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.
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.
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.
- 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.
- 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
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.
Dried out raisins can be plumped by soaking them in hot water on the counter, in a microwave, or on the stove.
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.
More cookie recipes with raisins
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!
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.
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Golden Raisin Biscuit Cookies (Garibaldi Biscuits)
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cold
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- 1-2 tablespoons ice water
- 1 ½ cups raisins golden, black, or sweet currants
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
Instructions
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Chop the cold butter into small chunks and distribute over the dry ingredients in the food processor. Pulse until the butter is worked into the flour mixture and the dough is crumbly.
- Add the orange juice and pulse just until the dough comes together in a ball. If the dough appears dry and doesn’t hold together, add ice water (1 tablespoon at a time) until a soft, cohesive dough is achieved.
- 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. It is not necessary to wash it after making the dough. Pulse just until the raisins are chopped.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° F. Cut two sheets of parchment the size of a large baking sheet.
- Place one of the pre-cut sheets of parchment on the counter. Dust lightly with flour.
- Place on piece of dough on the parchment and roll it out into a thin (⅛”) rectangle approximately 8”x12”.
- Lightly brush the dough surface with the beaten egg glaze, then spread half of the chopped raisins (¾ cup) onto half of the dough sheet down the long side of the rectangle. Cover the raisins with a piece of wax paper and press gently into the dough.
- Lift one side of the parchment to help fold the empty half of the dough sheet over the raisins. Roll out the layers of dough again into a rectangle about 6”x15”. Some raisins will show through the top of the dough.
- Brush the surface with the beaten egg glaze.
- Use a pizza wheel to make straight edges and cut into rectangular biscuits or squares about 2”x2”. All edges and rectangles can be left in place for baking. The cookies expand minimally and can be separated after baking.
- Slide the parchment onto a baking sheet.
- Repeat the process with the remaining dough and raisin filling.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. If baking both pans at once, rotate the pans after 8 minutes.
- Cookies can cool completely on the baking sheet, or the parchment can be slid onto a counter for cooling.
- When the cookies have cooled completely, break apart into individual biscuits and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Notes
- 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.
- Wrap small piles of 3-4 cookies in plastic wrap.
- Fit columns of wrapped cookies snuggly into freezer weight ziplock bags or plastic storage containers. B
- e sure there is no wiggle room inside the containers or the shipping box.
Nutrition
First Published: May 16, 2016. Last Updated: August 17, 2021. Updated for additional information, improved photographs, and better reader experience.
Elaine
Just had to make these….they were my favorite cookie and are no longer produced. Now I can make them myself. Thanks for the recipe and memories.
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Elaine. I’m delighted that you enjoyed these cookies as much as I do. The memories these cookies invoke make me smile! Enjoy!
Trina
Just made these and they are just like I remember growing up. We called them Sultana Cookies my Nonna loved them and so did I.
Dolores
Anyone try this recipe with a gluten free flour? They look amazing but, unfortunately, I have to be gluten free.
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Dolores. I haven’t tried this recipe with gluten free flour. It might work with something like Bobs Red Mill 1-to-1, but what worries me is that gluten provides a stretchiness to the dough which is important to the way these cookies are made. Sorry to disappoint you. Could I suggest a different kind of gf cookie instead? My daughter has to eat gluten free and these are her favorite. They get great reviews from others as well! https://themondaybox.com/flourless-soft-almond-cookies-pasticccini-di-mandorle/
Asia
Bardzo dziękuję za przepis. Ciasteczka wyszły przepyszne – cudowne wspomnienie dzieciństwa
Wendy Sondov
Zapraszamy! Tak się cieszę, że ci się podobały!
Mary
What can I use other than Orange juice
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Mary. Orange juice adds moisture and a bit of flavor to this recipe to bring it close to the Sunshine biscuits many people remember. You can certainly use a different juice, or even water, an the recipe would still work even if it tastes a little different.
Mary
Orange juice substitute!
Jen
I don’t have a food processor, can these be done without? They sound delish!
