These Cinnamon Scones are buttery, tender, and bursting with warm spices and cinnamon chips. These rival anything from your local coffee shop, are super easy to make, and pair perfectly with morning coffee or afternoon tea.

Close up of a cinnamon scone with cinnamon chips on a white plate.

If there’s one treat guaranteed to make my husband smile, it’s a batch of homemade scones. And I’ve discovered my Mom loves them, too! These cinnamon scones are a particular treat: buttery and tender on the inside, crackly and sweet on top, overflowing with cozy cinnamon and nutmeg, and packed with delicious cinnamon chips.

Apart from the incredible taste and scent of these baking, my other favorite thing about scones is how easy they are to prepare in advance and store in the freezer. This is one of the first things I think to make when I’m trying to get ahead for house guests!

That said, these are pretty quick and easy to make same-day, too. There’s really no incorrect timeline for scone preparation!

Cinnamon Scones with Cinnamon Chips

These particular scones use cinnamon chips for maximum flavor and simplicity. I like to use Hershey’s cinnamon baking chips, which can be hard to find but are periodically at either my local grocery store or at Target, and are sometimes available on Amazon, too. They are shaped just like chocolate chips, but medium brown and, clearly, cinnamon in flavor.

Small prep bowl filled with cinnamon baking chips.

On more than one occasion, one of my son’s friends has been over and tried a cinnamon chip from the pantry. Boy were they surprised!

Again, these chips can be somewhat hard to find but they last forever, so if you see a package, I highly recommend scooping them up!

Other Ingredients

For these scones, you’ll also need:

  • Butter: Salted or unsalted butter will work, just be sure to put it in the freezer prior to making your dough for best results!
  • Heavy or light cream: For the absolute best texture and crumb.
  • All-purpose flour: I have not tested this recipe yet with any blend of white whole wheat or gluten-free flour. If you do, please let me know how it goes.
  • Granulated sugar: A small amount of granulated white sugar will go into the dough, then you’ll want a tiny bit extra to sprinkle on top — the sprinkle can be granulated sugar, as well, or you can use raw or Turbinado sugar if you have it for additional sparkle and texture.
  • Baking powder: To give the scones lift.
  • Ground cinnamon and nutmeg: Be sure your spices are fresh for the best flavor! When you open the jar or canister, the aroma should be strong and fragrant.
  • Kosher salt and vanilla extract.
  • One large egg.

How To Make Cinnamon Scones

Let’s make the best scones ever! This is a general overview. You will find full instructions with exact ingredients and times in the print-friendly recipe card below.

  1. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Separately, whisk together the liquid ingredients.
  3. Grate frozen butter into small pieces. I do this quickly the large side of a standard box grater but a food processor works as well.
  4. Combine everything and gently work into a dough.
  5. Shape into a disc and slice.
  6. Brush each scone with melted butter, sprinkle with extra sugar, and bake.

Pro Tip: For best results, it’s crucial to begin with very cold butter — it should be placed in the freezer for at least 10 minutes before you grate it and mix it into the dough. You want some flecks of solid butter in the dough. Just as in homemade pie crust, these flecks will melt while the scones bake in the oven, leaving flaky layers and tender pockets of buttery goodness speckled throughout your scones.

If you are too nervous to grate butter on the box grater, you can cut the butter into pieces and work it into the dough with two forks or a pastry cutter. Give it a try, though — it’s faster and easier to grate butter than you think!

White serving plate piled high with freshly-baked cinnamon scones, with extra cinnamon sticks, cream, and turbinado sugar in the background.

Serving Suggestions

Although we inhale these scones straight out of the oven as they are, you always have the option to add a simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk, which you can dip or drizzle on with a spoon. They’re of course also amazing with a pat of butter and a hot mug of coffee or tea!

Storage & Freezing Tips

Scones are especially wonderful to freeze after shaping and before baking, making them a fantastic way to stock your own freezer or the freezer of someone you love. They can go straight in the oven, leading to all the wonderful scents and tastes of fresh-baked scones with essentially zero effort.

