Last Updated on February 17, 2021 by Chenée Lewis
If you're like me, one thing you love to order at coffee shops is a cinnamon chip scone -- the tender, crumbly texture dotted with little bursts of cinnamon is such a special treat! Well these are just like your favorite cinnamon scones from your local café, only better! These cinnamon scones are buttery, crumbly, and soft, with those great little pockets of sweet cinnamon goodness. But these come drizzled with the most luscious spiced orange glaze that complements all those flavors perfectly!
Best of all, these cinnamon scones are homemade and surprisingly easy! You might think that homemade cinnamon scones are a complicated endeavor, but they're really not! If you've got a cheese grater, you're very close to achieving that tender crumb yourself. These scones are so simple to make, and they're perfect for a morning treat!
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour - it's important to measure your flour accurately, so I would recommend weighing it with a food scale. For this recipe, you'll need 256 grams. Alternatively, you can measure two cups of flour using the spoon-and-level method.
- light brown sugar - in this cinnamon scones recipe, we're using brown sugar instead of the typical granulated sugar. Brown sugar brings out the warm flavors of cinnamon and gives a slight caramel flavor to our dough.
- baking soda and baking powder - these learners help to give us the lift and texture we want.
- salted butter - the butter should be frozen. I just toss it in the fridge for about an hour before making the dough, or you can freeze it overnight if you're making these cinnamon scones in the morning!
- full-fat sour cream - this adds the perfect texture and complex flavor!
- egg - your egg should be room temperature. This also will help to make sure the texture of our scones is perfect!
- pure vanilla extract - this adds delicious vanilla flavor to complement the cinnamon and brown sugar in these scones. Make sure you use a good-quality vanilla extract.
- cinnamon chips - I used Hershey's Cinnamon Chips for these scones. They are perfect little bites of cinnamon flavor, and you can just toss them in like chocolate chips so they're so easy!
So that's what you need to make your cinnamon scones! But if you want to go the extra mile and make this incredible spiced orange glaze, here's what you'll need:
- powdered sugar - this is what gives icings and frostings their texture and allows them to set. Like the flour above, I recommend using a food scale to measure out 230 grams of powdered sugar.
- freshly squeezed orange juice - fresh orange juice brightens up these cinnamon scones so well!
- orange zest - the zest from that same orange bumps up the intensity of the orange flavor in this icing, and makes it so delicious!
- nutmeg and cardamom - I love the combination of nutmeg and cardamom -- the nutmeg works so well with the cinnamon in the scones, and orange and cardamom are a classic combination. If you prefer, you can omit one of them or substitute other spices, or just leave the spices out altogether!
- pure vanilla extract - balances out the sharp orange flavor in this icing.
- pinch of salt - just a bit of salt helps to bring out the flavors in our icing, and adds so much to our scones!
Equipment
To make these cinnamon scones, you'll only need a few typical kitchen tools, and no electric mixer or food processor! Here's what I recommend:
Related Recipes
These moist, crumbly cinnamon scones are perfect for your next weekend brunch or a treat for anytime! They're perfect for cool autumn mornings and are amazing for the holidays! But I've got lots of delicious fall brunch recipes for you! Try my Pumpkin Bread with Maple Brown Butter Glaze for another treat full of fall spices and warm, buttery flavors!
Or for another delicious fall recipe for weekend baking, check out my Salted Caramel Cinnamon Thumbprint Cookies. They're soft spiced cookies with a caramel center sprinkled with flaky sea salt. So good!
Equipment you may need
- pastry cutter
- cheese grater
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour - (256g); spooned and leveled
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar - packed
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup cinnamon chips
- ½ cup salted butter - frozen (1 stick)
- ⅔ cup full-fat sour cream - cold
- 1 large egg - beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Spiced Orange Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar - (230g)
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- At least one hour before preparing dough (or the night before), place butter in freezer.
- Whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Grate in frozen butter and combine with dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or a fork, blend butter into flour mixture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, egg, and vanilla.
- Fold sour cream mixture and cinnamon chips into dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined. Use floured hands to continue to lightly knead dough into a ball.
- Place dough on a lightly floured surface and dust top of dough ball with a little more flour. Gently shape into a 8-inch round flattened disk and cut into 8 wedges. Place wedges at least 1-inch apart on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner.
- Preheat oven to 400°F and place baking sheet with scones in the freezer to chill while it heats up.
- Bake for 16-17 minutes or until scones are lightly golden on top and golden brown on bottom. Let cool before adding glaze.
Spiced Orange Glaze
- Whisk glaze ingredients together until smooth.
- Place scones on cooling rack over parchment paper or paper towels to catch drips. Drizzle glaze over cooled scones and allow to set.
Notes
Robin
The addition of the sour cream and cardamom are what made me love these scones. Fantastic idea!
Chenée Lewis
They make a big difference for me too!! Thanks so much!
Carita Fambro
I've been really hesitant at the idea of making scones at home. After reading through your post and recipe instructions, I think I'm going to take the leap. This sounds delicious!
Chenée Lewis
Yes! They're much easier than they look, especially when you grate the frozen butter in. Hope you can give them a try!
Marsha Eileen
This looks amazing! And I love the glaze you added on top! Will definitely have to give these a try!
Chenée Lewis
Thanks! The glaze works so well with the cinnamon flavors! I hope you enjoy!
Uncle Bert
Never thought I would enjoy scones that much (except for blueberry, because blueberry), but I'm caught by the orange glaze! Must try!
Chenée Lewis
Trust me -- those little bursts of cinnamon are SO good! Definitely give these a try 🙂
Renia
Excited to try this recipe. I need to find cinnamon chips!
Chenée Lewis
I got mine at Target -- I have a link in the recipe card if that helps! 🙂
Jessica
I love cinnamon scones and this glaze just takes them to the next level. A must try!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! I love this recipe!
Ashley D.
Your recipe is perfect for breakfast! I can see me having this with a big cup of mocha in the morning.
Chenée Lewis
Absolutely! Such a satisfying breakfast treat!
Tamara
Everything about these scones was amazing! We made them for brunch this past weekend, and they were devoured! Thanks for the recipe.
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! They're a perfect brunch recipe.
Neva
I love a good scone! This combination sounds absolutely delicious!! I can’t wait to try these! I’m thinking these will be perfect for Christmas morning!
Chenée Lewis
Awesome! I hope you love them for the holidays!
Brittney Gage
Wow these look AMAZING!!!! adding it to my list of recipes to make for sure!
Chenée Lewis
Awesome! I hope you enjoy!
Anna Merabishvili
This looks amazing!!! Saving for later!
Chenée Lewis
Yay! I hope you like them!
Alissa Clarkson
Yum! I have to make these! They look perfect for fall!
Chenée Lewis
Thanks! They're full of yummy fall flavors.