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Jen. Yes, I think this could easily be made without the food processor. You would need to use a hand held pastry blender or two forks to work the butter into the dry ingredients until you have a fine crumb. It will take some work but can be done! 🙂 Good luck!
zendegy
Mine don’t look as pretty as yours, but they sure taste yummy!! I made a little tweak; I used raisins that i had long been soaking in rum (I keep them on hand for malt loaf). SO GOOD!!! I also ended up zhuzhing in some pecans, because my raisins were so wet.
Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
Wendy Sondov
I’m so glad you are enjoying the cookies! How great to have a supply of rum soaked raisins on hand! I bet those really added to the flavor.
Lynn Tittelman
Baked these cookies today. Delicious. Loved them as a kid as well. So glad I found your recipe, I ordered the Garibaldi Biscuits from The Village Country Store a few years ago. So glad I can make them myself now.
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Lynn! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the cookies! I haven’t tried the Garibaldi Biscuits, though I have been told they are more or less the same as the Sunshine brand cookie. Being able to make them myself, ensures nostalgic eating whenever the craving hits. 🙂 Thanks so much for leaving a comment and a rating so that others will know to give these cookies a try!
Bev Darragh
As a kid we called these fly biscuits. So happy t get the recipe as the are not available anymore
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Bev. This is exactly why I worked on this recipe! 🙂 I loved these cookies as a kid and couldn’t buy them anymore. I hope you will try the recipe and come back to give it a 5 star rating! Happy baking!
ezachos
This recipe is delicious! One important change I made: I learned after the first time that rolling out the filled and folded pastry sheet squishes the filling out at the ends, if you are rolling it hard enough to change a 4” x 12” rectangle to a 6” x 15” rectangle. If the raisins are chopped well, or better yet if they’re soaked, drained, and chopped, they easily spread to the edges of the 6 x 15 rectangle. Also, be careful when using the parchment to help fold the pastry over. Have your fingertips on the edges of the pastry, or it’ll flop off the parchment and into the middle of the filling.
Wendy Sondov
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for including all of your great preparation tips. I would appreciate it if you would add your 5 star rating to the recipe so that other readers will be encouraged to give it a try. Happy baking!
Ann forget
Could you also add dried. Cranberries
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Ann. You can definitely use dried cranberries! People looking to replicate their childhood memories need to use raisins. People just looking for a great cookie get to experiment! 🙂
Jenifer
I saw the photo of these biscuits and thought I’d gone back in time. I think my mother used to call them Garibaldi biscuits, but we kids called them ‘squashed fly’ biscuits—which in no way hindered our love for them of course.
Making them is going to be the next thing I bake…not that I’m in a hurry or anything, but I’m now hastily re-scheduling everything I had intended to do tomorrow morning, so that I can make them. Luckily I bought a packet of sultanas just two days ago; I don’t often use them so I must have been using my previously non-existant physic powers to predict that I was going to need them urgently.
Many thanks for publishing this recipe Wendy,
Jen
anna belle
Both my husband and I feel these are way tastier than the commercial ones. Turned out fabulous and half gone already.
Wendy Sondov
Thank you so much, Anna Belle for coming back to give an update on your cookies! I am so glad you and your husband are enjoying them. I think they are very tasty biscuits and our nostalgia for them makes these taste even better! 🙂
anna belle
Hi to everyone,
My husband loved these years ago. I’ve always watched for them but no dice. So I was really keen to try the recipe. We haven’t tasted them yet, I got them in the oven just before my husband came home so he would be surprised. He is anxious for his tea and biscuits now. They look just like yours and I know this recipe has a lot more raisins than the commercial ones.
Thanks for this great find.
Wendy Sondov
Hi Anna Belle. I hope you and your husband enjoy the biscuits! I think they are very much like the ones we miss from years ago!
Ines Andre
These came out amazing its already a family favorite the only change I made i also added ground walnuts to the raisins. Thank you for the recipe
Wendy Sondov
I am delighted to hear that your family is enjoying these cookies, Ines! Sounds like your addition of walnuts was a flavor success! Thank you for taking the time to comment and to leave your 5 star review!