Golden Raisin Biscuit Cookies (Garibaldi Biscuits)

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Raisins are the stars in these Golden Raisin Biscuit Cookies, filling the middle and boldly popping through the thin, crispy biscuit crust on the top and bottom. Just like the raisin cookies you remember from your childhood!

If you love raisins, the next time try Tea Brack, a traditional Irish fruit cake made with tea. This moist quick bread is great for breakfast or snacks.

Thin cookie squares with raisins showing through the crust on a white background.

Why you'll love this recipe

Have you ever had the experience of not realizing you were missing something until someone mentions it? Then, suddenly you are craving a taste of that distant memory.

That's what happened to me with Sunshine raisin biscuits. I was reading the King Arthur baking blog, when I came across a recipe for these cookies.

My taste buds were flooded with memories of a childhood favorite that I hadn’t tasted for a very long time.

This raisin biscuit recipe is a combination of the King Arthur recipe and several others. The biscuits are close enough to my memory of the packaged cookies, that I can’t tell a difference.

I changed the preparation methods to simplify the process and create less mess. The dough and the filling are both made in the food processor with no washing necessary between the two.

The dough is rolled out on the same parchment it's baked on. These cookies are best when the dough is rolled out as thin as possible.

The parchment paper makes it possible to fold over the thin dough without tearing and then transfer the parchment with the cut dough onto a baking sheet without mangling the cookie squares.

Closeup of a thin raisin cookie square showing the shiny golden crust.

If these cookies start nostalgic cravings, bake a batch and see how close they are to your remembered Raisin Biscuit. If you are a raisin lover who has never tried these, get baking! You will be delighted.

Sharing these golden raisin cookies is easy because they travel well and stay fresh for at least one week.

Recipe ingredients

Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

Recipe process; combine ingredients to form dough, wrap and chill dough, chop raisins.

In the bowl of a food processor pulse to combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the dough is crumbly.
Add the orange juice and pulse just until the dough comes together in a ball.
Divide the dough in into two disc shapes, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
Place the raisins into the food processor bowl and pulse just until chopped.

Recipe process; roll out ½ dough, add ½ raisins, fold dough, roll out again, slice, bake.

On a piece of parchment lightly dusted with flour, roll out one of the dough discs into a thin (⅛”) rectangle. Lightly brush with the beaten egg, then spread half of the chopped raisins onto half of the dough down the long side of the rectangle.
Lift one side of the parchment to help fold the empty half of the dough over the raisins. Roll out again into a rectangle about 6”x15”. Some raisins will show through the dough.
Brush the surface with the beaten egg, then use a pizza wheel to cut into squares.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until caramel brown.

Tips

Orange juice brings out the raisin flavor in this recipe and isn't really noticeable in the finished cookie.
Ice water can be substituted for the orange juice in the recipe, if preferred.
Chilling the dough is very important. The cold dough can be rolled out very thin without sticking which is essential to this recipe.
Pulse the raisins minimally until they are just chopped. Over processing the raisins will produce a past-like jam which can still be used but isn't optimal.
Don't worry about rolling out the dough too thin on the second roll out. The raisins are supposed to show through and thinner dough makes a crisper cookie.

Storage

When the cookies have cooled completely, break them apart into individual biscuits and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

FAQ's about baking with raisins

Do you have to soak raisins before baking with them?

Soft, fresh raisins do not need to be soaked before using them in this recipe. However, if the raisins seem dry and hard, soaking them in hot water for 10-15 minutes can help plump them before baking.

What to do with dried out raisins?

Dried out raisins can be plumped by soaking them in hot water on the counter, in a microwave, or on the stove.

What can replace raisins in a recipe?

Any dried fruit can be used as a replacement for raisins. Dried cherries, cranberries, or currents are similar in size to a raisin. If using larger dried fruit, chopping is advised.

Oatmeal Apple Raisin Cookies are chewy oatmeal cookies sweetened with dried fruit and spiced with cinnamon.

Pabassinas are iced raisin and nut cookies flavored with anise. Some call these Mexican Raisin Cookies and eat them around Dia de los Muertos. Others call them Sardinian Raisin Biscuits and eat them on many religious holidays.

Slice and Bake Raisin Butter Cookies are crunchy, butter cookies speckled with raisins. Keep a roll of dough in the freezer and bake as many fresh cookies as needed in minutes.

Marathon Cookies are gluten free, flourless oatmeal cookies packed with energy boosting dried fruit and nuts. They will help you keep you going whether you are running a marathon or just making it through the day!

Stack of thin Garibaldi raisin cookie squares.

My experience with this recipe

Raisin Biscuits, also known as Garibaldi cookies, were invented in England in 1861 and are named after an Italian general famous as a strategist in the unification of Italy.

I have no idea why a thin biscuit consisting of raisins sandwiched between crispy dough would be named after General Garibaldi, but the cookies were wildly popular. They are still made today by some British brands.

In my American childhood, they were made by Sunshine and later (after a buyout) by Keebler. Then sadly, they were discontinued.

I have memories of long, shiny, smooth strips of cookie with perforations to easily divide the strip into five cookie rectangles. The barely sweet dough had just a bit of a crunch, but gave way easily to the naturally sweet raisins within.

I love being able to make these nostalgic favorites and have been delighted with the many readers who have written to say these biscuits are a perfect copycat taste from their childhood.

Closeup of biscuit squares and golden raisins.

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