  • Storage: Scones keep well in any airtight container, zip-top bag, or on a plate tightly wrapped in plastic wrap for 2-3 days at room temperature.
  • Freeze Before Baking (my favorite!): Prepare dough as directed, cut into wedges, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate. Transfer to the freezer for about 1 hour. This flash freezes the scones so they don’t stick together. You can then layer them in a freezer bag or container and freeze up to 4 months. Scones can then be baked straight from frozen, just adding 3-4 minutes to the baking time.
  • Freeze After Baking: Allow scones to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer bag or container and store for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter. To mimic the fresh-baked effect, you can warm the scones in the microwave for 20 seconds or pop them into a 250°F oven for 10 minutes or so.

Related Recipes

Don’t miss our favorite chocolate chip scones for another easy breakfast treat. We also love making a big batch of blueberry almond, pumpkin pecan, or banana zucchini walnut muffins!

If you try these Cinnamon Scones, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.

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5 from 1 vote

Cinnamon Scones

Buttery, tender, and bursting with warm spices and cinnamon chips. These rival anything from your local coffee shop, are super easy to make, and pair perfectly with morning coffee or afternoon tea.

Ingredients

  • 6 Tablespoons butter frozen, plus 1 Tablespoon butter for melting
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup cinnamon chips
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon heavy cream
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tablespoons raw or Turbinado sugar for sprinkling, see note

Instructions

  • If not already frozen, place 6 Tablespoons of the butter in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk to combine. Stir in the cinnamon chips.
  • In a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the cream, egg, and vanilla extract.
  • Remove butter from the freezer, and use a box grater to shred it into small pieces.
  • Add shredded butter and the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir to combine. The dough should be crumbly and still have streaks of butter. Knead it very briefly with well-floured hands, just until evenly combined. If the dough is too dry to come together, add a tiny bit more cream, just a couple drops at a time. Do your best to press and work the dough gently so that it comes together but you still have some visible pieces of butter.
  • Turn out the dough onto a lightly-floured work surface, and use your hands to gently shape it into a flat disk, roughly 9” across. Cut the disk into 8 wedges, just like a pizza. Transfer wedges to the prepared baking sheet.
  • Melt the remaining 1 Tablespoon butter and brush it lightly over the cut scones. Sprinkle each scone lightly with raw sugar.
  • Bake scones on a middle oven rack for 18-20 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned. Let cool about 10 minutes and serve, or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  1. Add Nuts: Add 1/3 cup chopped pecans to the dough along with the cinnamon chips, if desired.
  2. Turbinado Sugar: This is just for sprinkling on the scones prior to baking, which gives the tops a sweet crunchy finish. You can buy small bags specifically marked “turbinado” sugar at most grocery stores, or use any large granulated raw sugar, or regular brown or granulated white sugar. The point is just to get a little sparkle on top.
  3. Make-Ahead Instructions: To make ahead, follow the instructions above through brushing the tops of the shaped scones with butter and sugar. Place the scones on a baking tray, then transfer the entire tray straight to the freezer for 30-45 minutes. (This will flash freeze the scones so they are easier to work with and keep their shape.) Remove the tray, and wrap each scone in a small piece of plastic wrap. Place wrapped scones in a zip-top freezer bag, seal, and store in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. When ready to bake, unwrap frozen scones, place directly on a baking tray, and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned.
  4. Storage: Scones keep well in an airtight container for 2-3 days on the counter.
  5. Freezing Baked Scones: Allow scones to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer bag or container and store for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter. To mimic the fresh-baked effect, you can warm the scones in the microwave for 20 seconds or pop them into a 250°F oven for 10 minutes or so.

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 251 kcal, Carbohydrates: 31 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 12 g, Saturated Fat: 7 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g, Trans Fat: 0.3 g, Cholesterol: 52 mg, Sodium: 225 mg, Potassium: 205 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 7 g, Vitamin A: 404 IU, Vitamin C: 0.1 mg, Calcium: 84 mg, Iron: 2 mg
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