There’s quite nothing like the warm, spiced aroma of cinnamon sugar scones fresh from the oven. This simple recipe yields scones that are light and tender on the inside, golden and crispy on the outside. A lovely fall or winter treat.
Cinnamon Sugar Scones Recipe
I’ve been making these cinnamon sugar scones for years, ever since I first spotted them on Smitten Kitchen. I’m so committed to the idea of a good breakfast that I’m more than willing to get up earlier in the morning to make a fresh batch of scones. I’ve done so many, many times and part of me wonders if that’s crazy behavior.
In my defense, it is my belief that life is made up of little things. Things like a baking sheet full of scones coming out of the oven and the house smelling of cinnamon. That’s a lovely way to start an otherwise ordinary day.
This recipe is a slight variation from the original, all in an attempt to make these cinnamon sugar scones a little bit more tender and mellower. Not that there’s anything wrong with the original recipe!
Ingredients and Step-by-Step Instructions
This is a typical scone recipe where cold butter is incorporated into flour until it resembles coarse cornmeal. That’s an important step for flaky scones.
As the scones bake in the oven, the water in the butter evaporates, creating steam. That’s what causes the dough to puff up and develop flaky layers.
What sets these beautiful cinnamon sugar scones apart from regular scones are their lovely open layers. In order to get that result, this recipe calls for an egg, as opposed to a classic cream scone formula. The egg gives the dough enough structure to support those layers.
This recipe uses half butter and half cream cheese; and the whipped cream is whipped to soft peaks, yielding a moister, softer scone.
Start by cutting the butter and cream cheese into cubes. Cover and place them separately in the fridge while you get everything else ready. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and place in the fridge.
Then, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and using your fingers or a pastry blender, pinch the butter into the dry mixture until it looks like cornmeal. Add the cream cheese and using the same method, press the cubes between your fingers until they’re no larger than small peas.
Make a well in the center, pour in the whipped cream and egg and combine into a rough mass.
Turn it out onto a lightly floured counter and roll the dough into a rectangle. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, fold it in half, then repeat the process. Finally, roll the dough out again into a rectangle and cut into triangles. For easier, more rustic-looking scones, simply pat the dough into a circle and cut into wedges. Brush with heavy cream, sprinkle with sugar, and bake.
Tips for Perfect Scones
It’s very important to use cold ingredients. So make sure to keep the butter and cream cheese in the fridge until you’re ready to use them.
If it’s warm in your kitchen, you might want to combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and place in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
It is essential to knead the dough very lightly. Just as long as necessary for it to hold together. That’s important in order to achieve light and tender scones. Over kneading the dough will result in hard and chewy scones.
The scones can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to 3 months. In that case, add 5 to 7 minutes to the baking time.
It’s undeniable that scones are far better the first day, preferably hot right out of the oven. Although they do get a little dry overtime, you can always rewarm them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
If you make these Cinnamon Sugar Scones, please let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you and about your favorite baking treat.
Ingredients
4 tbsp (57 grams) unsalted butter, cold, diced
4 tbsp (57 grams) cream cheese, cold, diced
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream, cold, plus more for brushing
1 3/4 cups (230 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for counter
6 tablespoons (75 grams) granulated sugar, divided
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 large egg
2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the butter and cream cheese into 1/2 inch cubes. Cover each separately with plastic wrap and return them to the refrigerator to chill until you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Whip the heavy cream just until soft peaks form when the beater is lifted. Place it in the refrigerator.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cream cheese and cut it into the flour mixture, using a pastry blender or pinch with your fingers, until the cream cheese is no larger than small peas.
Add the butter and press the cubes between your fingers until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
Make a well in the center and pour in the whipped cream, then the egg. Use a fork to gently combine the egg and cream in the center, then use it to combine everything into a rough mass.
Dip your hands into the bowl and knead the mixture a few times into an even mass.
On a lightly floured counter, roll the dough to roughly a 10-by-6-inch rectangle (think: a piece of paper but a little smaller). Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the remaining sugar and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon over half of the rectangle (it will seem like too much but trust me, these scones do not end up overly sweet), then fold it in half.
Roll the dough out again into an 8-by-6-inch rectangle; sprinkle another of the remaining tablespoons of sugar and the last teaspoon of cinnamon over half, then fold in half again.
Roll the dough once again into a rectangle and using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut into 6 to 9 triangles. Alternatively, do not roll one third time, but just pat the dough into roughly a 6-inch circle. Using a sharp knife, cut into 6 wedges.
Evenly space the wedges on the pan, brush with heavy cream and sprinkle with final tablespoon of sugar.
Bake until slightly golden at the edges, 15 to 17 minutes.
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