Cinnamon Goo Biscuits

Please don’t hate me.  I need to postpone Bad Boy Love Part Two for a few days.  You see, some things came up that couldn’t be avoided, which is also why I’m a day late for the Daring Bakers Challenge.  These ‘things’ rendered me so off kilter, I couldn’t finish writing the post because I could not get back into the moment.

Before I knew it, I had written a novel about the below cinnamon goo biscuits, and I need a whole post devoted solely to Part Two.  Keep checking back, as I promise Part Two will be here this coming week – along with something pretty tasty!  I need to STOP promising certain dates for posts.  “Coming Soon!” or late should be my new catch phrases.

Now to these cinnamon goo biscuits aka Pockets of GOO Cinnamon Biscuits.  Either moniker fits.

Cinnamon Goo Biscuits - The cinnamon goo inside a cinnamon roll baked into fluffy biscuits - topped with a cream cheese glaze.

I don’t flip over scones. I also don’t flip over biscuits. Unless they’re super flaky or light and fluffy, I usually take a pass.  They’re usually too dry, crumbly and pasty for me, and I’m not a coffee or tea drinker (nor am I a milk dipper) so when I eat a scone or biscuit, I feel like my tongue has been painted with kindergarten paste as I woefully and desperately try to swallow it.

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate them, and in fact, I’ve had some really great biscuits in Texas and down south (east coast), especially ones doused with amazing gravies or smothered with my friend’s late step-grandmother’s amazing pear preserves (Oh, how I wish I had the recipe for her pear preserves! My friend’s baby stepbrother, her Grandbaby, first word was pear! That’s how good the pear preserves were!) or any kind of butters, jams, jellies or honey.

ANYWAY…

My point is, I simply don’t crave them and would rather have a warm slice or hunk of home-baked savory or sweet bread in its place.

As for scones (scones – biscuits, same thing really, although I always see scones as the biscuit’s sweet counterpart, although I know they come savory too), if they aren’t loaded with lots of melty cheese or anything that detracts from the crumbly, pasty feel, I refrain, unless I have a ‘bready‘ carb craving and a scone is pretty much my only choice.

All in all, it’s a texture thing, not a flavor thing.

Cinnamon Goo Biscuits - The cinnamon goo inside a cinnamon roll baked into fluffy biscuits - topped with a cream cheese glaze.

A few years ago I actually found a biscuit recipe I loved.  They’re called Tall and Fluffy biscuits, and they were created by the crazy, obsessive testers at Cook’s Illustrated.  I mean ‘crazy and obsessive’ in a good way because they will futz with a recipe dozens of times to get it absolutely perfect.  I think I can say these are probably the most perfect biscuits I’ve ever had as far as texture goes.  Light and fluffy, no pasty palate feel, and the best part is that they’re really easy! There’s no rolling or cutting involved, so no biscuit scraps that don’t rise as well as the first ones cut.

This recipe gives you a thick, wet dough that you scoop with a 1/4 cup measure for each biscuit, then drop into flour and roll lightly so you can round them up a bit without a mess, placing each one in a 9-inch round cake pan.  Brushed with butter and baked, I can’t even begin to tell you how great they are.  I could easily eat a pan of these all.by.myself., and they don’t need loads of butter or the aforementioned amazing pear preserves.

Cinnamon Goo Biscuits - The cinnamon goo inside a cinnamon roll baked into fluffy biscuits - topped with a cream cheese glaze.

Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!

So, my friend, Audax, is hosting this month, and I really wanted to use the exact recipe he came up with/provided since 1) They look so high and fluffy, and 2) He linked a great video of his sister making them, which was fun to watch.  BUT, I couldn’t risk a batch of scones sitting around until they turned to rocks, then getting chucked in the trash after reaching a point of stale where they’d be better off as hockey pucks.

Fortunately, the Cook’s Illustrated recipe is similar to his recipe, plus another where the scones are baked together in a circle, which is called a ‘touch of grace’.  The only difference is, the Cook’s Illustrated recipe uses much more liquid and baking powder.  He told me I could use the Cook’s Illustrated recipe because it was so similar.  Thank you, Aud!

Cinnamon Goo Biscuits - The cinnamon goo inside a cinnamon roll baked into fluffy biscuits - topped with a cream cheese glaze.

As you can tell by the title, I did something a little different. I’ve seen lots of recipes for cinnamon roll scones and biscuits, but they mostly incorporate just cinnamon and sugar, which is delicious, but I wanted GOO, just like the GOO in the giant cinnamon rolls you get at the malls called CINNA plus rhymes with Tron.  I wanted these biscuits to have thick swirls or ribbons of inner goo like a fresh out of the oven baked CINNATRON bun.  I know they use dark brown sugar, butter and a special cinnamon that is hand ground just for them by the Zukicacalukichong tribes of the Indonesian jungles, using rocks and leaves.

