They look heavenly. I think I’ll give apple & cinnamon biscuits a go.
I love the sunrise in fog. It is so magical. Appears that the day hold surprises to come. Pleasant surprises. :snuggle:
On April 24, 2009 at 11:35 am
Marysol says:
Well, I’m nodding supportively. I mean, how can one resist the best biscuits in the history of biscuits? Not me.
And you’re right, they look delicious, even before their destined trip to the hot oven.
Btw, you have a wonderful blog, and I’m glad to have found it.
Somebody, please, pass me a biscuit.
On April 24, 2009 at 11:51 am
KentuckyFarmGirl says:
These sound so good! Thanks for sharing. I think I’ll make these for Saturday morning breakfast.
On April 24, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Estella says:
Oh, yum! Now I’m hungry again.
On April 24, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Susan says:
I still can’t believe you haven’t published a cookbook yet! :shocked:
On April 24, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Bertie says:
LORD HAVE MERCY!!!!!!!! They look absolutely delectable! I think they what you have there is actually a scone, just cut round like a biscuit….TO DIE FOR!!
On April 24, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Claudia W. says:
I’m going to have to try these and then I am going to try them with blueberries. Starbuck’s has an absolutely depicious blueberry scone and I am trying to find something to take it’s place since I am thinking $1.95 each morning for my favorite scone can get to be an expensive habit. Thank you, you may have just saved my bank account!
On April 24, 2009 at 5:53 pm
nursemary says:
I made these tonight and they were dee-lish. I brushed the tops with melted butter and sprinkled them with cinnamon sugar prior to baking. Mine weren’t as tall as Suzanne’s so I think I need to spring for a new can of baking powder. I am putting the recipe on my site, with a credit to Suzanne of course. My chickens are going to love the leftovers in the morning. I can hear them fighting now! :hungry:
On April 24, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Winifred says:
They look so delicious. Must try them this week! Thank you.
On April 25, 2009 at 7:03 am
shirley says:
I read and reread this post the day you published it, Suzanne. The biscuits haunted me until I couldn’t stand it any more so………
I MADE THEM FOR SATURDAY MORNING BREAKFAST!!
Geez… I ate 3 before slowing down and picked on a 4th until I almost burst.
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. It’s going into my recipe file.
Who knew biscuits could get any better?
On April 26, 2009 at 9:35 am
shirley says:
DARN!!
It’s SUNDAY morning, not Saturday. And it’s April 27th.
DUH–EE!
On April 26, 2009 at 9:38 am
Sheryl - Runningtrails says:
I make a sour cream biscuit that is very similar, but use shortening instead of butter and don’t put raisins in them. They are delicious, although we usually use the sourdough biscuit recipe. I have them both on my blog at https://providence-acres.blogspot.com/ that I just posted today. I’ve been writing it for a awhile, as is usually the case, but only had the time to post it today. The recipe is almost identical and if you would like me to remove it for that reason, just let me know and I will be happy to.
I also added a pastry recipe that we love.
On April 26, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Suzanne McMinn says:
Sheryl, of course not! That’s just the law of synchronicity! People thinking about the same thing at the same time!
On April 26, 2009 at 2:36 pm
shirley says:
Ok. Here goes. With red face I submit;
Today is Sunday, April 26, 2009
I made the sour cream raisin biscuits this morning.
They were delicious.
I was convinced today was the 27th.Old age creeping up,I guess.
On April 26, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Pat says:
Tried these this morning. Holy cow were they good. I added 1 tsp. ground cinnamon to the mix. And after cutting them, I brushed the tops with melted butter and sprinkled with a mixture of cinnamon & sugar before baking. Thanks for the inspiration – you made a dreary rainy day GREAT!
On June 4, 2009 at 9:10 am
Chic says:
Ok…now I know what I’m going to do on this stormy Monday morning. Suzanne these look SOOOOOOO good and you’re so wonderful for sharing this with us. I’ll be trying your Pecan Pie too one of these days. This is going to be a sweet winter!
On September 21, 2009 at 7:00 am
Chic says:
Suzanne…my husband told me to tell you the biscuits are delicious! I made them from scratch yesterday so that they were ready when he got up (works nights so is up around noon). There is a bakery in Wichita that used to make sour cream scones but they stopped making them and I really missed them. These are BETTER and now I can have my ‘fix’ when ever I feel like it. THANKS!
On September 23, 2009 at 9:28 am
Laurie says:
I tried these but they did not rise very much. I had to add more flour because it got too sticky. Is the temp of 425 correct? Mine almost burned.
On October 4, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Suzanne says:
Yes, the temperature is correct. I’m sorry to hear that! They always work for me Be sure to check your baking powder to make sure it’s fresh.
On October 4, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Miriam says:
:pawprint: Love these bicuits! Can they be frozen and baked
at later time?
On November 18, 2010 at 3:31 pm
Suzanne McMinn says:
Miriam, yes.
On November 18, 2010 at 3:34 pm