Carrot Cake Biscuits and Pineapple-Cinnamon Butter Recipe
Submitted by Southern Living on May 05, 2017

Carrot Cake is a favorite classic Easter dessert, combining sweet carrots, plump raisins, and the warm scent of cinnamon into a beautiful layer cake topped with a traditional cream cheese frosting. We have reimagined this springtime treat into these delightful make-ahead biscuits. We kept the same great taste but reduced the amount a sugar a bit, making the biscuits an excellent choice for mealtime. We like the jewel-like look of golden raisins, but you can use the darker ones, or even chopped dried apricots or cranberries. These biscuits, perfect for a holiday dinner, also make ideal mid-afternoon snacks paired with a cup of tea. But watch out—these biscuits are packed with juicy springtime carrots; don’t be surprised to discover Peter Cottontail himself sneaking a treat out of the breadbasket.

Servings:
Group

Complexity:   
Easy

Total Time:
45 minutes

Ingredients:
BISCUITS
1 1/2 cups firmly packed grated carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
2/3 cup golden raisins
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, diced
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
PINEAPPLE-CINNAMON BUTTER - MAKES 3/4 CUPS
1/2 cup softened salted butter
3 tablespoons well-drained and chopped crushed pineapple
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine carrots and raisins on a cutting board; roughly chop. Whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Add carrots and raisins; toss to combine.

Stir in buttermilk with a fork until ingredients are just combined and dough forms a ball. Turn dough out onto a floured surface; knead gently 4 to 5 times, sprinkling additional flour as necessary to prevent sticking.
Stir together softened salted butter, well-drained and chopped crushed pineapple, light brown sugar, and ground cinnamon with a fork until well combined. Serve at room temperature.
Roll or pat dough to 3/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut 20 rounds from dough, rerolling dough scraps as necessary. Arrange biscuits 1 inch apart on 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Serve warm with Pineapple-Cinnamon Butter.
Test Kitchen Tip
You can freeze and cut the biscuit dough up to 1 week ahead. Bake from frozen as directed, increasing bake time about 3 minutes.