Umm, great..but I think Cassia or Ceylon will do just fine.

So, to create these cinnamon goo biscuits, I tried folding the cinnamon goo lightly into the batter with the buttermilk, so I wouldn’t overwork it.  The goo didn’t swirl or ribbon, just blended in fully, which was surprising since it was so thick.  They tasted great, but I wanted thick strips of goo, GOBS of goo, pockets of goo!

Cinnamon Goo Biscuits - The cinnamon goo inside a cinnamon roll baked into fluffy biscuits - topped with a cream cheese glaze.

On my second attempt, once the balls of dough were nestled in their comfy circle, I poked three to four holes with the floured end of a wooden spoon into each ball of dough, then piped the goo into the holes using a snipped ziplock bag.  It worked, BUT, it would have worked a lot better had I used a squeeze bottle or bag with a small, plain pastry tip. If I had, I would have been able to get the goo in deeper, and I wouldn’t have ended up with cinnamon goo blotches all over the tops of the biscuits, as you see in the above collage.  This dough is way too soft for a snipped ziplock to excavate and fill.  I didn’t go for a third try, and didn’t need to, because I know for sure a squeeze bottle or pastry tip will work great.

I know I say this all the time..but these are fantastic.  A lush cinnamon roll in an easy to make pull apart biscuit.  You can also use the same technique on any firm dough biscuit of your choice.  Poke holes, fill with cinnamon goo, brush with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, bake, then drizzle or glob with a thick cream cheese frosting like glaze.  Mine may not be pretty, but I’m sure yours will be!

But, aesthetics aside, and what matters most is – They’re SO friggin’ GOOD.

Cinnamon Goo Biscuits - The cinnamon goo inside a cinnamon roll baked into fluffy biscuits - topped with a cream cheese glaze.

Since you have to subscribe to see the recipe for the biscuits at Cook’s Illustrated, an online search showed me that frankly, people who do subscribe, don’t give a damn.  The recipe is all over the place!

Cinnamon Goo Biscuits

Cinnamon Goo Biscuits
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Yield: 9 biscuits
 
Biscuits adapted from Cook's Illustrated
Cream Cheese Glaze adapted from My Baking Addiction
ingredients:
Cinnamon Goo Filling
  • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (taste, then add more if you desire)
Topping
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • cinnamon sugar*
Thick Cream Cheese Glaze
  • 4 ounces cream cheese (half a package), softened
  • ¼ cup butter, softened
  • 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2-5 tablespoons of milk, depending on how thick or thin you want it.
directions:
  1. Prepare Biscuits from Cook's Illustrated, right up to the part before you brush with butter and bake.
Make Cinnamon Goo.
  1. Melt the butter over low heat in a medium saucepan, Stir in the sugars and cook until dissolved. It will separate and look ruined, but don't worry, just take off the heat and stir in the heavy cream until smooth. Stir in cinnamon. This will make more than you need for one pan IF you don't use a snipped ziplock bag (Again, look at it all over the tops of the biscuits in the collage - if done properly, you could probably make another pan of biscuits with whatever is left over). Pour into a squeeze bottle or disposable plastic pastry bag with a small, plain tip inserted. You can also insert the pastry tip into a snipped ziplock bag. Set aside. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Fill Biscuits
  1. Dip the end of a wooden spoon in flour (about ⅛ to ¼-inch diameter). Poke three to four holes, as deep as you can without hitting the bottom, in each ball of dough. Keep cleaning off and flouring the wooden spoon when it starts to stick in the balls of dough, until all of the balls of dough are poked.
  2. Pipe or squeeze cinnamon goo into each hole, almost to the top. Cover pan with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 15 -20 minutes, or fridge for about a half hour.
    Alternatively, you can just poke one big hole in the center of each biscuit, and pipe the goo in. Less messy and a prettier, albeit just as sticky and delicious, outcome.
Bake Biscuits
  1. Remove from freezer or fridge, and remove plastic wrap. Brush with biscuits with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake at 500 degrees F for 5 minutes. Turn down oven to 450 degrees F and bake for another 15 minutes, until well-risen and golden brown.
Make Cream Cheese Glaze
  1. While biscuits are baking, make cream cheese frosting glaze. Beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth - add vanilla extract and salt. Slowly add confectioner's sugar until uniform, then drizzle in the milk until you reach your desired consistency. I kept mine thick - only used a little over 2 tablespoons.
  2. Remove biscuits from oven, and let cool about 5 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Turn pan over so the connected biscuits fall onto the rack. Pull apart and turn them over - let cool a bit.
  3. Drizzle or glob (I did both) cream cheese glaze frosting over the warm biscuits. Sprinkle glaze with a bit of cinnamon sugar, if desired. Enjoy them while they last!
notes:
* To make cinnamon sugar, combine ½ cup sugar and 1½ tablespoons cinnamon. Store in a clean, airtight jar.

