I’m back on breakfast and my favorite thing to do – baking.

Since I have a little more time to myself these mornings, I can do some quick baking that pleases everyone.

Here’s an idea using a simple biscuit recipe for the next time you have a little time in the morning or even for a late breakfast on the weekends.

You can even invite that friend over you’ve been meaning to spend a little more time with, make a pot of good coffee and eat these wonderful breakfast treats.

Cinnamon Biscuits with cream cheese icing

For the biscuits:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbs. Baking powder

1tbs cinnamon

3 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

half cup of raisins (optional)

quarter cup butter flavored vegetable shortening (chilled)

two-thirds to three-quarters cup half and half

Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients. Cut the shortening with a pastry blender – or the old fashioned fork, which I use – until the lumps are the size of peas or it looks kind of like damp sand. Blend in just enough half and half with a fork until dough leaves the sides of the bowl.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Kneed gently two or three times. Roll out dough to half-inch thick.

Cut using a biscuit or round cookie cutter. Place on baking sheet one inch apart for crispy side or almost touching for softer sides.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cover with icing while hot. Makes about 12 2-inch biscuits.

For the cream cheese icing:

4 oz. or half an 8 oz. container of cream cheese (softened)

4 tbs of margarine (softened)

8 oz. or half a box of powdered sugar

1 tbs of vanilla extract

1 tbs of milk

Blend all ingredients together in a mixer on medium until smooth.

You can also take the biscuit recipe and omit the raisins, cinnamon and sugar and add three-quarter cups of shredded cheese and three-quarter cups of cooked and cooled sausage for a savory biscuit.

You can even substitute buttermilk for the half and half. When you pull these out of the oven, brush them with a little melted butter. Enjoy!

Until next time, have fun in the kitchen, experiment and indulge your cravings!

Laura Clements is the pastry chef at Napoleon’s.