To get Audax’s fantastic recipe for Aussie scones (aka US biscuits), plus a wealth of information about the ingredients, methods etc..click HERE.

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50 Responses to Cinnamon Goo Biscuits

  1. I was wondering what you were going to do!!! And I’m not disappointed your goo biscuits looks so delicious (yeah I used the word) I can imagine that goo now so tasty with sugar butter cream and cinnamon yum yum. As always fantastic photos of the final recipe. Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.

  2. Jamie says:

    My wish as I blow out the candles is to live near you so you can always bake for me. I’ll eat all the scones (and everything else). Thanks for the shout out, sweetie pie! xoxo And these are way too decadent and luscious! Man how fabulous! Your creativity always stuns me! I have to try these!

  3. Maureen says:

    I cracked up at the name. I had to pin the photo too. These look SO good !!

  4. These sounds amazing Lisa, I love the goo you get at cinnatron 😛 but never thought of combining that with scones!

  5. Rosa May says:

    Those look terrific! What a devilish treat. No problem… I will be patient. 😉

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  6. Jenny says:

    Not a cartoon biscuit in the group! They look great!

  7. Deeba says:

    You knocked the ball out of the park with these Lisa,,,fabulous! Love ’em all gooey, sticky and soft. WOW!!

  8. They do look fantastic, over the top delicious. I’m more of a roll girl too, but I’m sure I could love these.

  9. Liz says:

    Definitely worth the wait! My family would love the cinnamon goo, too! And I’m patiently waiting for Part 2 😉

  10. Laura says:

    WOW! Those look dreamy! I made some gluten free scones but despite being just ok I didn’t have time to post. I might try today, but they look nothing compared to yours! Great job on the challenge.

  11. Shelley C says:

    I love the crazy, obsessive folks at Cooks Illustrated! I am not sure I’d ever want to cook FOR him, but Chris Kimball is welcome to come cook in my house any day he’d like! 🙂 Your cinnamon goo biscuits look SO delicious. I actually used that biscuit recipe (sans goo…) for my biscuits and gravy! YUMMO. (way to mix kitchen personalities…). Really awesome job, Lisa!!

  12. Mary says:

    If your code word is ‘soon’, mine should be ‘almost’! Or. ‘oops’, as I completely forgot to post this challenge! I made cheese scones and wasn’t thrilled with them, so apparently put them out of my mind in favour of sweet things. Those look amazing, and I think I might try that next time I get a scone craving. Every once in a while…

  13. Winnie says:

    These biscuits look sooooooooooooo good!
    I love everything with cinnamon and biscuit filled with cinnamon and the frosting – yummyyyyyyyyyy

  14. Erin says:

    These look amazing!!! I’m drooling over this post. 🙂 Great job on the challenge – thanks for sharing. 🙂

  15. Ruth H. says:

    You had me at “goo.” These scones look AMAZING. I have to try them. Or better, lemme know when you are making another batch, I will be there! (I’ll bring something to accompany – I just don’t know what!) I hope whatever unavoidable things came up are resolved, and I can’t wait to see what you come up with next!

  16. Elle Baker says:

    Gorgeous and love the goo inserted into the biscuits/scones…must be a cinnamon thing going on, such a perfect thing in January. Those look delish!

  17. AikoVenus says:

    Mm, I need these gooey treats in my life! ^^

  18. Megan says:

    I love how there’s gooey stickiness in every nook and cranny. This would make me a biscuit covert for sure.

  19. kat says:

    that looks amazing! and fantastic photos 🙂

  20. Renata says:

    I love everything about your biscuits, never thought they were THAT versatile! Amazing job and shots, as always!

  21. spicegirlfla says:

    How very clever and cute you are!! These look gooey good!!

  22. Sue says:

    The way you descibe them, the way they look…I’m dying here! On the MUST MAKE list for sure!
    I look forward to Part II also:)
    Lisa, Thanks for your comment on my monster cookies. I cracked up though because those are my husband’s hands, which are really quite big! Lol! 🙂 I have called his fingers “snausages” though from the very beginning, and i do think he is a “cutie pie”. 🙂 XO, Sue

  23. Great idea to make these delicious little things, even if that means that we have to wait a few days to hear the second instalment of Bad Boy Love! 😉

  24. Suzanne says:

    Hey there I’m out of town on a very slow phone but had to say these look”D” ha ha yep seriously yumolishous 🙂 thanks for the flattering words on mine especially from a non scone lover! xxxxoooo Suz

  25. These definitely take precedent! They are so tempting me to make them right now!

  26. Sarah says:

    That cinnamon goo looks like heaven to me. Great work!

  27. How can you leave us hanging on part two like this?! I’ll forgive you though, because these look so incredibly delicious – love the look of that cream cheese glaze.

  28. Valerie says:

    Awww, I was so looking forward to Part 2…Admit it, you’re teasing us, aren’t you? Just kidding, post it when you’re ready!

    These scones look amazing! It’s great that you managed to make a version to suit your taste, even though you’re not crazy about biscuits. I personally don’t go wild over cinnamon most of the time, but in this case, I want!

  29. Lisa~~ says:

    Damn, now all I can think about is when I can make these to share so that I don’t eat the entire pan myself. They look amazing gooey delish.

  30. You know this is a bit like having our favorite show pre-empted don’t you? But smart move, yep…now I’m even MORE curious about Part Two.

    Saved yourself a bit with these biscuits…how could I not be happy? Well, except there are not here in my house, on my plate right now. If that were true, I would then be truly happy. 🙂

  31. I love any dessert with the word ‘goo’ in it 🙂 Those biscuits look so yummy!

    And I think you should post Part 2 right now… It’s not fair to leave us dangling for so long! Waiting… 🙂 🙂

  32. Nish says:

    Oh man these look so good! What a brilliant idea combining two of my favourite things!

  33. gourmande says:

    They look delicious.The goo effect is surprising. From the photo, I thought you had bits of dates or some dried fruits in them.

    • Lisa says:

      Nope, when I pulled the biscuits apart, that’s just how that particular bit of ’goo’ settled. It does look like a bit of fig or date, or a pecan, though!

  34. Those definitely look dangerous – and definitely gooey! Will have to make for the boys since they love gooey, sticky cinnamon breakfast rolls!

  35. Simone says:

    I love that bit of goo… (although goo always has this unpleasant sound to it really now does it not?) I love scones but I think I would go for your DELICIOUS.. ) looking biscuits anytime!

  36. Jenni says:

    I love a nice gooey cinnamon bun, and I bet these would be fun with a biscuit base! And you are right, biscuits can be boring and crumbly and gross. A good biscuit has to be really well made. And these look it!

  37. Suz says:

    Yum! You had me at GOO, and those biscuits look gooood/gooed. They look so lovely and fluffy as well. 🙂

  38. ramblingtart says:

    I’m sorry that “thing” interrupted your life and plans. I hope things resolve quickly. 🙂 These are gorgeous!! I adore good, buttery scones and biscuits, but most are, as you said, a great disappointment. I’m so glad you found ones that delight you. 🙂

  39. I think I’m in love 🙂

  40. Evelyne says:

    Leaving us with baited breath for the bad boy….I can’t wait to hear the rest 😉 I am a light and fluffy scone gal too, with clotted cream. But love your creation and name, real funny and gooey!

  41. Juliana says:

    These gooey biscuits look awesome, especially with the cream cheese topping. Looks delicious! I look forward to the second part of the story…
    Hope you are having a great week Lisa 🙂

  42. Terra says:

    Wow, I have never seen anything so beautiful, seriously….those look extremely dangerous! I would make them, and then deem that day splurge day, and then eat them all! Holy cats, YUM! Hugs, Terra

  43. Rajani says:

    These look so tasty that its making my mouth water! I liked the post too, the way you have written it makes it a very enjoyable read :).

  44. samology says:

    wowiieeeee!!! More cinnamon goo!!! I wonder if this recipe tastes better than the previous one you did. This sure looks pretty amazing too!! Cinnamon goo on scones? Who woulda thunk that! You are so innovative! And I don’t know what you’re talking about when you say they’re not pretty. Those are GORGEOUS! If you ship em over to me I’ll finish them all. Not one crumb left!

  45. If you keep postponing the story and keep providing us with cinnamon roll versions…I’m OK with that. I have got to go eat breakfast. This is TORTURE.

  46. Dianna says:

    Can you prepare this the night before and cook it in the morning?

    • Lisa says:

      You sure can! In fact, I will add to the recipe that chilling them prior to baking, at least 30 minutes, gives you taller, flakier biscuits. After the biscuits are arranged in the pan and filled with the cinnamon goo. cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and chill until you’re ready to bake them in the morning. I don’t think you’ll need to bake them for much exta time, just check if they are risen and golden brown on top after the regular baking time. If not, let them go for another few minutes, keeping an eye on them. Hope this helps!

  47. Pingback: Cinnamon Biscuits | eatruncreate

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